Bukidnon court official dismissed

THE Supreme Court has dismissed a court stenographer who solicited money from the mother of an accused in exchange for the dismissal of the criminal case.

In a decision penned by Associate Justice Jhosep Lopez, the Supreme Court en banc adopted the recommendation by the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) finding Malaybalay City, Bukidnon Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 10 stenographer Nemia Alma Almanoche guilty of serious dishonesty and ordered her dismissal from service.

In 2018, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon RTC Branch 9 Presiding Judge Ma. Theresa Camannong reported to acting presiding judge Eldred Cole of the alleged corrupt practices involving Almanoche.

Judge Camannong learned from a court legal researcher that Almanoche had solicited P20,000 from a certain Jean Baguio allegedly in exchange for the dismissal of the criminal case against Baguio’s two sons pending before RTC Branch 10.

Almanoche allegedly told Baguio that the amount was for the “judge, the fiscal and the lawyer from the Public Attorney’s Office.”

An investigation conducted by the executive judge of Malaybalay RTC reported to the JIB that Almanoche was guilty of serious misconduct.

However, the recommended penalty was reduced to suspension for one month without pay, taking into consideration Almanoche’s service in the judiciary for more than 20 years; that this was her first offense; and that she did not receive the money she asked from Baguio.

The JIB agreed with Judge Barroso’s findings and found Almanoche guilty of serious dishonesty. It disagreed, however, on the recommended penalty, holding that a grave offense such as serious dishonesty cannot be mitigated by the employee’s length of service or the fact that she is a firsttime offender.

Thus, it was recommended that the court stenographer be meted the penalty of dismissal.

In adopting the JIB’s recommendation, the high court stressed that to gain the public’s trust and confidence in the Judiciary, all its employees must ensure that their conduct exemplifies competence, honesty and integrity.

The Supreme Court said Almanoche failed to comply with the standards that should have governed her life as a public servant. By soliciting money from Baguio, she affected the honor and integrity of the Judiciary and the people’s trust and confidence in it.

Worse, she created the impression that decisions can be bought, said the high tribunal.