AM NO P94-1054 MARCH 11, 2003

ACEBEDO VS ARQUERO
FACTS
Edwin A. Acebedo charged Eddie P. Arquero for immorality, alleging that his wife,
Dedje Irader Acebedo, a former stenographer of the MTC Brooke’s Point, and Arquero
unlawfully and scandalously cohabited as husband and wife. Arquero claimed that
Acebedo himself had been cohabitating with another woman. Based on Arquero ’s
testimony, he justified his having a relationship with Irader solely on the written document
purportedly an agreement entered into by Acebedo and Irader, consenting to and giving
freedom to either of them to seek any partner and to live with him or her.

ISSUE
Whether or not Arquero should be held guilty of immorality.

RULING
Arquero’s justification fails. Being an employee of the judiciary, Arquero ought to
have known that the Kasunduan had absolutely no force and effect on the validity of the
marriage between Acebedo and Irader. Although every office in the government service
is a public trust, no position exacts a greater demand for moral righteousness and
uprightness from an individual than in the judiciary. That is why the Court has firmly laid
down exacting standards of morality and decency expected of those in the service of the
judiciary. Arquero’s act of having illicit relations with Irader is, within the purview of Section
46 (5) of Subtitle A, Title I, Book V of Executive Order No. 292, otherwise known as the
Administrative Code of 1987, a disgraceful and immoral conduct.