Supreme Court clears Pampanga judge of misconduct

The Supreme Court has cleared a Pampanga Regional Trial Court judge of any misconduct as he was implicated in a bribery case a couple had filed against a fellow judge.

The High Court dismissed the administrative complaint against RTC Judge Philbert Iturralde due to insufficient evidence, saying it cannot give credence to charges based on mere suspicion and speculation.

Iturralde was implicated in a bribery case filed by couple Federico and Joselin Calilung against Metropolitan Trial Court Judge Wilfredo Suriaga.

However, separate inquiries by the National Bureau of Investigation, the Ombudsman and the Department of Justice, whose results were released in April 1998, found Iturralde innocent of the charges.

Iturralde, presiding judge of Angeles City RTC Branch 58, was subsequently suspended from office for almost two years, upon the move of his then court administrator, now Commission on Elections chairman Alfredo Benipayo.

Iturralde was then hearing the controversial case on the Mimosa Leisure Estate in Clark.

The High Court, in clearing Iturralde and restoring his back wages and benefits that accrued during his suspension, said uncorroborated hearsay or rumor does not constitute substantial evidence.

The High Court said that while it "may slightly bend backwards if only to avoid suspicion of partiality and cliquism to a brother in the profession, it must also step forward and take the lead to defend him against unsubstantiated tirades which put to shame and disgrace not only the magistrate on trial but the entire judicial system as well."

For his part, Iturralde said, "For all the humiliation my family and I suffered, I am expecting a public apology from my accusers which up to now has never materialized."— Nestor Etolle