Supreme Court sacks Pampanga judge for extort try

The Supreme Court has dismissed a Municipal Trial Court in Pampanga for attempting to extort money — a total of P25,000 in two occasions — and a bottle of brandy from a female lawyer with a pending ejectment case in his sala.

In a 19-page decision, the Supreme Court also ordered the forfeiture of all retirement benefits of MTC Judge Rodrigo Flores and banned him from any job in any government agency.

The tribunal found Flores guilty of violating the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act based on a complaint lodged against him by lawyer Ma. Elisea Velez.

"A judge who extorts money from a party litigant who has a case before the court commits a serious misconduct. This court condemns such an act in the strongest possible terms," the High Court said.

Velez, who was representing her parents in an ejectment case, said Flores implied in a conversation that a payoff would result in a favorable ruling.

The contending parties in the ejectment case failed to reach an amicable settlement and filed their respective position papers with Flores’ sala on Dec. 9, 1999, making the case ready for resolution.

But Velez subsequently told the judge that they had offered the four defendants P5,000 each or a total of P20,000.

"Can you consider giving me… your offer of financial assistance to the defendants?" Velez quoted the judge as saying when she followed up the case in May 2000. She said she pretended not to hear his remark.

Velez filed the complaint against Flores with the Court Administrator when she found out that the judge had not issued any ruling on the case.

Velez said Flores demanded money from her on another occasion. She produced a letter the judge wrote her, which she said was proof that he was interceding for an amicable settlement of the case.

In exchange for his intercession, Flores demanded P5,000 and a bottle of Fundador brandy.