355 Phil. 45
MENDOZA, J.:
In his letter dated March 13, 1998, Judge Estrada explains that:This case was referred to the Office of the Court Administrator which, on July 9, 1998, submitted a report stating, among other things, the following:
[H]e has resigned [from] his membership in the Board of Directors in the Rural Bank of Labrador effective May 31, 1997. Since then undersigned has not maintained any position at the Rural Bank of Labrador.
. . . [T]he undersigned requested information from the Administrative Office, Office of the Court Administrator as to when Judge Estrada was appointed to the Judiciary. It was disclosed that he transferred to the Judiciary on May 17, 1994 from another government office.We find the foregoing report to be well taken. Circular No. 6 dated April 10, 1987 strictly enjoins all Judges, Clerks of Court and Sheriffs not to accept the position of director or any other position in any electric cooperative or other enterprises, or to resign immediately from such position if they are already holding the same so as not to prejudice the expeditious and proper administration of justice. In violation of this circular, Judge Estrada, who was appointed to the judiciary on May 17, 1994, did not resign from the Board of Directors of the Rural Bank of Labrador until May 31, 1997.
A perusal of the record shows [that] Judge Bienvenido Estrada failed to comply with the directive of Circular No. 6 dated April 10, 1987. The fact that he has already resigned as a Member from the Directorship of the Rural Bank of Labrador does not excuse him from any administrative liability. As a Judge he should be faithful to the law and maintain professional competence. The present controversy could have been avoided had he kept faith with the injunction that as a member of the bench he must continuously keep himself abreast of legal and jurisprudential developments because the learning process in law never ceases (In Re: Comelec Resolution No. 2521, A.M. 92-12-916 RTC, July 8, 1994).
In this instant case, assuming without admitting that Judge Estrada acted in good faith in having himself appointed as a member of the Board of Directors in the Rural Bank of Labrador and that he has already resigned from the same, such considerations will simply mitigate his administrative liabilities but will not altogether excuse his ignorance of the law/circulars.