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Caguioa vs. Lavina 345 SCRA 49

Attys. ALFREDO BENJAMIN S. CAGUIOA and RICARDO MA. P.G. ONGKIKO, complainants, vs. Judge CELSO D. LAVINA, Regional Trial Court of Pasig City, Branch 71, respondent.

A.M. No. RTJ-00-1553 | 2000-11-20

D E C I S I O N

PANGANIBAN, J.:

A judge is presumed to act with regularity and good faith in the performance of judicial functions. However, a blatant disregard of the clear and unmistakable provisions of a statute, as well as Supreme Court circulars enjoining strict compliance therewith, upends this presumption and subjects the magistrate to administrative sanctions. In the present case, the Writ issued by respondent judge impeded the implementation of a government infrastructure project and thus constituted a palpable transgression of Presidential Decree (PD) 1818 and Supreme Court Circular Nos. 13-93, 68-94 and 07-99.

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