4 RTC judges penalized for impropriety, violations during judges' association elections

The Supreme Court on Sunday said it has penalized four Regional Trial Court judges for impropriety and violations of guidelines during the 2013 Philippine Judges Association (PJA) elections.

In a press release, the SC said the following judges were penalized for serious administrative liabilities:

• Judge Lyliha Aquino, RTC of Manila, Branch 24
• Judges Ralph Lee, RTC of Quezon City, Branch 83
• Marino Rubia, RTC of Biñan, Laguna, Branch 24
• Judge Rommel Baybay, RTC of Makati City, Branch 132

The four judges ran as candidates during the 2013 PJA elections.

The SC, in a decision promulgated on September 25, admonished Aquino to be circumspect in her actions as she was found to have "failed to maintain the appearance of propriety" when she booked accommodations for judges attending the PJA convention and elections. Aquino was then running for another term as PJA secretary-general.

Lee and Rubia were ordered to pay P21,000 each as fine for violating Section 4(a) of the Guidelines on the Conduct of Elections of Judges Association. Lee distributed prohibited campaign materials such as desk calendars, posters and tarpaulins. Rubia distributed campaign kits, each containing a bag, cap, T-shirt, and printing materials.

Baybay, on the other hand, was ordered to pay P30,000 as fine for violating Section 4(a) and 4(d) of the same guidelines. He gave away cellphones as raffle prizes during the PJA campaign period. Baybay also provided hotel accommodations with 25 percent discount to select judges at the time.

“With this Decision, the Court hopes to impress upon the judges the strict standards of conduct of their office. Section 1, Canon 4 of the New Code of Judicial Conduct enjoins judges to ‘avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all of their activities,’” the SC said.

The Court added that judges seeking elective office in judges' associations have to adhere to stricter standards "as they can best lead by example."

The guidelines were approved by the SC in 2007 to ensure “the different judges’ associations would prudently manage as well as undertake honest, simple, clean, transparent and orderly elections of their officers” and keep “the amount of campaigning and electioneering within reasonable limits and to assist in the maintenance of spirit of collegiality and essential fairness in such elections[.]" —KG, GMA News