People vs. Judge Azarraga GR No. 187117 and 187127 October 12, 2011 acts! On 7 February 2009, petitioner fled two (2) Inormations beore RT o Iloilo ity a!ainst pri"ate respondent #re"endido or "iolation o R$%$ R$%$ 9&' or te ompreensi"e *an!erous *ru!s %+t o 2002$ Te +ases were raed to -ran+ .', a desi!nated spe+ial +ourt pursuant to R$%$ 9&', presided by /ud!e i+tor 1$ el"e3on but te latter inibited imsel rom tryin! te +ase as /ud!e al"e3on ad +lose amily ties wit oreen emarino, te #*1% operati"e wo +ondu+ted te entrapment operation a!ainst pri"ate respondent$ Te +ases were ten reassi!ned to te oter spe+ial +ourt, -ran+ 2, presided by /ud!e 1"elyn 1$ 4alao, wo also inibited ersel or te reason tat oreen emarino was a +ousin5 tus, te +ases were endorsed to te O6+e o te 1e+uti"e /ud!e or reassi!nment$ itin! ap$ , 4e+$ 9 o %$8$ o$ 0.:;:02:4, 1e+uti"e /ud!e %ntonio 8$ atino ordered te ler< o ourt to orward te entire re+ords o te +ases to -ran+ .7 presided o"er by publi+ respondent, te pairin! =ud!e o -ran+ .', wi+ was te spe+ial +ourt tat ori!inally andled te +ases$ "ssue! *id te 4upreme ourt "iolate 4e+$ 90 o R% 9&' wen it issued %8 0.:;:02:4, parti+ularly $ , 4e+$ 9, wi+ pres+ribes te manner in wi+ te ee+uti"e =ud!e reassi!ns +ases in instan+es o inibition or dis>ualif+ation o =ud!es sittin! in spe+ial spe+ial +ourts?
4upreme ourt did not +ommit any "iolation o R$%$ R$%$ 9&' wen wen it Rul#ng! o$ Te 4upreme issued te assailed !uidelines$ Rater, it merely obeyed %rti+le III, 4e+$ () o te &9;7 onstitution, wi+ mandates tat te rules promul!ated by te 4 sould pro"ide a simplifed and inepensi"e pro+edure or te speedy disposition o +ases, in +onormity wit te ri!t o all persons to a speedy disposition o teir +ases beore all =udi+ial, >uasi:=udi+ial, or administrati"e bodies$ @nder R$%$ 9&', on!ress empowered te 4upreme ourt wit te ull dis+retion to desi!nate spe+ial +ourts to ear, try and de+ide dru! +ases$ It was pre+isely in te eer+ise o tis dis+retionary power tat te powers o te ee+uti"e =ud!e were in+luded in+luded in ap$ , 4e+$ 4e+$ 9 o %$8$ o$ 0.:;:02:4 "is:A:"is "is:A:"is 4e+$ () () o %rti+le III o te &9;7 onstitution$ Tus, in +ases o inibition or dis>ualif+ation, te ee+uti"e =ud!e is mandated to assi!n te dru! +ase to a re!ular +ourt in te ollowin! orderB orderB frst, to te pairin! =ud!e o te spe+ial +ourt were te +ase was ori!inally assi!ned5 and, se+ond, i te pairin! =ud!e is liualifed or as inibited imsel, ten to anoter re!ular +ourt trou! a rae$ @nder tese e+eptional e+eptional +ir+umstan+es, te 4 desi!nated te re!ular +ourt, ipso a+to, as a spe+ial +ourt C but only only or tat +ase$ -ein! a Ddesi!nated spe+ial spe+ial +ourt,E it is li