DIONISIO v ESCANO

Facts:
Dionisio filed a complaint against Judge Escano charging the Judge of illegally using court
facilities in advertising the hiring of attractive waitresses and personable waiters and cooks in
the restaurant of the judge. Admissions to the effect that he was hiring the waitresses for his
pub that will cater to the prurient desires of males was acquired through the help of the program
"Hoy Gising." The judge, in his comment, said that he was only establishing a restaurant --
some sort of watering hole for friends. The judge said that the reason he posted the ad at the
Court Bulletin Board was due to the fact that conducting the interviews in his office in the court
will be more convenient for him. (He says that his house is too far from the gate and difficult for
the applicants to locate.) The judge further alleges that he immediately ordered the removal of
the ads when he learned of the displeasure of some people regarding his use of the Court
Bulletin Board. The Investigating Justice of the CA who handled the case recommended that the
judge be fined in the amount of 15,000 for the misuse of the court facilities.

Issue:
Whether or not the Judge is guilty of misuse of court facilities.

Held:
Yes, the judge is guilty of misuse. Suspended for 6 months with a warning. It is of no import that
the judge's act of using court facilities be motivated by good cause, no matter how honorable.
The moment such an act deviates from purposes not directly related to the functioning and
operation for which the courts of justice have been established, it must be immediately rectified.
Judges are not only to avoid impropriety, but must also avoid the appearance of impropriety. His
The act of posting the ads at the Court Bulletin Board tends to corrode the respect and dignity of
the courts as the bastion of justice because there occurred an interference in the judicial duties
of Judge Escano by reason of his own business interests.