A Cavite court sheriff has been dismissed from service by the Supreme Court after being found guilty of gross misconduct for accepting bribe money in connection with a drug case.

In a unanimous per curiam decision, the Court en banc ordered the dismissal of Dwight Aldwin Geronimo, Sheriff IV of the Regional Trial Court Branch 121 in Imus, Cavite. The decision, dated 9 July 2025, also revoked all his retirement benefits and permanently barred him from holding public office.

The ruling stemmed from a complaint filed by Antolyn Dones Gonzales, who accused Geronimo of demanding P200,000 in exchange for allegedly helping facilitate the release of her friend, Monib Saadoning Amatonding, who was facing drug charges. Geronimo allegedly claimed that the presiding judge was his aunt and that he could arrange for bail to be granted.

Gonzales initially paid P115,000, with the balance to be settled upon the grant of bail. But after the court denied bail for Amatonding, Geronimo disappeared — blocking Gonzales on Facebook and changing his phone number. Screenshots of their Facebook Messenger conversations supported her claims.

Geronimo initially claimed the money was a personal loan. He later changed his story, saying he was merely pretending to cooperate with Gonzales to expose corruption within the judiciary. Both explanations were rejected by the Court.

The Judicial Integrity Board found Geronimo guilty of gross misconduct, a finding upheld by the Supreme Court. The Court emphasized that any solicitation or acceptance of money from individuals with pending court cases violates the Code of Conduct for Court Personnel.

“Court employees should never use their positions for personal gain or accept gifts that might influence their official actions,” the decision stated.

The Court also noted that this was not Geronimo’s first offense, which weighed heavily in the decision to impose the ultimate penalty of dismissal.

The SC reiterated its warning to judiciary employees to uphold the highest standards of integrity, stating that even the mere perception of impropriety erodes public trust in the justice system.