IN RE: ALLEGED IMMORALITY

In re: Alleged immorality and unexplained wealth of Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Roland B. Jurado and Clerk of Court IV Mona Lisa A. Buencamino, Metropolitan Trial Court, Caloocan City

A.M. OCA IPI No. 10-21-SB-J

April 4, 2017

Facts:

The controversy started from an anonymous letter-complaint first filed in the Office of the President, where the Office of the Ombudsman was copy furnished. Letter of Complaint charges respondents Roland B. Jurado, Associate Justice of the Sandiganbayan and Atty. Mona Lisa Buencamino, Clerk of Court IV in the Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC), Office of the Clerk of Court, Caloocan City with unexplained wealth and immorality. The Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) then formed a team who will be discreetly investigating the said accusations to both Jurado and Buencamino. Based on the initial investigation of OCA, it has been reported that Justice Jurado and Atty. Buencamino owned number of properties in different parts of Metro Manila; and that Justice Jurado understated his properties in the Statement of Assets, Liabilities and Net Worth (SALN) in the year 2000 to 2005 and 2008, while Atty. Buencamino’s SALN contained discrepancies and inconsistencies. A certain Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) No. T-23272 was found out to be owned in common by the Atty. Buencamino and Justice Jurado, who is a married man.

Issues:

Understatement of properties in Justice Jurado’s SALN, inconsistency in the SALN of Atty. Buencamino and a common property of both Atty. Buencamino and Justice Jurado, who is a married man.

Held:

Charge of Unexplained Wealth

There was no sufficient evidence presented to prove that either Justice Jurado or Atty. Buencamino has unlawfully accumulated their wealth. Both accused sufficiently provided evidence such as copies of special power of attorney, Business Permits and Deeds of Mortgages. Moreover, the earnings of Atty. Buencamino augmented her income as Clerk of Court. These legal documents further proved and fully supported the evidence on record. 

Charge of Immorality

There is no substantial evidence to prove and support the accusations of immorality against Justice Jurado and Atty. Buencamino. Jurado and Buencamino had no illicit affair for that matter. Other that their being co-owners of such property, there is no heavier ground for them to be charged with immorality. 

Whereof, the complaint of immorality against Rolando B. Jurado, Assocate Justice of the Sandiganbayan and Atty. Monalisa A. Buencamino, Clerk of Court IV, Metropolitan Trial Court, Office of the Clerk, Caloocan City, is DISMISSED for lack of factual basis.

The complaint against Justice Roland B. Honrado for unexplained wealth is DISMISSED.

The resolution on the complaint against Atty. Monalisa A. Buencamino for unexplained wealth is hereby DEFERRED until receipt by the Court f the OCA report on the alleged alteration of Tax Declaration No. E-011-09204.