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GO TO FULL LIST OF LATEST DECISIONS and RESOLUTIONS
REPORT
ON THE
JUDICIAL
AUDIT CONDUCTED
A.M. No. 97-9-97-MCTC October 16, 1997 JUDGE INOCENTES D. DEOCAMPO, PRESIDING JUDGE,MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL COURT, DINGLE-DUENAS, ILOILO.chanrobles virtual law library PUNO, J.: This treats of the Report
dated August 15, 1997 submitted by Court Administrator Alfredo Benipayo
on the judicial audit of the Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC),
Dingle-Duenas,
Iloilo. The audit and physical inventory of cases was conducted from
July
22, 1997 to July 28, 1997 after the compulsory retirement on June 11,
1997
of Hon. Inocentes D. Deocampo, Presiding Judge, MCTC, Dingle-Duenas,
Iloilo.
Of the seventy (70) cases pending, twenty-nine (29) were submitted for decision by Judge Deocampo. The cases and their dates of submission are as follows: Case No. Title Procedure Date Submitted for Decision Regular Summary 1. C-1279 PP v. Sombrea
x 01-21-97
Two (2) cases not yet submitted for decision were found to have motions or incidents pending resolution since 1990.[4] It was also found that ten (10) civil cases did not proceed for a considerable period of time. These cases are: Case No. Title Latest Court Action/Incident 1. C-142 (Di) Tajanlangit,
Jr. Defendant's Answer v. Roces filed on 2-27-89
Judge Deocampo disclosed, on inquiry, that his failure to decide the cases on time was due to his heart ailment and recuperation from a recent bypass operation.[7] We have held that a three-year delay in the promulgation of a decision from the time of submission of a case is inexcusably long[8] and the judge could not excuse himself on the ground that his age affected his efficiency.[9] The Constitution mandates a judge to render a decision not more than ninety (90) days from the time the case is submitted for decision.[10] With respect to cases falling under the Revised Rule on Summary Procedure, which Rule was enacted to achieve an expeditious and inexpensive determination of cases, first level courts are given a shorter period of thirty (30) days to decide such cases.[11] The failure to decide within the required period subjects a judge to administrative sanctions.[12] In the instant case, Judge Deocampo failed to decide within the required period twenty-eight (28)[13] cases submitted to him for decision. Two (2) of these cases were submitted as early as 1989 almost eight (8) years before his retirement. And all cases, except for four (4), were conducted under summary procedure.cralaw:red Judge Deocampo's gross inefficiency in the disposition of cases is aggravated by his blatant inaction on pending incidents and motions in cases not submitted for decision. As found in the Audit Report, one (1) case had no further proceedings since February 1989 and three cases since 1991.cralaw:red Rule 3.05 of Canon 3 of the Code of Judicial Conduct directs the judge to dispose of the court's business promptly and expeditiously. This Court has consistently impressed this directive upon judges.[14] A delay in the disposition of cases amounts to a denial of justice, brings the court into disrepute and ultimately erodes public faith and confidence in the judiciary.cralaw:red IN VIEW WHEREOF, Judge Inocentes D. Deocampo, former Presiding Judge, Municipal Circuit Trial Court, Dingle-Duenas, Iloilo is found grossly inefficient in the discharge of his duties and is fined ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) which amount shall be deducted from his retirement benefits.cralaw:red SO ORDERED.cralaw:red Regalado, Davide, Jr.,
Romero, Bellosillo, Melo, Vitug, Kapunan, Mendoza, Francisco,
Hermosisima,
Jr., Panganiban and Torres, Jr., JJ., concur.
_____________________________
[1]
The team was headed by Atty. Ma. Rosario A, Labuguen.
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