A court stenographer was dismissed from the service by the Supreme Court after soliciting money from the mother of an accused in exchange for the dismissal of the criminal case.

Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez in a decision he wrote said the Supreme Court En Banc adopted the recommendation by the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) finding Nemia Alma Y. Almanoche, Court Stenographer III of Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 10, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon guilty of serous dishonesty, and ordered her dismissal from service.

In 2018, Presiding Judge Ma. Theresa A. Camannong of Branch 9, RTC, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon, reported to Acting Presiding Judge Eldred D. Cole of the alleged corrupt practices involving Almanoche.

Camannong learned from a court legal researcher that Almanoche had solicited P20,000 from a certain Jean Baguio allegedly in exchange for the dismissal of the criminal case against Baguio’s two sons pending before Judge Camannong.

Almanoche allegedly told Baguio that the amount was for the “judge, the fiscal and the PAO.”

Judge Camannong then called Baguio, together with the prosecutor and the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) lawyer handling the case, to the Judge’s chambers, where Baguio narrated that she came to know of Almanoche through the aunt of another co-accused in the same case. Baguio claimed that Almanoche asked for a total of P20,000 so the latter could “take care of the Prosecutor, the Judge, and the PAO.”

Baguio gave Almanoche P1,000 and promised to pay the balance later.

On 30 April 2018, Baguio went to the Hall of Justice with the private complainant in the criminal case, who executed an Affidavit of Desistance before the prosecutor. At the same meeting, Baguio mentioned the agreement she had with Almanoche.

Executive Judge Isobel G. Barroso of the RTC in Malabalay City, upon the Court’s order to investigate the matter, reported to the JIB that Almanoche was guilty of serious misconduct.

But the recommended penalty was reduced to suspension for one month without pay, taking into consideration Almanoche’s service in the judiciary for more than 20 years; that this was her first offense; and that she did not receive the money she asked from Baguio.

The JIB agreed with Judge Barroso’s findings and found Almanoche guilty of serious dishonesty. It disagreed, however, on the recommended penalty, holding that a grave offense such as serious dishonesty cannot be mitigated by the employee’s length of service or the fact that she is a first-time offender. Thus, the JIB recommended that Almanoche be meted the penalty of dismissal.

In adopting the JIB’s recommendation, the Court stressed that to gain the public’s trust and confidence in the Judiciary, all its employees must ensure that their conduct exemplifies competence, honesty, and integrity.