MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the dismissal from the service of three Court of Appeals (CA) employees who tested positive for shabu in 2022.
In full session, SC justices found Garry Caliwan, Edmundo Malit and Frederick Mauricio administratively liable for using illegal drugs under Section 14(o) of Rule 140 of the Rules of Court.
The CA employees tested positive for shabu in a random drug test conducted by the appellate court in 2022.
The CA transmitted the case records to the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB), which recommended to the SC the dismissal of Caliwan, Malit and Mauricio.
Since Mauricio opted for early retirement, the JIB recommended that his benefits be forfeited, except his accrued leave credits, instead of dismissal from the service.
The JIB also proposed that Mauricio be disqualified from holding public office.
The high court agreed with the JIB’s recommendation of dismissal as penalty, considering that it was the second time that the CA employees tested positive for shabu.