A.M. No. P-13-3147 (Formerly A.M. No. 11-4-78-RTC) - OFFICE OF THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR, COMPLAINANT, VS. PAZ P. CAPISTRANO, COURT STENOGRAPHER III, REGIONAL TRIAL COURT, QUEZON CITY, BRANCH 224.R E S O L U T I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

Accordingly, the commission of these acts carries the penalty of dismissal from service with forfeiture of retirement benefits, except accrued leave credits, and perpetual disqualification from reemployment in government service. [13] These notwithstanding, Section 53, Rule IV of the Revised Uniform Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service [14] grants the disciplining authority, the Court in this case, the discretion to consider mitigating circumstances in the imposition of the final penalty. These factors range, among others, from the erring individuals admission of guilt, remorse, length of service, or high performance rating. [15] In this case, Capistrano readily admitted to the fact that she indeed falsified the entries in her April and May 2009 bundy cards, and concomitantly, has expressed her remorse and promised not to commit the same. Thus, considering too that said infraction would be Capistranos first administrative offense, the Court finds it proper to adopt the OCAs recommendation to impose against her the penalty of suspension for a period of six (6) months, without pay, and not the supreme penalty of dismissal in view of the mitigating factors attendant herein. The Court reminds every employee of the Judiciary to be an exemplar of integrity, uprightness, and honesty, considering that the sacrosanct image of a Court dispensing justice is mirrored in its very own personnel. As pronounced in Re: Falsification of Daily Time Records of Maria Fe P. Brooks, Court Interpreter, Regional Trial Court, Quezon City, Br. 96, and Andria Forteza-Crisostomo, Clerk III, Regional Trial Court, Manila, Branch 39 : [16] [N]o other office in the government service exacts a greater demand for moral righteousness and uprightness from an employee than in the Judiciary. [The Court has] repeatedly emphasized that the conduct of court personnel, from the presiding judge to the lowliest clerk, must always be beyond reproach and must be circumscribed with the heavy burden of responsibility as to let them be free from any suspicion that may taint the judiciary. The Court condemns and would never countenance any conduct, act or omission on the part of all those involved in the administration of justice, which would violate the norm of public accountability and diminish or even just tend to diminish the faith of the people in the Judiciary. [17] WHEREFORE , respondent Paz P. Capistrano, Court Stenographer III of the Regional Trial Court of Quezon City, Branch 224, is found GUILTY of dishonesty for falsifying her bundy cards for the periods of April and May 2009 and is thus SUSPENDED for a period of six (6) months without pay. She is STERNLY WARNED that a repetition of the same or similar offense shall be dealt with more severely. SO ORDERED.