LAURENTINOD.

BASCUG,complainant,
vs.
JUDGEGRACIANOH.ARINDAY,JR.,PresidingJudge,Branch69,Regional
TrialCourtofNegrosOccidental,SilayCity,respondent.
AdministrativeLaw;Judges;Respondentjudgeoughttohaveknownthat,undertherules,asecondmotionfor
reconsiderationshouldnotbeallowed.Amotionforreconsiderationshouldberesolvedwithinthirtydaysfromthe
timeitissubmittedforresolution.Inthiscase,thesecondmotionforreconsiderationwasfiledon16January1996and
respondentjudgeissuedanorder,dated23January1996,givingitduecourse.Themotionwaseventuallyresolvedby
respondentjudgeonlyon12November1996,anddirected,onlyon13June1997,theClerkofCourttoremandthe
recordsofthecasetoMCTCVictoriasManaplaforfurtherproceedings.Thefailureofrespondentjudgetoactwith
reasonabledispatchonthematterconstitutedgrossinefficiencyonhispart.Moreover,respondentjudgeoughttohave
knownthat,undertherules,asecondmotionforreconsiderationshouldnotbeallowed.

FACTS:

1. Acomplaint,dated01December1997,initiatedbyLaurentinoD.Bascug,has
chargedJudgeGracianoH.Arinday,Jr.,oftheRegionalTrialCourtofSilayCity,
Branch69,withgravemisconduct,knowinglyrenderinganunjustjudgment,
maliciousdelayintheadministrationofjustice,andviolationofthecodeof
judicialconduct.
2. On15May1995,theMCTCrenderedadecisiondismissingthecasesonthe
groundthatnocertificateofbarangayconciliationwasattachedtothecomplaints.
3. PlaintiffsappealedintheRTCwhichtheRTCreversed.
4. Thedefendantsfiledamotionforreconsiderationbut,becauseitdidnotbearthe
signatureofdefendantscounsel,themotionwasdeniedbyrespondentjudge.
5. Asecondmotionforreconsiderationwasfiledon16January1996.
6. Inhisorder,dated23January1996,respondentjudgeliftedthedenialofthefirst
motionforreconsiderationandgaveduecoursetothesecondmotionfor
reconsideration.
7. On12November1996,respondentjudgeultimatelydeniedthesecondmotionfor
reconsiderationforlackofmerit.
8. Itwasonly,however,inhisorderof13June1997thatrespondentjudgerequired
theClerkofCourttoremandtheentirerecordsofthecasestoMCTCVictorias
Manaplaforfurtherproceedings.
9. ComplainantBascugattributedthedelayinthedispositionofthecasestothe
allegedinfluenceonrespondentjudgebythemayorofthemunicipalityof
Victorias.
10. ComplainantBascugclaimedthatrespondentjudgehaddeclaredthepartiesas
havingagreedtotherenditionofajudgmentonthepleadingsevenwhilethe
defendantcorporation,OdiscoFarmsSystemCooperativeFoundationofwhich
complainantBascugwasthePresident,hadneveragreedtoit.
11. Infact,complainantBascugstated,thecorporationpreciselydidnotsubmitany
memorandumforjudgmentonthepleadingsrequiredbyrespondentjudgeinhis
orderof20December1994.

12. On04April1995,respondentjudge,nevertheless,renderedajudgmentbasedon
thepleadingsinfavoroftheplaintiffs.
13. ThecasewaslaterbroughttotheCourtofAppeals.
14. complainantBascug,thefatherinlawofthecomplainingwitness,assertedthat
therewasirregularityintheserviceofthewarrantofarrestagainsttheaccused.
Heaverredthatrespondentjudgehadfailedtocommenceanyprosecutionagainst
thepersonsliable.
15. Requiredtosubmithiscommentonthecomplaint,respondentjudgerefutedthe
severalallegationsinthecomplaint.Heattributedthedelayintheresolutionof
CivilCasesNo.179769andNo.179869totheformercounselofcomplainant
whohadfailedtofileanyoppositiontothesecondmotionforreconsideration.
16. Hedeniedtheavermentthathedelayedtheresolutionofthecasesduetothe
influenceoverhimbythemunicipalmayorofVictorias.
ISSUES:
1)Whetherornot,JudgeArindaycommittedgravemisconduct,knowinglyrenderingan
unjustjudgment,maliciousdelayintheadministrationofjustice,andviolationofthe
codeofjudicialconduct?
HELD:
TheCourtadoptstherecommendationoftheOfficeoftheCourtAdministrator.
Amotionforreconsiderationshouldberesolvedwithinthirtydaysfromthetimeitis
submittedforresolution.1Inthiscase,thesecondmotionforreconsiderationwasfiledon
16January1996andrespondentjudgeissuedanorder,dated23January1996,givingit
duecourse.
Themotionwaseventuallyresolvedbyrespondentjudgeonlyon12November1996,
anddirected,onlyon13June1997,theClerkofCourttoremandtherecordsofthecase
toMCTCVictoriasManaplaforfurtherproceedings.
Thefailureoftherespondentjudgetoactwithreasonabledispatchonthematter
constitutedgrossinefficiencyonhispart.Moreover,respondentjudgeoughttohave
knownthat,undertherules,asecondmotionforreconsiderationshouldnotbeallowed.
TheCourthasoftengivenreminderthatanydelayinthedispositionofcaseserodesthe
faithandconfidenceofourpeopleinthejudiciaryandbringsitintounnecessary
disrepute.Itisindeedasituationthatcannotjustbeignored.
WHEREFORE,theCourtfindsJudgeGracianoH.Arinday,Jr.,oftheRegionalTrial
CourtofSilayCity,NegrosOccidental,Branch69,guiltyofgrossinefficiencyandgrave

misconductandherebyimposesonhimafineofFIVETHOUSANDPESOSwitha
warningthatanyfurtherinfractionwillbedealtwithseverely.