Facts:

• Complaint filed by Police Chief Inspector Nestor B. Belga against Judge Mamerto M. Buban for gross ignorance of the law and violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
• Case involves a judgment of acquittal rendered by Judge Buban in a case of illegal possession of firearms.
• Nestor B. Belga, Chief of Police of Tabaco, Albay, filed a case for illegal possession of firearms against Noel Bodota de Rama.
• Case was assigned to Judge Mamerto M. Buban of the Regional Trial Court of Tabaco, Albay, Branch 18.
• During the trial, it was established that de Rama was caught carrying a .38 caliber revolver without a license or permit.
• De Rama presented a mission order issued by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) as his authority to carry the firearm.
• Later revealed that de Rama was not an agent of the NBI and the mission order could not substitute for a license.

Issue:

• (Unlock)

Ruling:

• Judge Buban is guilty of ignorance of the law and neglige...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The Supreme Court found that the mission order presented by de Rama could not take the place of a license.
• Judge Buban committed an erroneous conclusion in acquitting de Rama based on the existence of the mission order.
• Judges have an obligation to be conversant with basic legal principles and be aware of well-settled authoritative doctrines.
• Ignorance of the law, especially elementary notions and jurisprudence, is ...continue reading