SC sacks sheriff for hitting female litigant
A sheriff who punched a female litigant while enforcing a writ of execution has been dismissed by the Supreme Court.
In a decision, the Supreme Court adopted the findings of the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) that Christopher T. Perez, Sheriff IV of Branch 74, Regional Trial Court, Olongapo City, Zambales (Sheriff Perez) should be penalized for grave abuse of authority and gross insubordination.
On November 26, 2019, Rodalyn Hanif (Hanif) filed a complaint against Sheriff Perez.
Hanif alleged that while the Sheriff was implementing the writ of execution issued by the Municipal Trial Court in Olongapo City on the forcible entry case involving Hanif, he punched Hanif twice in her right forearm resulting in some bruising.
This was supported by the Medico-Legal Certificate indicating that she suffered “contusion/hematoma 5×4 cm anterior aspect of the right forearm, m/3rd area” and “residual contusion, right infra auricular area, front, no boarders.”
When asked for his comment on March 2, 2020, Sheriff Perez filed a Motion for Extension to File Comment, seeking an extension of 30 days within which to file.
The request for extension was granted by the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), but Sheriff Perez failed to submit his comment despite the extension.
Following an investigation, Judicial Integrity Board (JIB) Acting Executive Director Atty. James D.V. Navarrete recommended that Sheriff Perez be held liable for Simple Misconduct and Insubordination.
The JIB adopted the factual findings of its Acting Executive Director, but increased the recommended penalty to dismissal from the service, holding that the infliction of bodily harm upon Hanif was unjustifiable and constituted grave abuse of authority.
The JIB further found that Sheriff Perez’s failure to submit his comment despite repeated directives from the OCA was tantamount to gross insubordination.
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