Case Digest (A.M. No. RTJ-08-2151)
Facts:
- The case involves the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) as the petitioner and Judge Edwin C. Larida, Jr. as the respondent.
- A fire occurred in the records room of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 18 in Tagaytay City, on October 12, 2008, at approximately 7:50 a.m.
- The fire was controlled by 8:10 a.m. and extinguished shortly thereafter.
- Investigators found a 1.5-liter plastic bottle of gasoline, glue, and a candle at the scene, raising suspicions of arson.
- Atty. Stanlee D.C. Calma, the Branch Clerk of Court, reported the incident to the OCA, prompting an investigation by then Court Administrator Jose Portugal Perez on October 13, 2008.
- The investigation revealed alleged violations by Judge Larida, including breaches of Administrative Circular No. 28-2008, allowing unauthorized tasks by employees, extorting money, and defying Supreme Court directives.
- The OCA recommended that Judge Larida be prohibited from hearing cases and reassigned as an assisting judge.
- The case was referred to the Court of Appeals for further investigation.
- Jayson A. Marticio, a detailed employee, submitted a letter-complaint detailing irregularities involving court staff, which was consolidated with the case against Judge Larida.
- The Investigating Justice conducted hearings, but Marticio's failure to appear led to the dismissal of his complaint for lack of interest.
- A report with findings and recommendations regarding Judge Larida was submitted by the Investigating Justice.
Issue:
- (Unlock)
Ruling:
- The Supreme Court partly adopted the findings and recommendations of the Investigating Justice.
- Judge Edwin C. Larida, Jr. was found guilty of a less serious charge for failing to comply with Administrative Circular No. 28-2008 and for unbecoming conduct regarding the solicitation of commissions.
- He was suspended from office without pay for two months.
- Charges of extorting money, defying the ...(Unlock)
Ratio:
- The Court emphasized Judge Larida's failure to submit the required inventory of locally-funded employees and allowing them to perform tasks beyond clerical duties, indicating a lack of administrative oversight.
- Although responsibilities were delegated to the Clerk of Court, Judge Larida remained ultimately responsible for compliance wit...continue reading
Case Digest (A.M. No. RTJ-08-2151)
Facts:
The case involves the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) as the petitioner and Judge Edwin C. Larida, Jr., the Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 18 in Tagaytay City, as the respondent. The events leading to this administrative case began on October 12, 2008, when a fire broke out in the records room of the RTC at approximately 7:50 a.m. The fire was controlled by 8:10 a.m. and extinguished shortly thereafter. During the investigation, a 1.5-liter plastic bottle containing gasoline, a container of glue, and a candle were recovered from the scene, leading to suspicions of arson. Atty. Stanlee D.C. Calma, the Branch Clerk of Court, reported the incident to the OCA, prompting an investigation initiated by then Court Administrator Jose Portugal Perez on October 13, 2008.
The investigation revealed several anomalies allegedly committed by Judge Larida, including violations of Administrative Circular No. 28-2008 regarding the detail of locally-funded employees, allowing employees to draft court orders, extorting money from accused individuals, and defying directives from the Supreme Court. Following the investigation, the OCA recommended that Judge Larida be prohibited from hearing cases and be designated as an assisting judge in another branch. The case was referred to the Court of Appeals for further investigation.
In the course of the investigation, Jayson A. Marticio, a detailed employee, submitted a letter-complaint detailing various irregularities involving court staff, which was consolidated with the case against Judge Larida. The Investigating Justice of the Court of Appeals conducted hearings, but Marticio failed to appear, leading to the recommendation for the dismissal of his complaint due to lack of interest. The Investigating Justice ultimately submitted a report with findings and recommendations regarding the charges against Judge Larida.