413 Phil. 319
VITUG, J.:
In compliance with the foregoing resolution, Judge Carmelita Manahan informed the Court that she was able to resolve all cases submitted for decision and those pending resolution. Relative to cases extending beyond the ninety-day mandatory period for their resolution, she explained that the same were previously the subject of a request for extension of time to decide, which request was granted by the Court; nevertheless, these cases had since been resolved.
"1) to DIRECT Judge Carmelita S. Manahan, Municipal Trial Court, Branch 1, San Pedro, Laguna: "(a) to INFORM this Court, through the Office of the Court Administrator, within ten (10) days from notice, whether the decisions in Criminal Case Nos. 30538, 30328, 24378 and 24379 were promulgated as scheduled; "(b) to EXPLAIN, within ten (10) days from notice, why no administrative sanction should be imposed upon her: "(b.1) for her failure to decide within the reglementary period Civil Case Nos. 97-66 and 97-43; and "(b.2) for her failure to decide within the mandatory period the pending incidents in Civil Case Nos. 2731, 97-55 and 2518; "(c) to DECIDE/RESOLVE immediately the enumerated cases in b.1 and b.2 and to SUBMIT copies of the decisions/resolutions to this Court, through the Office of the Court Administrator, within ten (10) days from promulgation/rendition thereof; and "(d) to INFORM this Court, through the Office of the Court Administrator, within ten (10) days from notice, whether the decisions/resolutions in Criminal Case Nos. 29369 and 29370 and Civil Case Nos. 2679 and 2480 were rendered/resolved within the reglementary period and submit copies of the decisions/resolutions of the aforestated cases to this Court, through the Office of the Court Administrator, within ten (10) days from notice; "(2) Mr. Ruben B. Albaytar, Clerk of Court, Municipal Trial Court, San Pedro, Laguna, Branch 1: "(a) to DEVISE a systematic and orderly management of court records; "(b) to regularly and religiously UPDATE the entries in the docket books; "(c) to APPRISE Judge Carmelita S. Manahan and to CAUSE the setting in the court calendar of the following cases: and (c.1) which remained unacted upon since they were filed, to wit: Criminal Case Nos. 32410, 34632, 34633, 34634, 34351, 34109, 34113, 34114, 26677 and 26392 and Civil Case No. 98-84; (c.2) which were not further acted on despite the lapse of a considerable length of time, to wit: Criminal Case Nos. 34119, 33424, 33428, 33477, 33502, 33503, 32317, 32318, 33351, 29705, 30010, 30011, 30061, 30062, 30063, 30064, 29960, 29961, 29962, 29963, 29964, 30179, 30180, 30181, 30182, 30259, 32428, 31204, 32368, 32152, 32168, 32202, 31761, 31810, 32064, 32103, 31610, 32102, 29622, 33373, 33374, 33375, 31203, 31202, 31201, 32324, 32437, 31979, 28197, 28198, 28199, 32424, 13464, 13843, 2725, 24304, 24635, 32372, 31893, 31789, 31779, 31780, 26934, 26904, 26905, 26906, 26907, 26908, 26909, 26910, 34545, 22844, 22216, 22217, 22218, 22219, 22220, 22221, 22222, 22223, 22237, 22238, 22239, 23566, 23568, 23570, 23572, 23574, 23576, 23565, 23567, 23569, 23571, 23573, 23575, 23577, 34280, 26740, 26741, 26742, 26743, 26939, 34526, 34524, 34525, 30284, 30285, 30286, 32786, 33151, 32766, 32888, 32847, 32848, 32849, 32850, 32892, 32781, 33081, 33015, 32992, 33056, 33075, 32917, 32983, 34730, 29223, 26823, 26824, 26825, 26826, 26827, 26828, 26829, 26830, 26521, 26522, 26523, 26524, 26525, 26526, 30721, 30155, 30156, 30157, 30158, 30131, 30132, 30133, 30134, 31890, 25559, 25512, 25649, 31396, 32218, 32219, 32220, 32221, 32222, 31901, 32779, 34145, 34146, 34147, 32579, 32703, 34418, 13465, 34282, 29798, 29799, 29800, 29801, 31505, 31506, 31947, 30153, 32003, 31328, 31298, 32871, 32865, 32866, 32867, 32868, 32869, 32783, 32815, 32890, 26770, 26966, 33861, 33847, 33848, 33849, 33850, 33860, 33766, 33788, 33827, 33738, 26171, 33608, 33607, 33606, 33525, 33656, 33537, 33551, 33544, 33545, 33613, 33655, 33653, 33595, 33535, 33593, 33609, 33610, 33611, 33612, 34602, 35001, 35002, 34908, 24647, 24356, 24357, 24178, 24180, 24182, 24184, 31754, 31880, 31881, 30397, 34074, 33936, 33937, 33938, 34105, 28882, 30639, 3747, 33208, 33209, 33210, 33211, 33212, 31320, 30053, 30054, 30055, 30056, 30298, 30299, 30212, 30213, 30214, 30215, 24172, 24174, 24176, 28432, 28433, 28434, 32423, 14513, 13581, 24402, 24403, 24404, 24405, 24406, 24407, 24408, 24409, 24410, 24411, 24754, 32379, 32380, 32381, 32382, 32374, 23765, 13842, 13843, 13844, 13845, 13846, 13847, 13848, 34460, 31248, 31249, 31250, 31251, 34419, 34427, 34373, 34372, 34487, 34497, 32257, 32258, 32111, 33041, 32953, 33420, 33215, 33216, 26284, 28076, 28077, 28078, 28079, 28080, 28081, 31227, 34733, 34713, 34712, 34756, 34141, 34257, 34283, 34328, 32713, 32510, 32506, 32484, 32685, 32686, 34740, 26901, 26031, 26032, 26033, 26034, 26035, 26322, 26323, 26324, 25695, 26320, 27154, 28131, 28184, 28185, 28186, 28187, 31794, 31795, 31796, 31797, 31287, 31293, 31923, 31924, 31925, 31926, 30002, 30003, 30004, 30005, 34285, 34211, 32412, 34321, 34322, 34323, 34143, 34329, 32584, 34274, 32686, 28835, 28768, 29094, 29609, 30045, 30046, 30047, 30048, 30123, 30124, 30125, 30126, 29994, 29995, 29996, 29997, 23103, 21893, 32881, 23658, 23659, 33523, 34822, 34823, 28595, 28596, 33924, 30409, 30410, 33359, 33328, 33339, 32978, 32869, 34005, 34006, 34432, 34433, 33251, 32780, 32865, 32868, 34355, 34356, 14559, 32069, 32070, 31441, 31442, 31443, 31256, 20535 and 25071 and Civil/Other Cases Nos. 2675, 2389, 97-57, 97-45, 97-47, 97-51, 97-19, 97-53, 2425, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 98-82, 96-28, 2520, 2782, 99-143, 2792, 2672, 2685, 2500, 2418, 2364, 2319, 2513, 2429, 99-150, 2515, 2711, 2710, 2708, 2689, 2728, 2382, 2587, 2369, 2397, 2699, 2706, 2495, 2251, 2187, 2158, 2256, 2670, 2306, 2489, 2766, 2343, 97-68, 2420, 2541, 2535 and 2497. "(d) to EXPLAIN within ten (10) days from notice why no administrative sanction should be taken against him for his failure to perform his functions as administrative officer of the court, i.e. cause the updating of docket books, forwarding of orders of transmittal to the Office of the Provincial Prosecutors, Regional Trial Court, service of summons and notices, and adopting of an orderly management of court records despite the resolution of the Court En Banc in Administrative Matter No. RTJ-99-1216 dated October 20, 1999 reprimanding him with stern warning that a more severe sanction will be imposed on him for any repetition of the same or similar offense in the future."
"This Office finds the explanation of Mr. Albaytar unsatisfactory. Mr. Albaytar has been remiss in his duties and responsibilities as officer of the court. Records reveal that on 28 October 1996, a judicial audit and physical inventory of pending cases was conducted in the MTC, Branch 1, San Pedro, Laguna, in view of the retirement of Judge Leonardo F. Quinanola. Consequently, the Court En Banc in A.M. No. MTJ-99-1216 dated 20 October 1999, resolved, among others, to reprimand Mr. Albaytar, with a stern warning that a more severe sanction will be imposed on him for any repetition of the same or similar offense in the future. The sanctions imposed on him then were for offenses similar to those for which he is presently charged. It seems he has not learned his lesson.The OCA thus recommended that the case against respondent Albaytar be so re-docketed as an administrative complaint and that he be FINED in the amount of P2,000.00.
"A Clerk of Court should be the model of co-employees to act speedily and with dispatch on their assigned tasks to avoid the clogging of cases in court and thereby assist in the administration of justice without undue delay. Moreover, `Clerks of Court must be assiduous in performing their official duties and in supervision and managing Court dockets and records. Their repeated negligence in the performance of these functions will be dealt with severely."
"Mr. Albaytar should be reminded that prompt disposition of the Court's business and expeditious disposition of cases can be attained only through efficient caseflow management by the judge and her personnel, especially the branch clerk. Considering the heavy caseload of their court, he should with more reason exert extra effort to ensure the efficient flow of pending cases.
"This Office therefore cannot accept the explanation proffered by Mr. Albaytar, although the work environment affecting MTC, Branch 1, should be considered in determining Mr. Albaytar's responsibility."