Presiding Judge Pablo Magdoza of the Regional Trial Court Branch 48 has chided the Bohol Chronicle Tuesday arising from its editorial last Sunday for using the newspaper as a vehicle to peddle “half truths, calculated to erode and destroy the people’s faith and confidence in the judiciaryâ€.
The beef of Judge Judge Magdoza’s protestation is this portion of the editorial which reads: “This of course is not the first time that public’s eyebrow went up north -- looking at the credibility of the judges -- what is left of it (if any). The first time was related to the class suit filed against the City Mayor regarding the questioned 100% hike in real property taxes without exhaustive public deliberation. Again, no RTC judge in the city accepted the case, mainly because perhaps the respondent is the City Mayor. Their lame excuse that being taxpayers—the judges will benefit on the real estate tax issue is a pure copout.
It has to reach the Supreme Court for a decision as to who must handle the case.
This is a black mark against the credibility of the judgesâ€.
Taking exception to the insinuation that no RTC judge accepted the case mainly because perhaps the respondent was the city mayor, Judge Magdoza corrected the bi-weekly that it was his sala is handling the case.
The civil action which sought injunctive relief from the city’s plan to increase real property taxes was tossed up and down in the in the wave of inhibitions by several RTC judges. But not in the case of Judge Magodoza according to his own manifestation when he corrected the Bohol Chronicle of its editorial last Sunday.
But the planned increase in real property taxes which was supposed to be implemented this year was deferred until next year. The supposed increase was supported by an ordinance of the Sangguniang Panglungsud.
The presiding magistrate said contrary to the inaccurate report, the case was not elevated to the Supreme Court.
In fact, the judge said, as proof that he did not inhibit in the case, he set it for hearing last January 8.
In conclusion, the presiding judge has this to say: it was very unfortunate that the editor was using the newspaper founded by his late father as a vehicle to peddle half truths, calculated to erode and destroy the people’s faith and confidence in the judiciary.
source: Sunday Post
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