Monday, July 19, 2004 SC swaps judges for one’s problem with court staff, asked to reconsider
BECAUSE of the allegedly unhealthy relationship between him and his staff, Judge Donato Navarro was ordered transferred to Mandaue City.
Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Executive Judge Francisco A. Seville Jr. told Sun.Star Cebu that the Supreme Court (SC) has issued an administrative order last month detailing Navarro to Mandaue MTCC Branch 2.
Mandaue MTCC Branch 2 Judge Carlos Fernando will take over the cases left by Navarro in his sala at MTCC Branch 6 in Cebu City.
But the two judges are likely to contest the SC administrative order, which said the transfer was to take effect immediately.
The same order also specified that Navarro and Fernando hang on to their respective new assignments until further instruction from the High Tribunal.
Seville said he has heard that Fernando wrote the High Tribunal asking for a reconsideration of the order detailing him in Cebu City.
“In a talk with Navarro last Monday, he also said he plans to write an appeal with the SC. I just explained to him that administrative order may have been issued for the good of the service,” Seville said.
In that administrative order, Navarro’s strained relationship with another Cebu MTCC judge was not mentioned.
Navarro and then MTCC Executive Judge Rosabella Tormis were reprimanded by the SC because of their altercation that reached the media.
Seville said he received the SC administrative order last month yet, but he did not tell Navarro and Fernando of their transfer because he was not given the authority to do so.
He just waited until the two judges received their copies of the order. Navarro reportedly received the order last July 9.
“During our talk, Navarro also shared his sentiments about his staff. But I do not think he is also amenable to his transfer to Mandaue,” Seville said. GN
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