Ombudsman raps Angeles City judge for taking bribe

An Angeles City judge was charged over the weekend with two criminal cases before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly demanding and receiving P250,000 from a couple in exchange for a favorable decision on a civil case pending before his sala.

Charged with estafa and violation of the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials was Wilfredo Samson Espinosa Suriaga, presiding judge of Angeles City Municipal Trial Court Branch 11.

Complainant Federico Suria Calilung and his wife Joselin said that on April 19, 1999, Suriaga allegedly demanded from them P250,000 and promised a favorable decision on a civil case that they were involved in.

Suriaga, according to Ombudsman graft investigation Office II Paul Elmer Clemente, assured the Calilung couple that he would influence the outcome of the pending civil case which is under review by his colleague, Judge Philibert I. Ituralde, of Angeles City Regional Trial Court Branch 58.

The civil case involving the Calilung couple was formerly handled by Suriaga but an appeal was filed before the sala of Judge Ituralde.

"Suriaga received the P250,000 despite knowing fully well that any final decision or resolution in said case will be ultimately acted upon by him, the judge who tried the case at the very first instance, and thus, said case may still be affected by the function of his office" Clemente said.

In another development, a ranking official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was suspended for 90 days without pay for allegedly allowing the construction of a 33-kilometer road inside two critical watersheds in Cebu City without the approval of DENR Secretary Antonio Cerilles.

Suspended was former DENR Regional Director Jeremias L. Dolino, for "acting beyond his power and usurping the authority of Cerilles."

Dolino allegedly issued in 1995 a Certificate of Exemption to the 200-kilometer Transcential Cebu Road project which allowed the DPWH to construct a 33-kilometer road inside the critical watersheds of Mananga and Kotkot Lusaran without subjecting the project into environmental impact statement system which is mandated under Presidential Decree 1586.

"'Dolino's action further aggravated the environmental situation of Cebu especially its water situation. Eighty percent of the water extracted by registered pumps in the area came from the water recharged from Mananga and Kotkot Lusaran watersheds. It also aggravates Cebu's saltwater intrusion problem" Cerilles said.

Dolino faces dismissal from the service and the loss of all his benefits if he is found guilty of grave misconduct, usurpation of authority and committing acts and conduct prejudicial to best interests of the service in violation of PD 1586 and Presidential proclamation 2146."

The watersheds of Mananga and Kotkot which were declared by former President Corazon Aquino as protected watersheds were two of the 17 highly critical watersheds in the country.