[A.M.No.

031001SC,October14,2003]
RESOLUTIONPRESCRIBINGMEASURESTOPROTECTMEMBERSOF
THEJUDICIARYFROMBASELESSANDUNFOUNDED
ADMINISTRATIVECOMPLAINTS

WHEREAS, statistics will show that the Supreme Court has disciplined numerous
membersoftheJudiciaryaspartofitseffortstocleanseitsranksandimprovethe
administrationofjustice
WHEREAS, data also show that in many instances losing litigants or disgruntled
lawyersfiledclearlyunfoundedormaliciousadministrativeorcriminalcasesagainst
members of the Judiciary for purposes of harassing them putting them to shame,
publicridiculeorcontemptorpreventingordelayingthereleaseoftheirretirement
benefits
WHEREAS, the filing of clearly unfounded or malicious complaints seriously affects
theefficiencyofthemembersofJudiciaryinadministeringfair,speedyandimpartial
justice
WHEREAS,effectivemeasuresarenecessarytopreventoratleast,discouragethe
filingofsuchcases,toprotecttheorderlyadministrationofjustice.
NOW,THEREFORE,asoneofsuchmeasures,theCourtRESOLVESthat:
1.IfuponaninformalpreliminaryinquirybytheOfficeoftheCourtAdministrator,an
administrative complaint against any Justice of the Court of Appeals or
Sandiganbayan or any Judge of the lower courts filed in connection with a case in
court is shown to be clearly unfounded and baseless and intended to harass the
respondent, such a finding should be included in the report and recommendation of
theOfficeoftheCourtAdministrator.Iftherecommendationisapprovedoraffirmed
bytheCourt,thecomplainantmayberequiredtoshowcausewhyheshouldnotbe
heldincontemptofcourt.Ifthecomplainantisalawyer,hemayfurtherberequired
toshowcausewhyheorsheshouldnotbeadministrativelysanctionedasamember
oftheBarandasanofficerofthecourt.
2.Ifthecomplaintis(a)filedwithinsixmonthsbeforethecompulsoryretirementof
a Justice or Judge (b) for an alleged cause of action that occurred at least a year
before such filing and (c) shown prima facie that it is intended to harass the
respondent,itmustforthwithberecommendedfordismissal.Ifsuchisnotthecase,
theOfficeoftheCourtAdministratormustrequiretherespondenttofileacomment

withinten(10)daysfromreceiptofthecomplaint,andsubmittotheCourtareport
and recommendation not later than thirty (30) days from receipt of the comment.
TheCourtshallactontherecommendationbeforethedateofcompulsoryretirement
oftherespondent,or,ifitisnotpossibletodoso,withinsix(6)monthsfromsuch
datewithoutprejudicetothereleaseoftheretirementbenefitslesssuchamountas
theCourtmayordertobewithheld,takingintoaccountthegravityofthecauseof
actionallegedinthecomplaint.
ThisResolutionsupplementsormodifiesRule140oftheRulesofCourtandshalltake
effect on November 4, 2003. It shall be published in a newspaper of general
circulationnotlaterthanOctober20,2003.
October14,2003.

(Sgd.)HILARIOG.DAVIDE,JR.
ChiefJustice

(Sgd.)JOSUEN.BELLOSILLO
(Sgd.)RENATOS.PUNO
AssociateJustice
AssociateJustice
(Sgd.)JOSEV.VITUG
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)ARTEMIOV.PANGANIBAN
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)LEONARDOA.QUISUMBING
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)CONSUELOYNARESSANTIAGO
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)ANGELINASANDOVAL
GUTIERREZ
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)ANTONIOT.CARPIO
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)MA.ALICIAAUSTRIA
MARTINEZ
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)RENATOC.CORONA
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)CONCHITACARPIOMORALES
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)ROMEOJ.CALLEJO,SR.
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)ADOLFOS.AZCUNA
AssociateJustice

(Sgd.)DANTEO.TINGA
AssociateJustice

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