MANILA, 20 May — Davao City-Supreme Court Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. yesterday said his office has dismissed more than 20 judges and several court employees believed to have been involved in graft and corruption. At the centenary celebration of the Supreme Court, Davide said the erring court officials were removed from office to gain the trust of the people on the swift administration of justice by the judiciary.
“To have a clean judiciary, we have removed more than 20 judges and several court employees since January 1999,” Davide said. Davide, who became a household name when he became the presiding judge during the aborted impeachment trial of ousted President Joseph Estrada last year, said that the high tribunal demonstrated that the judiciary is strong and worthy of trust and confidence. The chief justice said the festivity yesterday held at the University of Mindanao Matina Gym was the best of all the regional celebration that he has attended.
“This is the best celebration I have witnessed so far,” he said. Thousands of participants consisting of court employees and judges from the different provinces in Southern Mindanao such as Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Surigao del Sur and cities of Davao City and General Santos City attended the morning celebration.
Noted officials in the city who joined the affair were Commission on Human Rights director Dominador Calamba, Public Attorney’s Office head Ridgeway Tanjili, Maa City jail warden Supt. Serafin Barreto and city officials led by outgoing second district congressman Manuel Garcia and first district councilor Emmanuel Galicia. Justices from the court of appeals, regional Integrated Bar of the Philippines lawyers, and retired judges also attended the event.
