Facts:

• An administrative complaint was filed by Hortencia R. Cayabyab against Judge Irineo P. Pangilinan, Jr., Presiding Judge of the RTC of Angeles City, Branch 58.
• The complaint stemmed from Judge Pangilinan's handling of Criminal Case No. 10-5530, where Cayabyab accused her adopted daughter, Maria Melissa Cayabyab y Robles, of perjury.
• The perjury charge arose from an Affidavit of Loss executed by the accused, falsely claiming that the owner's duplicate copy of TCT No. 92191 was lost.
• The judgment for the case was initially set for July 28, 2016, but was postponed three times, with the final decision rendered on October 20, 2016, four months after submission.
• Cayabyab argued that Judge Pangilinan showed gross ignorance of the law by acquitting the accused despite acknowledging her falsehood.
• The acquittal was later reversed by Judge Irin Zenaida S. Buan for grave abuse of discretion.
• Cayabyab also alleged a personal connection between Judge Pangilinan and the accused, raising concerns about impartiality.
• Judge Pangilinan dismissed the complaint as malicious and unfounded, claiming the delay was within constitutional limits and aimed at facilitating an amicable resolution.

Issue:

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Ruling:

• The Court found Judge Irineo P. Pangilinan, Jr. guilty of undue delay in rendering a decision and imposed a fine of P10,000.
• The charges of knowingly rendering an unjust ju...(Unlock)

Ratio:

• The Court supported the OCA's findings regarding undue delay, citing Article VIII, Section 15 of the 1987 Constitution, which requires cases to be resolved within three months from submission.
• Judge Pangilinan's decision, rendered four months after submission, was deemed a violation of this constitutional provision.
• The Court rejected his justification of seeking an amicable settlement as unreasonable, particularly in a criminal case involving perjury...continue reading