Pasay judge slams bribery, solicitation raps

MANILA, Philippines — A Pasay judge has criticized the Office of the Ombudsman for pursuing cases against him and a former court employee despite the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s dismissal of their cases.

In a letter to The STAR on Monday, lawyer Melita Go said that in July 2024, the DOJ “dismissed for lack of probable cause” the direct bribery and solicitation of gifts cases filed against Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 108 Judge Albert Cansino and former court interpreter and acting clerk of court Mariejoy Lagman.

“Despite the DOJ’s outright dismissal, the Office of the Ombudsman subsequently exercised its primary jurisdiction to overturn the DOJ resolution,” Go said.

She argued that the ombudsman used the same standard of probable cause “and relied heavily on unverified hearsay evidence – including the anonymous email and secondhand claims.”

An “anonymous complaint” had been sent to the Supreme Court’s Judicial Integrity Board.

The unit’s request letter to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) became the basis for an entrapment operation.

In May 2024, NBI agents arrested Lagman in an entrapment.

Cansino surrendered and did not enter a plea before the Sandiganbayan last month.

Cansino and Lagman were charged over the alleged payment of a P6-million bribe for a favorable decision in a case.

Cases were filed against them by the ombudsman in April 2025.

The ombudsman denied their motions to overturn its decision in August.

On Sept. 30, the Sandiganbayan Sixth Division handling the direct bribery case against Cansino “denied for lack of merit” the motion for reconsideration that he filed.

The anti-graft court upheld the validity of the ombudsman’s resolution to file cases against him and Lagman.

The anti-graft court’s Fifth Division hearing the solicitation case against Cansino and Lagman said their denial of accusations should be laid down “in a full-blown trial.”