SC creates integrity board, corruption office to weed out erring judiciary officials, personnel

(Eagle News))– The Supreme Court has established an integrity board and a corruption office that will  investigate and act on complaints against justices, judges, court officials and employees.

A resolution issued by the en banc said the Judicial Integrity Board and the Corruption Prevention and Investigation Office shall be considered as separate units of the SC.

The JIB shall receive administrative complaints or disciplinary actions against either the justices of the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, Court of Tax Appeals, Shari’ah High Court, the lower courts, and officials and employees of the judiciary.

The JIB will basically assume the functions of the Office of the Court Administrator on administrative or disciplinary cases, complaints or referrals under Rule 140 of the Rules of Court and SC issuances, except in cases the JIB may delegate to the OCA.

It shall be composed of a chair, vice chair and three regular members, and shall be appointed by the SC en banc without reappointment.

The chair must be a retired Chief Justice or an Associate Justice of the SC.

The vice chair, on the other hand, should be a retired SC Associate Justice.

The three regular members should be either retired presiding justices or associate justices of the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan or Court of Tax Appeals.

The CPIO, on the other hand, has the power to investigate or conduct intelligence, surveillance or entrapment operations or lifestyle checks on erring members of the judiciary.

It also has the power to assist in the prosecution of those involved in illegal acts including bribery,  among others.

Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta had said part of his ten-point program was to weed out erring judiciary officials.