4 RTC judges penalized for impropriety, other violations at PJA convention

Four Regional Trial Court (RTC) judges were penalized for impropriety and violations of guidelines during the 2013 Philippine Judges Association (PJA) Convention and elections, the Supreme Court said on Sunday.

“With this Decision, the Court hopes to impress upon the judges the strict standards of conduct of their office. Section 1, Canon 4 of the New Code of Judicial Conduct enjoins judges to ‘avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all of their activities,’” the SC said in a statement.

The high court  underscored that stricter adherence to standards of conduct are expected from those who seek elective office in judges’ association “as they can best lead by example.”

The judges who were penalized were candidates during the convention and reportedly violated the Guidelines on Conduct of Election of Judges’ Associations.

In a 64-page decision issued on September 25, 2018, the high court admonished Manila RTC Branch 24 Judge Lyliha Aquino for failure “to maintain the appearance of propriety in booking room accommodations for judges for the 2013 PJA Convention and election when she was running for re-election as PJA Secretary-General.”

It said Aquino’s action “although done in good faith or with the best intentions, could be easily misconstrued and politicized during the period of election of PJA officers to be intended to further Judge Aquino’s candidacy.”

The SC also ordered Quezon City RTC Branch 83 Judge Ralph Lee to pay a fine of P21,000 for violation of Section 4(a) of the Guidelines on the Conduct of Elections of Judges Association for use and distribution of prohibited campaign materials such as desk calendars, posters and tarpaulins.

Biñan, Laguna RTC Branch 24 Judge Marino Rubia, on the other hand, was also ordered to pay a fine of P21,000 for violations of Section 4(a) of the guidelines for distributing campaign kits consisting of a bag, cap, t-shirt, and printing materials, all prohibited campaign items.

The fourth judge, Makati RTC Branch 132 Judge Rommel Baybay, was ordered to pay P30,000 as fine for violations of Sections 4(a) and 4(d) of the said guidelines.

The high court said Baybay violated Section 4(a) for giving away cellphones as raffle prizes during the campaign period. Such cellphones were deemed prohibited campaign materials under the guidelines.

Baybay was also found to have violated Section 4(d) of the guidelines for providing hotel room accommodations with 25 percent discount to select judges during the convention.

The said guidelines, approved by the SC in its resolution dated May 3, 2007, are aimed at ensuring that “the different judges’ associations would prudently manage as well as undertake honest, simple, clean, transparent and orderly elections of their officers.”

The guidelines are also aimed at keeping “the amount of campaigning and electioneering within reasonable limits and to assist in the maintenance of spirit of collegiality and essential fairness in such elections,” the SC statement added. /ee