The Supreme Court has affirmed the dismissal of a former aviation security officer found guilty of grave misconduct for extorting P5,000 from a passenger, reiterating that corruption and abuse of public office will not be tolerated.

In a 14-page ruling penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic Leonen dated 9 June 2026 and published on 14 September, the Court’s Second Division upheld the dismissal of Police Senior Superintendent Amador Hernandez over the 2011 incident at the Diosdado Macapagal International Airport.

The Court also affirmed the forfeiture of Hernandez’s retirement and other benefits, as well as his perpetual disqualification from government employment.

“The established facts place petitioner’s actions squarely within the scope of grave misconduct,” the Court said, noting that Hernandez used his public position to obtain money for himself.

The SC stressed that a long record of good service, or the fact that the offense was a first violation, could not justify reducing the penalty for grave misconduct.

It reiterated that public office is a public trust and that serious violations of that trust may warrant dismissal from government service.

The Court also rejected Hernandez’s argument that dismissal was unwarranted, describing his reasoning as “absurd” and saying his conduct demonstrated “a serious defect of character and a lack of fitness for public service.”

The ruling affirmed the decisions of the Court of Appeals, Office of the President and National Police Commission finding Hernandez administratively liable.