Court clerk dismissed over solicited money

The Supreme Court (SC) has dismissed a court clerk for soliciting and accepting money from a litigant’s parent in exchange for securing a Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) lawyer.

In a resolution dated 18 February 2025, the SC En Banc found Gerald Eric F. Sanchez, Clerk III of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Cabuyao City, Laguna, guilty of gross misconduct. He was ordered dismissed from service and permanently disqualified from holding any government position.

The complaint was filed by the mother of an accused individual in a pending criminal case, alleging that Sanchez promised to assist them with their case for P100,000.

An RTC Cabuyao City judge also requested an investigation by the Office of the Court Administrator after receiving reports that Sanchez had been acting as a fixer, soliciting money from litigants in exchange for securing PAO representation and expediting their cases.

Following the investigation, the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) recommended Sanchez’s dismissal for gross misconduct. The SC upheld the JIB’s findings, ruling that despite Sanchez’s denials, he had indeed accepted money for personal gain.

Under Canon IV, Section 5 of the Code of Conduct for Court Personnel, “court personnel shall not recommend private attorneys to litigants, prospective litigants, or anyone dealing with the Judiciary.” Sanchez had no authority to collect or receive money from litigants but requested and accepted P50,000 in cash and an additional P50,000 deposited into his mother’s account.

His actions went beyond merely offering assistance and constituted “fixing” — the act of serving as a middleman between a litigant and a decision maker for a fee to expedite court processes.

The court emphasized that assistance should only be provided within the scope of a public servant’s duties, without accepting fees, gifts, or personal benefits. The SC imposed the ultimate penalty of dismissal for Sanchez’s willful violation of the Code of Conduct for Court Personnel, constituting gross misconduct.