Case Summary (Adm. Matter No. 28-MJ)
Allegations Against the Respondent
The primary grounds of the complaint against Judge Sison were his alleged illegal dismissal of the election annulment petition and his failure to act on a motion for reconsideration within the statutory period mandated by law. The complainants argued that the dismissal was made out of a lack of understanding of the law, and the delay in resolving the motion for reconsideration lasted beyond the ninety-day limit prescribed by the Judiciary Act of 1948 and its amendments.
Investigation Findings and Recommendations
The matter was referred to Executive Judge Andres P. Arche for investigation. Judge Arche found that the dismissal of the complaint was justified, primarily due to the complainants' admission of lacking personal knowledge regarding the material facts of the case. Nonetheless, he criticized Judge Sison’s excuse for not acting on the motion for reconsideration as unmerited, stating that a judge is generally in the best position to resolve motions pertinent to his prior decisions.
Report by Judicial Consultant
Justice Manuel P. Barcelona, serving as a Judicial Consultant, submitted a report detailing his perspective on the complaint. He acknowledged that while Judge Sison mistakenly dismissed the annulment petition arbitrarily, his actions did not suggest bad faith. Moreover, he indicated that the delay in addressing the motion for reconsideration was concerning and appeared to have been dodged by the judge’s inhibition, which was seen as a subsequent thought to evade accountability.
Court's Conclusion on Respondent's Conduct
Upon reviewing the complete records, the Court noted that the problems arose partly from Judge Sison's designation as the acting judge in a municipality where his brother was the mayor. This situation fostered suspicions of bias. While the Court recognized some misjudgments in how the judge initially handled the case, it ultimately underscored that the elections at the barrio level are crucial, necessitating a judicious approach. Thus, Judg
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Case Background
- The administrative complaint was filed against Judge Ramon P. Sison, Jr., who served as the Acting Municipal Judge of Guiuan, Eastern Samar.
- The case arose from Barrio Election Case No. 127, involving a petition for annulment of the election of barrio officials, filed by Francisco Awa-ao and others against Diego Yodico and others.
- The complainants alleged that Judge Sison dismissed their complaint illegally and with ignorance of the law.
- A significant point of contention was the delay in the resolution of their motion for reconsideration, which remained unresolved beyond the ninety (90) days mandated by the Judiciary Act of 1948, as amended.
Investigation and Findings
- The case was referred to the Executive Judge of the Court of First Instance of Eastern Samar, Judge Andres P. Arche, for investigation.
- Judge Arche's report indicated that the complainants, except for Francisco Awa-ao, admitted they lacked personal knowledge of the allegations, thus rendering their charges as "sham."
- Regarding the delay in resolving the motion for reconsideration, Judge Arche noted that Judg