THE Department of Justice has recommended the filing of criminal cases against a Pasay clerk of court for allegedly accepting P6 million in bribe money in exchange for a favorable decision in a civil case.
In a resolution dated May 27 but made public only yesterday, Senior Assistant State Prosecutor Phillip dela Cruz said the complaint filed by the National Bureau of Investigation was able to establish all requirements that would warrant the filing of information for violation of Article 210 of the Revised Penal Code (direct bribery), as amended; violation if Section 3 (b) of Republic Act 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act; and violation of Section 7(d) of Republic Act 6713 or the Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees) against Mariejoy Lagman.
Lagman was the acting clerk of court of Branch 108 of the Pasay City Regional Trial Court, who was arrested by the NBI in an entrapment operation.
Meanwhile, the DOJ said Lagman’s co-accused, Presiding Judge Alberto Cansino, will still undergo regular preliminary investigation to determine if there is probable cause to warrant his indictment in court.
Lagman and Cansino were both placed under 90-preventive suspension by the Supreme Court.
The complaint filed by the NBI’s cybercrime division showed that the SC sought its help on May 22 with regard to allegations that a Pasay city court was extorting money from parties involved in a case being litigated there.
The High Court’s request was based on an anonymous complaint received by the Judicial Integrity Board about the alleged extortion.
The NBI then validated the information that one Vancer Florendo Vail served as the liaison officer for the defendants in the civil case.
Vail told the NBI that he was contacted by a friend who was also in touch with Lagman and relayed to him the latter’s demand of P5 million in exchange of a favorable decision in the said civil case.
Vail then relayed the demand to his principals who are the defendants in the case.
In a press conference at the NBI headquarters in Quezon City, NBI Cybercrimes Division chief Jeremy Lotoc said the litigant was asked to produce only P5 million, with P1 million to be given up front.
But he said the amount was increased to P6 million after the litigant failed to come up with the “goodwill money.”
“The P6 million was supposedly only P5 million with P1 million as goodwill money. But the P1 million did not push through that’s why the amount was bumped off to P6 million from the original P5 million,” he said.
Lotoc also confirmed that the entrapment operation last week that led to the Lagman’s arrest was carried out based on the information provided by the JIB after it received an anonymous complaint.
Vail narrated in the complaint that on May 22 he was supposed to deliver the “goodwill money” while the balance of P5 million was supposed to be delivered the next day in exchange of a certified true copy of the court order containing the judgment favorable to his principal.
After the NBI verified the information, the operation was set using five marked P1,000 bills and about P6 million in boodle money.
In addition to the money, a copy of the order bearing the signature of the judge on the civil case was also confiscated.
Upon arrest, the court employee said the exchange of money was upon the instruction of the judge.
Lotoc declined to identify the complainant or the case that led to the alleged bribery.
