A.M. No. RTJ-01-1636 - OFFICE OF THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR, COMPLAINANT, VS. JUDGE ANTONIO P. QUIZON (RET.) AND BRANCH CLERK OF COURT FELIX C. MENDOZA, REGIONAL TRIAL COURT, BRANCH 40, CALAPAN CITY, ORIENTAL MINDORO.D E C I S I O N - Supreme Court E-Library

Ruling

Accordingly, on August 25, 1998, the Court ordered respondent Judge Quizon to explain, within 15 days from notice, why he failed to decide within the reglementary period several criminal and civil cases, to act for an unreasonable length of time upon 132 cases assigned to him, and to take initial action on 62 civil cases and petitions designated to his sala. The amount of P20,000.00 was withheld from the retirement benefits of respondent Judge Quizon to answer for any fine which might be imposed upon him by this Court. Respondent Mendoza was directed to ensure completion of the transcript of stenographic notes in all cases left by respondent Judge Quizon and to submit a report on the same, to report to the new Presiding Judge the status of 236 cases assigned to the latter, including 42 cases which had been archived, and to show cause, within 10 days from notice, why he should not be administratively dealt with for failure to take steps for the early disposition of the aforesaid cases. On the other hand, Judge Tomas C. Leynes was directed to decide with deliberate speed all cases left by respondent Judge Quizon and to act on the other remaining cases in his sala, while Judge Normelito J. Ballocanag, of Branch 41 of the Regional Trial Court of Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro, was directed to inform this Court, within 10 days from notice, whether the decisions in certain criminal cases had been promulgated in time. On July 17, 2001, the Court issued a resolution treating the findings of the OCA judicial audit team as a formal complaint and required respondents Judge Quizon and Branch Clerk of Court Mendoza to answer. In his manifestation, respondent Judge Quizon explained that he had not returned to Calapan, Oriental Mindoro since August 1998 because he had been confined at the Veterans Memorial Hospital for treatment of end stage renal disease secondary to nephrosclerosis, and that before that, on May 26, 1996, he had to be rushed to the Hospital of the Holy Cross in Calapan, Oriental Mindoro and later transferred to the National Kidney Institute in Quezon City, where he stayed until June 4, 1996. He was unable to immediately return to Calapan, Oriental Mindoro because he had to undergo dialysis twice a week and consultations with his doctor, Dr. Filoteo Alano, once a week. He thus filed a sick leave from May 27, 1996 until June 14, 1996. Even after his discharge from the hospital, respondent judge said he could not return to work in Pinamalayan as the doctor advised him against travels to distant places to avoid infection of his fistula, for which he had to undergo surgery. He referred to his letter, dated June 24, 1996, to the Court, in which he requested relief from his duties as acting presiding judge of Branch 41 of the Regional Trial Court at Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro. Respondent Judge Quizon stated that he was acting presiding judge of Branch 41 of the Regional Trial Court at Pinamalayan, Oriental Mindoro, about 62 kilometers from Calap