Pairing-judge to hear cases left by four judges

CEBU, Philippines - Municipal Trial Court in Cities executive Judge Francisco Seville, Jr. is set to meet the three other remaining judges in Cebu City’s first level court following the dismissal of four of their colleagues.

Seville said he needs to discuss with the pairing judges of those who were ordered dismissed from service by the Supreme Court to ensure that cases in the vacant salas will continue to be heard.

The high tribunal dismissed from service MTCC Branch 2 Judge Anatalio Necesario, Branch 3 Judge Gil Acosta, Branch 4 Judge Rosabella Tormis, and Branch 8 Judge Edgemelo Rosales after they were found guilty of gross inefficiency and neglect of duty.

The four were accused of irregular solemnization of marriages in their respective courts. Aside from the dismissal from service, they were also meted the penalty of forfeiture of all retirement benefits and perpetual disqualification from holding any government office.

Seville said that the remaining four MTCC judges, including himself, will temporarily hear the cases pending before Branches 2, 3, 4 and 8 being the pairing judges.

“The pairing judges will take over on the cases of Necesario, Acosta, Tormis and Rosales if it was urgent,” he said.

Seville hopes that the Supreme Court will expedite the process of filling up the four vacancies to avoid further backlog of cases. According to Seville, at least 200 cases are raffled off every week to the different salas of MTCC in Cebu City.

Rosales said he has pending cases ranging from 400 to 500 both civil and criminal.

Necesario’s sala also has 588 pending cases, 163 civil and 425 criminal, as of February 20, 2013. No records of pending cases available in two other salas.

Seville said that the dismissal of the four judges will sure cause delay in the disposal of cases. Seville, however, refused to commit on the decision of the Supreme Court saying, he did not receive nor read the official copy of the decision.

Rosales said he will file a motion for reconsideration once an official copy of the decision is served to him. According to him, the penalty was very heavy considering that it was only his first offense.

Necesario’s clerk of court, Harrish Kho, said that the judge took a leave of absence effective yesterday. There was no reason given for going on leave.  (FREEMAN)