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Castillo and Villasanta vs. Juan 62 SCRA 124

ROSARIO CASTILLO and SONIA VILLASANTA, petitioners, vs. THE HONORABLE JUDGE CELESTINO JUAN, respondent.

G.R. Nos. L-39516-17 | 1975-01-28

D E C I S I O N

FERNANDO, J:

In this certiorari proceedings, petitioners, two young maidens who are the offended parties in two rape cases, assail the actuation of respondent Judge and seek his disqualification on the ground of bias and prejudice. What was done by him, according to their strongly-worded petition, was in disregard of the highly-prized ideal in adjudication, likewise a due process requirement, that a litigant "is entitled to nothing less than the cold neutrality of an impartial judge." 1 Briefly, on two separate occassions, on August 15 and 27, 1974, in the secrecy of his chambers, he informed petitioners of the...