FIRST DIVISION
[A.M. No. P-19-3927. March 11, 2019.]
BOBBY ANDRES IBUYAT, petitioner, vs.LIWAYWAY MATIAS VILLALUZ, COURT INTERPRETER I, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT, STO. DOMINGO, NUEVA ECIJA, respondent.
NOTICE
Sirs/Mesdames :
Please take notice that the Court, First Division, issued a Resolution dated March 11, 2019 which reads as follows:
"A.M. No. P-19-3927 [Formerly OCA IPI No. 18-4803-P] — (Bobby Andres Ibuyat v. Liwayway Matias Villaluz, Court Interpreter I, Municipal Trial Court, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija)
Before this Court is an administrative complaint against Ms. Liwayway Matias Villaluz (respondent), Court Interpreter I, Municipal Trial Court (MTC), Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, for Violation of Republic Act No. 6713, the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees.
While it is not wrong for an individual to incur indebtedness unrestrained by the fact that she is a public officer or employee, caution should be taken to prevent the occurrence of dubious circumstances that might inevitably impair the image of the public office. 1 Respondent's act of deliberately failing to pay her just debts despite repeated demands and after issuing several promissory notes, affects not only her honor as an individual but more importantly, her integrity as a public servant and the reputation of the judiciary where she is employed. 2
WHEREFORE, Liwayway Matias Villaluz, Court Interpreter I, Municipal Trial Court, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, is hereby found GUILTY of willful failure to pay just debts and is hereby REPRIMANDED with a STERN WARNING that the commission of the same or any similar offense will merit a more severe penalty.
The complaint dated March 8, 2018 of Bobby Andres Ibuyat charging Court Interpreter I Liwayway M. Villaluz with violation of R.A. No. 6713 (Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees); the comment dated May 30, 2018 (with enclosures) of Court Interpreter I Liwayway M. Villaluz; and the Report dated January 11, 2019 of the Office of the Court Administrator, are all NOTED.
SO ORDERED."
Very truly yours,
(SGD.) LIBRADA C. BUENADivision Clerk of Court
Footnotes
1.Re: Willful Failure to Pay Just Debts against Briones, 556 Phil. 522, 530 (2007).
2.Id.