(Eagle News)–A Court of Appeals justice was fined P100,000 for gambling, an act which government officials are banned from doing under the law.
The Supreme Court meted out the penalty to Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro, who was seen gambling in a casino in Pampanga in pictures given to the High Court by an anonymous complainant.
The complainant also said Pizarro himself admitted to going to a casino in 2009.
“Judges should behave at all times so as to promote public confidence in the integrity and impartiality in the judiciary, and avoid the appearance of impropriety in all their activities,” the High Court said.
Because it was Pizarro’s first offense, the Supreme Court said it was only imposing the fine.