This case has been cited 1 times or more.
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2013-04-10 |
DEL CASTILLO, J. |
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| Concededly, the case for Alarms and Scandals had already been dismissed by the trial court. However, it is also settled that the dismissal of the criminal complaint does not affect the administrative case arising from the same incident which gave rise to said criminal case. The quantum of proof necessary to sustain a finding of guilt in the administrative complaint is only substantial evidence, while in criminal cases proof beyond reasonable doubt must be established to sustain the culpability of the accused. Hence, the two cases may be treated as separate and unrelated complaints which do not rely or depend on the outcome of the other. This rule should be strictly adhered to in this case as the dismissal was based on technical ground which has no bearing in this administrative case. In sum, given the confluence of events as borne out by the records, this Court finds that Ramos is administratively liable for indiscriminately discharging a firearm even if the same does not pertain to his official functions. This is in consonance with the oft-repeated exhortation that "all those involved in the administration of justice must at all times conduct themselves with the highest degree of propriety and decorum and take [utmost] care in avoiding incidents that x x x degrade the judiciary and diminish the respect and regard for the courts."[21] | |||||