The point is significant because, in another portion of the survey, 44 percent of the respondents believe a judge will render an advantageous ruling when bribed.
The 300 respondents included 120 people with existing cases, either as respondents or complainants, before the Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) of the cities of Cebu, Mandaue and Lapu-Lapu.
The sample also involved 60 private lawyers, 25 government prosecutors and 25 public defenders.
Polled
Fifteen media practitioners and the same number of non-government organization workers and church people were included in the poll, together with 15 businessmen and 10 representatives from the academe.
The survey was done sometime last year and presented to an invited audience of trial court judges, court employees, non-government officials and members of the media yesterday.
In the survey, more than half the respondents polled (54 percent) blamed judicial corruption primarily on the patronage system of appointing judges.
Forty-five percent of those asked noted a lack of transparency in the appointment procedure involving judicial positions.
But a larger percentage of those sought, 61 percent, believes corruption begins with the litigants themselves by being willing to negotiate either directly or indirectly to avoid actual litigation.
Fifty-nine percent said lawyers suggest this to their clients while 58 percent said litigants convince their lawyers to do it for them.
In most cases, the respondents believe, the transaction is facilitated via relatives.
Still, only 27 persons of the 300 people polled said judges actually asked them for anything relative to the resolution of a case.
The survey respondents were asked to propose solutions to the perceived corruption in the judiciary. Their responses included the imposition of tougher penalties on erring judges, lawyers and court personnel.
They also recommended that the High Tribunal introduce a tighter control and a more stringent supervision of all court officials and employees.
They also recommended a more transparent and representative system of appointing judges and the creation of a branch of the anti-graft office to specifically cater to court officials and employees, like that of the Office of the Ombudsman for the Military and other law enforcement offices. (KNR)
