Junio vs. Rivera, Jr.

FACTS:

Fourteen (14) year-old Cristina Junio filed a co!laint acts of lasciviousness a"ainst res!ondent Jud"e

#edro Rivera Jr. of t$e %unici!al Trial Court of Alainos, #an"asinan for &issin" $er '$ile $e 'as drun& durin" $is

irt$day !arty, '$ic$ act constitutes "ross isconduct and conduct !reudicial to t$e est interest of t$e

Judiciary.Cristina*s fat$er, #atricio Junio, filed an adinistrative c$ar"e a"ainst t$e res!ondent 'it$ res!ect to t$e

sae acts co!lained of criinally. Jud"e #edro C. Rivera, Jr. is found "uilty of "ross isconduct and conduct and

is+S%SS+ fro t$e service 'it$ !reudice to re-e!loyent in any !art of t$e "overnent service includin"

"overnent-o'ned or controlled cor!orations, 'it$ forfeiture of all retireent enefits and !rivile"es.

o'ever, After ore t$an 11 years res!ondent Jud"e !leaded on t$e SC ased on $uanitarian

considerations and in t$e s!irit of for"iveness, $e e "ranted onetary enefits and allo' $i to 'or& in any

"overnent a"ency or "overnent-o'ned or controlled cor!orations as a consultant. e furt$er stated t$at $e 'as

ac/uitted in t$e criinal case for acts of lasciviousness filed a"ainst $i0 t$at $e served t$e "overnent for ore

t$an t$irty-five (2) years, four (4) years of '$ic$ 'as in t$e Judiciary0 and t$at t$is is $is first adinistrative offense.

SS3: $et$er or not Jud"e Rivera is "uilty of "ross isconduct5

R3678:

9es. Jud"e Rivera is "uilty of "ross isconduct. A a"istrate of t$e la' ust co!ort $iself in a anner

t$at $is conduct ust e free of a '$iff of i!ro!riety, not only 'it$ res!ect to t$e !erforance of $is official duties,

ut also to $is e$avior outside $is sala and as a !rivate individual.. ence, t$eir fait$ful ad$erence to t$e Code of

Judicial Conduct is strictly deanded. A lac&adaisical attitude to'ards t$ese udicial standards is i!erissile.

8audencio vs. #acis

FACTS:

n a letter-co!laint to t$e C$ief Justice, Anastacio . 8audencio states t$at $e $as a case dra""in" on for

years efore t$e sala of Jud"e d'ard +. #acis of t$e %unici!al Trial Court of %arilao, ulacan due to ;constant

resettin" of $earin"s, inefficiency, asenteeis and ine<!ertise in t$e field of la'= of t$e latter.

n $is coent Jud"e #acis c$aracteri>es t$e co!laint to e a ere deolition o a"ainst $i.

Res!ondent avers t$at t$e alle"ed co!lainant is a fictitious !erson, denies $avin" een asent, disclais re-settin"

an arrai"nent and !re-trial and trial of cases are reset are '$en 'itnesses are asent, or '$en t$e !ulic

!rosecutor is asent

e adds t$at in res!ondent*s si< years as a ud"e, t$is is not res!ondent*s first rus$ 'it$ an adinistrative

co!laint. T$ere is still a !endin" investi"ation, on a c$ar"e of 8ross "norance of #rocedure.

y order of t$is Court an audit tea conduct a udicial audit and !$ysical inventory of cases !endin" efore

res!ondent*s sala. n $is re!ort t$e Court Adinistrator enuerates irre"ularities found in res!ondent*s sala.

SS3: '$et$er or not Jud"e #acis s$ould e $eld adinistratively liale.

R3678:

Considerin" t$e e<!lanations of Jud"e #acis and %s. s"uerra, t$e ?CA recoended t$at t$e

e<!lanations e deeed satisfactory. Jud"e d'ard +. #acis 'as, $o'ever, advised to: (a) oserve strict ad$erence

to t$e "uidelines set fort$ under !ara"ra!$s and @ of Adinistrative Circular -, dated January 12, 1, and

refrain fro fre/uent "rantin" of otions for !ost!oneent0 and () re"ularly conduct $earin"s to avoid "ivin" t$e

!ulic t$e i!ression t$at t$e on. Jud"e is reiss in t$e !erforance of $is udicial functions.