NBI v. JUDGE REYES A.M. No. MTJ-97-1120, Februar 21, 2000
Fa!"#$ November 12, 1996, barangay ofcials o Barangay Majuben, Mabini, Batangas, arrested Reynaldo Magday, Melvin Dalangin, Re !ordero and "rimo #vangelista, $%o $ere caug%t using s%abu, during a drug session& '%e our $ere detained a t t%e local "olice station and $ere c%arged o violating t%e Dangerous Drugs (ct o 19)2& *n November 2+, 1996, Nenita Dalangin, Marina !ordero, Nelia #vangelista, t%e mot%ers o t%e accused, a""roac%ed res"ondent to "lead or t%e release o t%eir sons& or t%e sum o -2.+,+++&++, res"ondent allegedly "romised to dismiss t%e case against all t%e accused& '%e amount $as eventually lo$ered to -1/,+++&++& '%ree days beore t%e "ay0o, t%e mot%ers re"orted t%e alleged etortion to t%e NB& (ter t%e mot%ers eecuted se"arate s$orn statements, t%e NB "lanned an entra"ment& '%ey mar3ed t%e money to be used and dusted it $it% 4ourescent "o$der& *n t%e a""ointed date, res"ondent gave #vangelista a "iece o yello$ "ad "a"er on $%ic% to $rite a motion or reconsideration& Dalangin, on t%e ot%er %and, $as instructed to enter t%e adjoining latrine to "lace t%e envelo"e containing t%e mar3ed money on to" o a rag mo"& '%e entra"ment ensued& '%e agents $ere unable to locate t%e envelo"e& 5ltraviolet testing on res"ondents %ands yielded a negative result, alt%oug% t%e rag mo" %andle s%o$ed traces o t%e 4uorescent "o$der& 7ince t%e agents $ere not armed $it% a searc% $arrant, t%ey instead as3ed res"ondent to accom"any t%em to t%e regional ofce& During t%e 8uestioning, res"ondent conessed t%at %e %ad ta3en t%e envelo"e containing t%e mar3ed money using a %and3erc%ie and "laced it inside %is des3&
I##ue$ %et%er or not res"ondent :udge violated !anon . o t%e !ode o :udicial #t%ics;
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justice, judges are e"ected to conduct t%emselves in a manner t%at $ould en%ance t%e res"ect and con=dence o our "eo"le in t%e judicial system& '%ey are "articularly mandated not only to u"%old t%e integrity and inde"endence o t%e judiciary but also to avoid im"ro"riety and t%e a""earance o im"ro"riety in t%eir action& or judges sit as t%e embodiment o t%e "eo"les sense o justice, t%eir last recourse $%ere all ot%er institutions %ave ailed& '%e acts o res"ondent :udge in demanding and receiving money rom a "arty0litigant beore %is court constitutes serious misconduct in ofce& '%is !ourt condemns in t%e strongest "ossible terms t%e misconduct o res"ondent :udge& >#R#*R#, res"ondent Ramon B& Reyes is %ereby D7M77#D rom t%e service& urt%er, %e is %ereby D7B(RR#D rom t%e "ractice o la$ or conduct unbecoming o a member o t%e bar&