Court misfits targeted
Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta is leaving no stone unturned in his quest to address the existence of misfits and the purging of the Judiciary as part of his 10-point program.
Chief Justice Peralta pointed this out as he inducted into office the members of the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) the other day.
The JIB is expected to further strengthen the integrity and prevent corruption in the Judiciary as what Peralta is targeting before he retires.
The JIB is composed of SC Associate Justice (Ret.) and Philippine Judicial Academy (PHILJA) Vice Chancellor Romeo Callejo, Sr. as Chair; SC Associate Justice (Ret.) and former Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) Governing Board Chair Angelina Sandoval-Gutierrez as Vice-Chair; and Court of Appeals Justice (Ret.) Sesinando Villon, Sandiganbayan Justice (Ret.) Rodolfo Ponferrada, and Court of Tax Appeals Justice (Ret.) Cielito MindaroGrulla as members.
The JIB is expected to further strengthen the integrity and prevent corruption in the Judiciary as what Peralta is targeting before he retires.
Justices Callejo and Gutierrez will serve in the JIB for three years and two years, respectively. Justices Villon, Ponferrada, and Mindaro-Grulla will serve for three years, two years, and one year, respectively.
The JIB and the Corruption Prevention and Investigation Office (CPIO) were both reinvigorated recently under Chief Justice Peralta’s Ten-Point Program, particularly focusing on the core area of integrity. The Chief Justice vowed to continue the weeding out of misfits and purging the Judiciary.
Earlier, Chief Justice Peralta bared the composition of the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB), which, along with the CPIO, will further strengthen integrity and prevent corruption in the Judiciary.
After their oathtaking, they will be tasked to formulate the Internal Rules of the JIB which will be subject for approval by the SC En Banc. Last 7 July, the SC approved the proposed amendments to carry out the implementation of JIB, which will act on complaints against erring justices, judges, officers and employees of the Judiciary.
The CPIO will conduct investigation on erring Justices of the tertiary courts; and judges and personnel of the lower courts, including the Shari’a Courts; and the officials and employees of the Office of the Juris consult, Court Administrator, Deputy Court Administrator, Assistant Court Administrators and their personnel.