Facts:

• Ramon Abad filed a complaint against Judge Antonio Belen for gross dereliction of duty.
• The case involves Special Proceeding No. 2648 entitled "Intestate Estate of Deceased Lino Abad Pine."
• The case was instituted in 1945 and submitted for decision in 1984.
• Abad alleges that Belen failed to render a decision in the case for almost seven years.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• Judge Belen failed to discharge his duty to personally take note of and render a decision in Special Proceeding No. 2648 within ninety days from submission of the case for decision.
• The charge of collusion...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• Mere suspicion of partiality is not enough; there should be adequate evidence to prove the charge.
• Judge Belen's forgetfulness due to his heavy workload and advanced age is not an adequate defense against his act of submitting false certificates of service.
• Mitigating circumstances were taken into account, such as Belen's long years of government service, his performance as a presiding judge, his age and health condition, and his promise to be mo...continue reading