Thursday, September 13, 2007 Judge seeks SC help in probing annulment scam
OFFICIALS at the Marcelo Fernan Hall of Justice want the Supreme Court (SC) to investigate the so-called “annulment scam.”
Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Fortunato de Gracia said he will send a letter to Chief Justice Reynato Puno to ask him to send a panel of investigators to look into the alleged anomaly where employees of the judiciary allegedly manufacture decisions for monetary considerations.
De Gracia wants the SC to penalize those who will be proven guilty.
De Gracia said the SC needs to act on the matter because it is possible a number of court employees are involved. It is impossible that only one person is involved, he said.
Investigation
He also believes the incident is not isolated.
The letter requesting for an investigation will be attached to the report de Gracia will submit to the High Tribunal.
De Gracia and RTC Judges Silvestre Maamo Jr. and Ramon Codilla earlier conducted a fact-finding conference on the matter and talked with lawyer Eugene Sumampong, the counsel of a victim of the scam.
De Gracia also expressed dismay after the victim and her lawyer failed to attend the second conference yesterday.
The meeting was scheduled so that de Gracia, Maamo and Codilla can convince the victim to file an administrative complaint against the alleged “facilitator” who was identified as a utility worker.
Discourtesy
“I was displeased with his discourtesy. He should have appeared before us and tell us his client cannot make it because she is in Manila attending a seminar,” said de Gracia.
The victim is an employee of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI).
Sumampong earlier disclosed that his client is apprehensive about filing the complaint and all that she wants is to get back the money she paid to the “facilitator.”
Ana (not her real name) sought the employee’s help sometime last April because she wanted to hasten the annulment proceedings of a marriage involving a woman with a name similar to hers.
She paid P22,000 and was able to get a decision in her favor only to find out later that the decision nullifying the marriage was “manufactured.”
The worker is said to be known to people who want to obtain favorable decisions fast.
Sun.Star Cebu is withholding his name pending his comment on the issue. (KNT)
