Sa|azar vs Mar|gomen

AM No k1I062004

IAC1S

Zenalda Salazar wlfe of complalnanL uoroLeo Salazar and a mayoralLy candldaLe ln Lhe
MunlclpallLy of Madrlde[os Cebu ln Lhe May 2001 elecLlons flled an elecLlon proLesL agalnsL Lhe
proclalmed wlmmer LeLy Manclo before Lhe 81C 8ogoCebu 1he elecLlon case was flrsL heard by Lhen
AcLlng resldlng !udge !esus S dela ena who lssued an order dlrecLlng Lhe revlslon of Lhe conLesLed
balloLs ln Lhe premlses of Lhe P8L1 where Lhe balloL boxes were belng kepL 8espondenL !udge AnLonlo
Marlgomen Look over and sLarLed presldlng over Lhe elecLlon case

8espondenL [udge dlsmlssed Lhe elecLlon proLesL and declared Manclo as Lhe duly elecLed
munlclpal mayor of Madrlde[os Cebu Cn appeal Lhe CCMLLLC llrsL ulvlson by 8esoluLlon reversed
and seL aslde Lhe 81C's declslon and declared complalnanL's wlfe Zenald Salazar as Lhe duly elecLed
mayor

ComplalnanL clalm LhaL respondenL admlLLed ln evldence uncerLlfled phoLocoples of Lhe
conLesLed balloLs conLrary Lo Sec 7 8ule 130 of Lhe 8ules of CourL and respondenL consldred Lhe
uncerLlfled phoLocoplesexhlblLs for Manclo ln decldlng Lhe case Pence Lhe charge of gross lgnorance
of Lhe law ComplalnanL furLher clalms LhaL respondenL was acLlng as lf he were Lhe counsel for Lhe
proLesLee demonsLraLed durlng Lhe LesLlmony of Lhe Clerk of CourL when proLesLee's counsel had
dlfflculLy explalnlng Lhe naLure of Lhe clerk's LesLlmony and LhaL respondenL [udge was Loo llberal and
LoleranL of Lhe maneuverlngs and manlpulaLlons of LheproLesLee

Issue

WheLher or noL respondenL [udge ls gullLy of gross lgnorance of Lhe law blas and dlshonesLy
amounLlng Lo grave mlsconducL

ne|d

?es 1he admlsslon of Lhe uncerLlfled or plaln phoLocoples of Lhe conLesLed balloLs by
respondenL !udge ln favor of Manclo beLrays hls lgnorance of SecLlon 7 8ule 130 or Lhe 8ules of CourL
Also respondenL [udge Look speclal lnLeresL ln Lhe presenLaLlon of ALLy Caayon as a wlLness for Manclo
Pls acLuaLlons dld noL speak well of Lhe cold neuLrallLy requlred of an lmparLlal [udge as he showed hls
manlfesL blas for one parLy over Lhe oLher 8espondenL's quesLloned acLs do noL conform Lo Lhe
followlng perLlnenL canons of Lhe New coJe of IoJlclol cooJoct fot tbe lblllpploe IoJlcloty coooo J oo
lmpottlollty 5ec 1 ooJ 2 coooo 5 oo poollty 5ec 2