6/14/2017 Mondejar vs Buban : MTJ-01-1349 : July 12, 2001 : J.

Kapunan : First Division

FIRSTDIVISION

[A.M.No.MTJ011349.July12,2001]

BERNADETTE MONDEJAR, complainant, vs. JUDGE MARINO S. BUBAN, MTCC,

TaclobanCityBranch1,respondent.

RESOLUTION
KAPUNAN,J.:

InaswornlettercomplaintdatedMay31,1999,complainantBernadetteMondejarchargedJudgeMarinoS.
Buban, MTCC, Tacloban City, Branch 1, with gross ignorance of the law, partiality, serious irregularity and
gravemisconductrelativetoCriminalCaseNo.9807CR133entitledPeopleofthePhilippinesv.Bernadette
Mondejar and Arlette Mondejar for violation of Batas Pambansa Blg. 22. She alleged that respondent judge
issuedaholddepartureorderagainstheronOctober23,1998inviolationofSupremeCourtCircularNo.3997
whichprovidesthatholddepartureordersshallbeissuedonlyincriminalcaseswithintheexclusivejurisdiction
of the Regional Trial Courts. She further alleged that respondent judge did not give her an opportunity to be
heardbeforeissuingthequestionedorder.
Whenrequiredtocommentonthematter,respondentjudgeadmittedhavingissuedsaidorderbecausehe
was not aware of the Supreme Court Circular No. 3997.He alleged that he was not furnished a copy of the
circularandmanagedtosecureacopyonlyafterheinstructedhislegalresearchertogetonefromtheExecutive
JudgeoftheRegionalTrialCourtofTaclobanCity.Accordingly,onApril14,1997,heissuedanorderlifting
andsettingasidetheholddepartureorderdatedOctober23,1998.Asregardstheissueofdenialofdueprocess,
respondent judge averred that complainant and her counsel were duly notified of the scheduled hearing but
neitherappearedonsaiddate.
The Court Administrator after finding that respondent judge erred in issuing the assailed hold departure
order,recommendedthathebeseverelyreprimandedwithasternwarningthatarepetitionofthesameorsimilar
actinthefutureshallbedealtwithmoreseverely.
TherecommendationoftheCourtAdministratoriswelltaken.
Circular No. 3997 limits the authority to issue holddeparture orders to criminal cases within the
jurisdictionofsecondlevelcourts.ParagraphNo.1ofthesaidcircularspecificallyprovidesthatholddeparture
ordersshallbeissuedonlyincriminalcaseswithintheexclusivejurisdictionoftheregionaltrialcourts.Clearly
then, criminal cases within the exclusive jurisdiction of first level courts do not fall within the ambit of the
circular,anditwasanerroronthepartofrespondentjudgetohaveissuedoneintheinstantcase.
Canon3,Rule3.01oftheCodeofJudicialConductexhortsjudgestobefaithfultothelawandmaintain
professionalcompetence.TheCourt,inexercisingadministrativesupervisionofalllowercourts,hasnotbeen
remisedinremindingthemembersofthebenchtoexertduediligenceinkeepingabreastwiththedevelopment
in law and jurisprudence. Besides, Circular No. 3997 is not a new circular. It was circularized in 1997 and
violationofwhichhasbeenaccordinglydealtwithinnumerouscasesbeforetheCourt.Hereinjudge,therefore,
cannotbeexcusedforhisinfraction.Judgesshouldalwaysbevigilantintheirquestfornewdevelopmentsinthe
lawsotheycoulddischargetheirdutiesandfunctionswithzealandfervor.
In recent cases,[1] involving similar violations, this Court imposed the penalty of reprimand on erring
judges.Hence,thesamepenaltyshouldbeimposedonrespondentjudge.
WHEREFORE,JudgeMarinoS.BubanisherebyREPRIMANDEDwiththewarningthatarepetitionof
thesameandsimilaractsinthefuturewillbedealtwithmoreseverely.
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6/14/2017 Mondejar vs Buban : MTJ-01-1349 : July 12, 2001 : J. Kapunan : First Division

SOORDERED.
Davide,Jr.,C.J.,(Chairman),Puno,PardoandYnaresSantiago,JJ.,concur.

[1]OfficeoftheCourtAdministratorv.JudgeSalvadorB.Mendoza,A.M.No.001281MTJ,September14,2000IssuanceofHold
DepartureOrderofJudgeLuisitoT.Adaoag,MTC,Camiling,Tarclac,A.M.No.988126MTC,September22,1999HoldDeparture
OrderissuedbyJudgeEusebioM.Barot,MCTC,Branch2,Aparri,Calayan,Cagayan,A.M.No.988108MTC,August25,1999Re:
HoldDepartureOrderdatedApril13,1998issuedbyJudgeJuanC.Nartatez,MunicipalTrialCourt,Branch3,DavaoCity,298SCRA
710(1998).

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