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Fidel Serra vs. Judge Leodegario A. Belarmino

FIDEL SERRA, complainant, vs. JUDGE LEODEGARIO A. BELARMINO, Municipal Judge of Batuan, Masbate, now Circuit Municipal Judge of San Fernando-Batuan, Masbate, respondent.

A.M. No. 967-MJ | 1981-03-24

D E C I S I O N


AQUINO, J.:

The respondent has been the municipal judge of Batuan, Masbate since 1972. He was designated to sit in the municipal court of San Fernando, Masbate to try Civil Case No. 209, Rivas vs. Espenilla, an ejectment case, because the incumbent municipal judge of San Fernando had inhibited himself (p. 17, Rollo).

That case was submitted for decision on March 16, 1974 (p. 2, Rollo). The ninety-day-period for deciding it, as fixed in section 11(1), Article X of the Constitution, expired on June 14, 1974.

The respondent decided the case on November 4, 1974, or after a delay of 143 days. He attributed the delay to the...