Case Summary (G.R. No. 42091)
Nature of the Complaint
The complaint was formally lodged in a sworn letter on November 16, 1972, addressed to the Secretary of Justice. Santos accused Judge Cruz of obstructing his ability to file cases in the Municipal Court. The Secretary of Justice subsequently referred this complaint to the judge for his comments, which Cruz provided on November 22, 1972, denying all allegations against him.
Investigation and Findings
The complaint was escalated to the Executive District Judge of the Court of First Instance in Bulacan for a thorough investigation. In a report dated August 23, 1973, District Judge Floreliana Castro-Bartolome concluded that Santos had failed to substantiate his claims. Evidence from police corporal Roberto G. Garcia indicated that there were procedural lapses on Santos's part regarding the filing of his complaints and that the judge was not responsible for the failure of these filings.
Allegation Evaluation
Specifically, the testimony revealed that the complainant’s jurat was not signed by Judge Cruz, and Santos could not confirm that his wife had appeared before the judge to execute any oath. Additionally, Santos’s assertion of Judge Cruz’s interference with another criminal case was found to be based on mere suspicion rather than any substantial evidence. The investigation established that the presence of Judge Cruz in an investigation did not imply wrongful conduct.
Conclusion on Charges
Despite the exoneration of allegations concerning partiality, the investigation revealed inappropriate behavior from Judge Cruz during formal proceedings. The judge used intemperate language towards a witness during a trial, which was deemed unbecoming of a judge. Consequently, Cruz was fou
...continue readingCase Syllabus (G.R. No. 42091)
Case Background
- The case involves a sworn-letter complaint filed by Primitivo Santos against Municipal Judge Arturo E. Cruz dated November 16, 1972.
- The complaint accuses Judge Cruz of partiality and conduct unbecoming a judge, alleging that he intervened in preventing Santos from filing cases in the Municipal Court of Bulacan.
- The complaint was referred to Judge Cruz for his immediate comment by the then Secretary of Justice.
Respondent's Comment
- Judge Cruz submitted his comment on November 22, 1972, denying the allegations made against him.
- The complaint was subsequently referred to the Executive District Judge of the Court of First Instance of Bulacan for investigation, report, and recommendation.
Investigation Findings
- The investigation was conducted by District Judge Floreliana Castro-Bartolome, whose report was dated August 23, 1973.
- Key findings from the investigation include:
- The only complaint that stood for hearing was from Primitivo Santos.
- Evidence was presented regarding a police blotter entry from June 1, 1972, involving an incident reported by Leonil