Title
Republic vs. Hon. Leon Roxas, Jr.
Case
Adm. Case No. 187-J
Decision Date
Nov 29, 1972
Judge Leon Roxas, Jr. acquitted Romeo Arceno of malversation charges, citing reasonable doubt; Supreme Court absolved Roxas of misconduct, finding no evidence of unjust or malicious judgment.
Font Size:

Case Digest (Adm. Case No. 187-J)

Facts:

  1. Accusation of Malversation: In 1969, Provincial Fiscal Vicente Abalajon filed an information charging Romeo A. Arceno, the disbursing and collecting officer of the Capiz Agricultural and Fishery School, with malversation of public funds amounting to P6,619.34.
  2. Audit Findings: An audit conducted in 1967 by Ronaldo D. Brodit revealed that Arceno’s accountability was short by the said amount.
  3. Arceno’s Defense: Arceno claimed that the funds were disbursed for the benefit of the school, supported by cash invoices, chits, receipts, and vouchers.
  4. Trial Proceedings: Both prosecution and defense presented evidence. The prosecution argued that Arceno failed to issue official receipts and violated auditing rules, while the defense maintained that the funds were used for school purposes.
  5. Acquittal: Judge Leon Roxas, Jr. acquitted Arceno on September 30, 1970, citing reasonable doubt.
  6. Administrative Complaint: The Capiz Agricultural and Fishery School filed an administrative complaint against Judge Roxas, accusing him of “knowingly rendering an unjust judgment.”

Issue:

  1. Whether Judge Leon Roxas, Jr. rendered an unjust judgment in acquitting Arceno.
  2. Whether Judge Roxas “knowingly” rendered an unjust judgment.

Ruling:

  • (Subscriber-Only)

Ratio:

  • (Subscriber-Only)


Jur is an AI-powered legal research platform in the Philippines for case digests, summaries, and jurisprudence. AI-generated content may contain inaccuracies; please verify independently.