By Recto I. Vidal
The presence and extent of graft and corruption in the judiciary is difficult to measure and document due to the absence of hard facts.
“Although there’s no hard information that is readily available, it is the accepted notion that some members of the judiciary are vulnerable to corrupt practices,” said lawyer Gleoresty Guerra, public information officer of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, during an exclusive interview.
Guerra admitted that certain areas of court operations are vulnerable to corruption as “we recognize these invulnerabilities that’s why we are policing our ranks.”
“The Supreme Court (SC) is relentlessly enforcing judicial discipline and is policing its ranks as we continuously pursue administrative cases against erring officials,” she disclosed.
She intimated that those erring members only comprise a small community at the judiciary. “You better ask around at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines of lawyers who are taking you and your wallet for a ride,” advised Guerra.
Records obtained from the Supreme Court show that as of January 1999 to May 2005, that 38 RTC judges were penalized; 16 were suspended while 19 were dismissed from service.
While judges from the municipal level showed a total of 33 who were penalized wherein 16 were suspended while another 24 were dismissed from the service.
In view of this disturbing development, the SC developed an action program for judicial reform namely the Integrity Infrastructure Development which calls for the establishment of a comprehensive code of ethics for justices, judges, court personnel and lawyers; improve the judicial appointment system; strengthen the judicial disciplinary system and expand civil society participation in combating graft and corruption. /MP
“Although there’s no hard information that is readily available, it is the accepted notion that some members of the judiciary are vulnerable to corrupt practices,” said lawyer Gleoresty Guerra, public information officer of the Supreme Court of the Philippines, during an exclusive interview.
Guerra admitted that certain areas of court operations are vulnerable to corruption as “we recognize these invulnerabilities that’s why we are policing our ranks.”
“The Supreme Court (SC) is relentlessly enforcing judicial discipline and is policing its ranks as we continuously pursue administrative cases against erring officials,” she disclosed.
She intimated that those erring members only comprise a small community at the judiciary. “You better ask around at the Integrated Bar of the Philippines of lawyers who are taking you and your wallet for a ride,” advised Guerra.
Records obtained from the Supreme Court show that as of January 1999 to May 2005, that 38 RTC judges were penalized; 16 were suspended while 19 were dismissed from service.
While judges from the municipal level showed a total of 33 who were penalized wherein 16 were suspended while another 24 were dismissed from the service.
In view of this disturbing development, the SC developed an action program for judicial reform namely the Integrity Infrastructure Development which calls for the establishment of a comprehensive code of ethics for justices, judges, court personnel and lawyers; improve the judicial appointment system; strengthen the judicial disciplinary system and expand civil society participation in combating graft and corruption. /MP
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