The Court of Appeals. (Photo from the Philippine Daily Inquirer)
The Supreme Court (SC) has imposed a P100,000 against a Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice
after the high court received pictures of him gambling in a casino in Pampanga from an anonymous complainant.
In a 10-page decision which was recently made public, the high court, in a decision penned by Associate Justice Samuel Martires said Pizarro violated Presidential Decree 1869 which prohibits government officials from gambling.
Aside from the photographs sent by the anonymous complainant, the high court also noted that Pizarro admitted playing in a casino in 2009.
“The Court cannot simply ignore this evident and admitted fact,” the high court said.
“Judges should behave at all times so as to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality in the judiciary, and avoid the appearance of impropriety in all their activities,” the high court said adding that “any demeaning act of a judge degrades the institution he represents.”
The high court pointed out that it has repeatedly reminded judges “to conduct themselves irreproachably, not only while in the discharge of official duties but also in their personal behavior every day.”
However, the high court said it will only impose a fine because it was Pizarro’s first transgression.
Associate Justice Marvic Leonen dissented from decision because he wanted a harsher penalty of dismissal while Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin inhibited because of his “close relations” to Pizarro. /je