JUSTICE LEONEN'S DISSENTING OPINION ON PIZARRO CASINO GAMBLING_REFERENCE

PIZARRO 100K PESOS FINE FOR GAMBLING CASE DECISION BY JUSTICE MARTIRES_REFERENCE

Ex-CA justice fined for casino gambling http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/news/nation/651008/ex-ca-justice-fined-for-casino-gambling/story/ Published April 23, 2018 7:08pm  By NICOLE-ANNE C. LAGRIMAS, GMA News The Supreme Court (SC) has fined a former Court of Appeals (CA) justice for conduct unbecoming of a member of the judiciary after he confessing to gambling in casinos. Normandie Pizarro, a retired associate justice of the appellate court, has been ordered to pay a fine of P100,000 after the SC decided he violated the prohibition among government officials to play in casinos, as provided by Presidential Decree No. 1869. He was also found to have trespassed Canons 2 and 4 of the New Code of Judicial Conduct for the Philippine Judiciary. The March 13 ruling penned by Associate Justice Samuel Martires stemmed from an anonymous letter-complaint, with attached pictures, accusing Pizarro of "habitually gambling in casinos, 'selling' decisions, and immorally engaging in an illicit relationship." The letter accused Pizarro of losing millions of pesos in casinos and insinuated he would "sell" his cases to support his "gambling addiction," said the resolution. The anonymous communication further claimed Pizarro bought his mistress housing units and brand-new vehicles, and took her and her family abroad to shop and gamble. In his comment to the letter, Pizarro admitted to his "indiscretion" of gambling, as seen in photographs supposedly attached to the complaint, and added that he also played at a casino in 2009 under a "parlor game concept." "He maintained, however, that such was an indiscretion committed by a dying man because, prior to this, he had learned that he had terminal cancer," the resolution said. The former magistrate denied having a mistress. The SC threw out the allegations of corruption and immorality for lack of merit. "The Court has repeatedly reminded judges to conduct themselves irreproachably, not only while in the discharge of official duties but also in their personal behavior every day. No position demands moral righteousness and uprightness from its occupant than does the judicial office," Martires' ponencia said. In declaring the P100,000 fine "sufficient" a punishment, the Court took into consideration that the violation was Pizarro's "first transgression," his "immediate admission" of gambling, and the number of years he had served in government. Martires' ponencia was concurred in by 11 SC justices. Only Associate Justice Marvic Leonen dissented, saying Pizarro should be dismissed from the service and his retirement benefits forfeited for gross misconduct. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is on leave, while Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin took no part due to "close relations" with Pizarro. Pizarro was the CA justice who wrote the decision voiding the warrant of arrest against and "exonerating" former Palawan governor Joel Reyes, tagged in the murder of broadcaster Dr. Gerry Ortega in 2011. He also penned the ruling acquitting the previously convicted Janet Lim Napoles, the alleged mastermind of the pork barrel scam, in her illegal detention case. In July last year, he wrote the decision that dismissed the petition seeking to enforce a US court decision awarding some $2 billion in compensation to human rights victims during the administration of former president Ferdinand Marcos. — BM, GMA News

Controversial ex-CA justice fined for gambling Retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro, who was accused of 'selling' cases, justifies his gambling as an 'indiscretion committed by a dying man' https://www.rappler.com/nation/200883-court-appeals-justice-normandie-pizarro-fined-gambling MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) en banc found retired Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro guilty of conduct unbecoming of a member of the judiciary over instances of gambling in a casino, and fined him P100,000. The decision penned by SC Associate Justice Samuel Martires with concurrences from 11 justices is a disappointing end to Pizarro's career in the judiciary, which had been tainted by accusations of corruption. In an anonymous letter, Pizarro was accused of being the "most corrupt justice in the Philippines." He allegedly "sold" cases to support his supposed gambling addiction. It was also stated in the letter that Pizarro, "together with his mistress and her whole family, made several travels abroad to shop and to gamble in casinos." The accusations of corruption and an illicit affair were dismissed due to insufficient evidence. Controversial cases Pizarro retired last February, a year ahead of his mandatory retirement. He left the CA with a controversial acquittal of former Palawan governor Joel Reyes in the Gerry Ortega murder case. It was a decision called "preposterous and premature" by his co-justices, and one that "stinks," according to Solicitor General Jose Calida. Pizarro was also the justice who penned the ruling which acquitted Janet Lim Napoles in her serious illegal detention case in May 2017. He also penned the ruling that nullified a Hawaii court decision which had granted $2 billion worth of damages to Martial Law victims. In January this year, he affirmed that decision. Pizarro told the SC en banc that it was unfair to accuse him of corruption when "all of the few administrative cases filed against him did not involve corruption; and that he was absolved in all." 'Indiscretion of a dying man' The anonymous complainant showed photos of Pizarro sitting at a casino table. Pizarro said he was only accompanying a friend, and they only played "in a parlor game fashion without big stakes." He also confessed to playing at the casino in 2009. "He maintained, however, that such was an indiscretion committed by a dying man because, prior to this, he had learned that he had terminal cancer," said the SC in its decision. The SC fined Pizarro for violating Presidential Decree No. 1869, which prohibits government officials from playing at casinos. The SC also said Pizarro violated Canons 2 and 4 of the New Code of Judicial Conduct on the integrity and propriety of judges and justices. "Considering, however, that this is the respondent justice's first transgression, and further bearing in mind his immediate admission of his indiscretion as well as the number of years he has been in government service, the Court finds the imposition of a fine in the amount of P100,000.00 sufficient in this case," the SC said. Martires had 11 concurrences. Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is on leave, and Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin did not take part "due to close relations to Justice Pizarro." Associate Justice Marvic Leonen dissented. Leonen would have wanted to dismiss Pizarro from service as well as forfeit his retirement and accrued leave benefits. – Rappler.com

SC SLAPS CA JUSTICE PIZARRO WITH 100K PESOS FINE

https://www.abogado.com.ph/sc-slaps-ca-justice-pizarro-with-p100000-fine-for-gambling/ The Supreme Court (SC) has slapped Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro with a P100,000 fine after an anonymous complainant submitted pictures of him gambling in a casino in Clark, Pampanga. In a recent 10-page en banc decision, the SC said Pizarro violated Section 14(4)(a) of Presidential Decree Number 1869, which prohibits government officials from gambling. “Judges should behave at all times so as to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality in the judiciary, and avoid the appearance of impropriety in all their activities,” read the decision penned by Associate Justice Samuel Martires. “Thus, any demeaning act of a judge degrades the institution he represents.” But, the SC only imposed a fine, instead of dismissal, as administrative sanction for conduct unbecoming of a member of the judiciary. The SC cited this was Pizarro’s first transgression and he immediately admitted to his indiscretion. It also noted “the number of years he has been in government service.” Only Associate Justice Marvic Leonen dissented from the ruling, as he sought the harsher penalty of dismissal. Associate Justice Lucas Bersamin inhibited because of his “close relations” to Pizarro, while Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno is on indefinite leave. The anonymous complainant claimed Pizarro would lose millions due to gambling and insinuated that he resorted to “selling” decisions to support his addiction. Pizarro admitted to being the person in the picture but claimed he only accompanied a balik Bayan friend and “played a little in a parlor game fashion without big stakes and without their identities introduced or made known.” He also cried foul about the tipster’s description of him as the “most corrupt justice in the Philippines,” pointing out that previous administrative complaints against him were dismissed. Pizarro recently became controversial because of the CA’s January 2018 decision to set aside the finding of probable cause to put former Palawan Governor Joel Reyes on trial for the murder of broadcaster Gerry Ortega.

445TH PERSUASIVE APPEAL_24APRIL18_TO THE SCP JUSTICES : JUSTICE MARTIRES SHOULD KNOW THAT CROOKS COULD PAY PAY 100K PESOS FINE TO WASH DIRTY MONEY IN MILLIONS

1 2. MY QUEST FOR SWINDLED  RETIREMENT PAY BY SHELL 589counts SEE BELOW FOR THE 589TH  TIME THE REITERATION OF DEMAND PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT PAY WHICH SHELL REFUSED TO HONOR IN THE PRESENCE AND DEEMED APPROVAL OF THE HONORABLE MAGISTRATES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE PHILIPPINES GEUS_15MAR16_66th FOLLOW UP_REITERATION OF DEMAND  PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT PAY Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight... Proverbs Chapter 11  v. 1 Retirement Pay Law circumvented by Shell subject to penal provision provided for by Article 288 of the Labor Code of the Philippines.

444TH PERSUASIVE APPEAL_23APRIL18_TO THE SCP JUSTICES : PIZARRO SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISMISSED BASED ON GR-183273 AND AC-10064 PENDING COMPLAINTS

CA justice fined P100k for gambling https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/984646/normandie-pizarro-sc-fine-supreme-court-ca-justice-casino-gambling 1 2. MY QUEST FOR SWINDLED  RETIREMENT PAY BY SHELL 588counts SEE BELOW FOR THE 588TH  TIME THE REITERATION OF DEMAND PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT PAY WHICH SHELL REFUSED TO HONOR IN THE PRESENCE AND DEEMED APPROVAL OF THE HONORABLE MAGISTRATES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE PHILIPPINES GEUS_15MAR16_66th FOLLOW UP_REITERATION OF DEMAND  PAYMENT OF RETIREMENT PAY Dishonest scales are an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight... Proverbs Chapter 11  v. 1 Retirement Pay Law circumvented by Shell subject to penal provision provided for by Article 288 of the Labor Code of the Philippines.