Benson said Manglona “should have used better judgment and refrained from condemning Judge Govendo in her order.”
Benson added, “She unnecessarily made this matter public by essentially finding Judge Govendo guilty of professional misconduct in her order denying [Roger] Castillo’s motion to vacate his criminal conviction.”
Despite Manglona’s finding that “no evidence suggested that…Govendo’s comments impacted Castillo’s subsequent prosecution, [she] still felt the need to scold…Govendo,” Benson said.
Manglona claimed that Govendo’s “adios muchacho” remark to Castillo, a convicted stalker, common-law wife beater and supposed former Abu Sayyaf member, was “intemperate and improvident.”
But Benson said “Manglona’s language was unnecessary. Her holding did not require a condemnation of Judge Govendo.”
“Had she refrained from doing so, and instead let the judicial disciplinary procedure run its course, Judge Govendo’s conduct could have been dealt with internally and the judiciary could have avoided much of the negative publicity that his case generated,” Benson added.
“Because the controversy is public, so too should be its resolution.”
He said “it appears…that Judge Govendo repeatedly uses racially insensitive and disparaging language in his courtroom.”
But Govendo has denied this allegation and is requesting the court to allow the media to cover the formal proceedings against him.
