Florentino Floro

Florentino V. Floro, Jr.
File:Judge Floro.jpg Judge Florentino V. Floro, Jr.
Born	(1953-11-05) November 5, 1953 Manila
Nationality	Filipino
Known for	Self-proclaimed psychic judge, dismissed by reason of mental illness

Florentino V. Floro, Jr. (born November 5 1953 in Manila) is a Filipino judge who achieved notoriety after being suspended from the Philippine judiciary in 2006 due to mental illness. Floro made several statements that he was psychic and claimed to frequently communicate with invisible dwarves.

Background

Florentino V. Floro, Jr. was born at the University of Santo Tomas Hospital in Manila, Philippines at 1:00 a.m., on November 5, 1953. He is the eldest of 5 children of Florentino Carreon Floro and Milagros Geronimo Velasquez. His brothers are Joselito, Benjamin, Jesie and Robert.

Early life and education

Judge Floro spent his childhood in Calvario, Meycauayan City, Bulacan. He was educated there by the Religious of the Virgin Mary, when he was sent to St. Mary's Academy, where he graduated elementary education. In 1969, he completed his high school at St. Vincent's Seminary, in Karuhatan, Valenzuela City.

In 1970, Judge Floro continued his studies at Adamson University and at the Vincentian Hills Seminary at Angono, Rizal, under the Vincentian Family / Congregation of the Mission priests. He transferred to Ateneo de Manila University's Loyola Schools, where he earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy and pre-divinity, on October, 1974.

In 1982, Judge Floro graduated with full second honors and earned his Bachelor of Laws degree from the Ateneo Law School. He placed 12th in the 1983 Philippine Bar Examinations with a grade of 87.55 percent.

Judicial career

Entrance into lawyering and judicial practice

Judge Floro first applied for appointment to the bench by filing his application with the Judicial and Bar Council in 1995. He failed the mandatory psychological examination by the Supreme Court Clinic Services (SC Clinic) which found "evidence of ego disintegration" and "developing psychotic process", and Floro voluntarily withdrew his application.

He reapplied on his natal day of November 5, 1997, and the evaluation reports were again negative, revealing problems with self-esteem, mood swings, and perceptual distortions. However, because of his impressive academic background, Judge Floro was allowed to submit a second medical opinion from private practitioners, who gave a more favorable psychological and psychiatric assessments.

Judge Floro was duly appointed Regional Trial Court Judge, National Capital Judicial Region, of Br. 73, Malabon City and Navotas, Metro Manila, on November 4/5, 1998, his 45th birthday, as the youngest RTC NCJR Judge. He took his official and ceremonial oaths of office before Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines Bernardo P. Pardo and President of the Philippines Joseph Estrada, on November 13, 1998 and December 8, 1998, respectively.

Judicial audit and indefinite preventive suspension

Judge Floro's request for a judicial audit on his sala was granted and accordingly, the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) conducted a probe from 2 to 3 March 1999. The audit team, led by Atty. Mary Jane Dacarra-Buenaventura submitted its findings to erstwhile Court Administrator, Alfredo Benipayo and to then Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr.

Barely 6 months from his inaugural session on January 5, 1999, the Supreme Court of the Philippines placed Judge Floro under indefinite preventive suspension, on July 20, 1999 by virtue of the Court Administrator Alfredo Benipayo's Memorandum of Suspension dated 13 July 1999, which contained the 13 administrative charges (the principal of which, is dwarf consultation in writing judgments).

The Benipayo report was considered as an administrative complaint against Judge Floro, who was ordered by the high court to be subjected to a psychological evaluation. The audit team found that Floro's behavior as a judge was considered unorthodox. He claimed that he was "the number five psychic in the country", and that he was an "angel of death" able to cause pain and sickness to people who appeared before him in court. Court proceedings included a reading from the Bible, after which he would answer questions on the day's scriptures. On Fridays, he changed the color of his robes from blue to black "to recharge his psychic powers". He claimed to be able to write while in a trance, and to have the ability of bilocation. He explained that he took legal advice from three invisible dwarves named Luis, Armand and Angel.

13 administrative charges and investigation

The Supreme Court Resolution dated 20 July 1999, docketing the complaint as A.M. No. RTJ-99-1460, ordered Retired Court of Appeals Justice Pedro Ramirez (consultant, OCA) to investigate, and submit report and recommendation regarding the commission of the following 13 acts or omissions by Judge Floro:

"(a) The act of circulating calling cards containing self-laudatory statements regarding qualifications and for announcing in open court during court session his qualification in violation of Canon 2, Rule 2.02, Canons of Judicial Conduct; (b) For allowing the use of his chambers as sleeping quarters; (c) For rendering resolutions without written orders in violation of Rule 36, Section 1, 1997 Rules of Procedures; (d) For his alleged partiality in criminal cases where he declares that he is pro-accused which is contrary to Canon 2, Rule 2.01, Canons of Judicial Conduct; (e) For appearing and signing pleadings in Civil Case No. 46-M-98 pending before Regional Trial Court, Branch 83, Malolos, Bulacan in violation of Canon 5, Rule 5.07, Canons of Judicial Conduct which prohibits a judge from engaging in the private practice of law; (f) For appearing in personal cases without prior authority from the Supreme Court and without filing the corresponding applications for leaves of absence on the scheduled dates of hearing; (g) For proceeding with the hearing on the Motion for Release on Recognizance filed by the accused without the presence of the trial prosecutor and propounding questions in the form of examination of the custodian of the accused; (h) For using/taking advantage of his moral ascendancy to settle and eventually dismiss Criminal Case No. 20385-MN (for frustrated homicide) in the guise of settling the civil aspect of the case, by persuading the private complainant and the accused to sign the settlement even without the presence of the trial prosecutor; (i) For motu proprio and over the strong objection of the trial prosecutor, ordering the mental and physical examination of the accused based on the ground that the accused is “mahina ang pick-up”; (j) For issuing an Order on 8 March 1999 which varies from that which he issued in open court in Criminal Case No. 20385-MN, for frustrated homicide; (k) For violation of Canon 1, Rule 1.01 Code of Judicial Conduct when he openly criticized the Rules of Court and the Philippine justice system; (l) For the use of highly improper and intemperate language during court proceedings; (m) For violation of Circular No. 13 dated 1 July 1987."

Testimony of witnesses and the psychiatric findings

Judge Floro claimed and testified at the hearings that he is endowed with psychic powers, has the ability to inflict pain and sickness on people and that he was the angel of death.

From March 21, 2000 to March 2001, Judge Floro presented witnesses including himself, psychiatrists Dr. Eduardo L. Jurilla and Dr. Eduardo Maaba, clinical psychologist, Rowena A. Reyes, who affirmed the evaluation report of Dr. Ma. Teresa Gustilo-Villasor of the Metropolitan Psychological Corporation (MPC), Dra. Nieves Bordador Celeste, ordinary witnesses and Mr. Jaime Licauco, parapsychologist. The OCAD presented as witnesses, Judge Benjamin M. Aquino, Jr. and Atty. Esmeralda G. Dizon, among others.

On March, 2001, Supreme Court Chief Judicial Staff Officer Dra. Rosa J. Mendoza, M.D. submitted a report to Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr. which incorporated the psychiatric and psychological findings of Dra. Cecilia C. Villegas, M.D. (Director III, Chief SC Clinic Services), psychologists Melinda C. Grio and Beatriz O. Cruz, Celeste P. Vista, M.D. (Psychiatrist and Medical Officer IV) and Francianina G. Sanchez, Clinical Psychologist, to wit: "The findings of mental and psychological incapacity is thus substantially supported by evidence. Based on the three psychological tests and evaluation of the two psychiatrists, the undersigned has no other recourse but to recommend that Judge Florentino Floro be declared unfit to discharge his duties as a Judge, effective immediately.

In 2001, Mr. Jaime Licauco, who teaches parapsychology at San Beda College in Manila, testified in the case. Mr. Licauco stated that Judge Floro is mentally fit and the former judge's beliefs, as a Roman Catholic, aren't so unusual in the Philippine context. During the high court hearing before the investigator Justice Ramirez, Judge Floro also revealed that his dwarf friend Luis did predict in 1999, that then-Philippine President Joseph Estrada would be ousted from office. Mr. Estrada was forced to step down in the EDSA Revolution of 2001.

Judge Floro also claimed that he predicted the stroke of Judicial and Bar Council member Teresita Cruz-Sison, the death of Supreme Court Justice Sabino R. De Leon, Jr. and the ouster of Hernando Perez as Secretary of the Department of Justice, his teacher in Ateneo Law School.

The OCAD investigator's report and recommendation

On April, 2001, the appointed investigator Justice Ramirez (Ret.), found (Rollo, Vol. I, pp. 691-700):

"Upon the testimony of his own witnesses, Drs. Eduardo T. Maaba, Ma. Nieves Celeste and Eduardo L. Jurilla, respondent Judge Florentino V. Floro, Jr. is unfit because of insanity to remain in office as Judge xxx It is weird for respondent Judge to state in one of his pleadings in this case that President Joseph Estrada would not finish his term as President. It is unusual and queer of him to state in his calling card that he is a graduate of Ateneo de Manila, second honors, bar topnotcher with a grade of 87.55% xxx. So is it strange of him to make use of his alleged psychic powers in writing decisionsin cases. It is abnormal for a Judge to distribute self-serving propaganda. One who distributes such self-serving propaganda is odd, queer, amusing, irresponsible and abnormal. A judge suffering from delusion or hallucination is unfit to be one. So is he who gets into a trance while presiding at the hearing of a case in court. One need not be a doctor of medicine, a psychiatrist and a psychologist to determine and conclude that a person in such circumstances is mentally unfit or insane and should not be allowed to continue discharging the duties and functions of a judge.

RECOMMENDATION: WHEREFORE, it is respectfully recommended that by reason of insanity which renders him incapable and unfit to perform the duties and functions of Judge of the Regional Trial Court, National Capital Judicial Region, Malabon, Metro Manila, Branch 73, respondent Florentino V. Floro, Jr. be REMOVED and DISMISSED from such office."

Meanwhile, Judge Floro intervened in a certiorari, prohibition and mandamus lawsuit in the High Tribunal. In a 22-page certiorari petition, Judge Floro ("Judge asks SC to let Nazario take oath and fill SC vacancy") on March 12, 2004 asked the Court to enthrone then-Sandiganbayan Presiding Minita Chico-Nazario whose appointment was recalled. On July 14, 2004, Justice Nazario took his oath as Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines before President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

According to the high court, Judge Floro successfully delayed the suspension, investigation and trial procedures before the Supreme Court of the Philippines for three years. As part of the investigation, Floro confessed he had conducted healing sessions in his chambers during breaks.

Judgment

After suffering 68 months of indefinite preventive suspension, from July 20, 1999, the Supreme Court of the Philippines on April 7, 2006, separated Judge Floro from judicial service with payment of three years' back wages and a fine of 40,000 pesos. The court said that, while it was not within its area of responsibility to declare Floro insane, it agreed with the results of psychological testing which had identified Floro as suffering from psychosis.

The high court found Judge Floro guilty of seven of the 13 administrative charges against him, thusly: "1) Charge “a” - simple misconduct 2) Charges “c” and “g” – gross ignorance of the law 3) Charge “d” – unbecoming conduct 4) Charge “e” – unbecoming conduct 5) Charges “k” and “l” – unbecoming conduct."

The dispositive portion or fallo of the 75-pages decision written by Justice Minita Chico-Nazario states:

"WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Court resolves to: 1) FINE Judge Florentino V. Floro, Jr. in the total amount of FORTY THOUSAND (P40,000.00) PESOS for seven of the 13 charges against him in A.M. No. RTJ-99-1460; 2) RELIEVE Judge Florentino V. Floro, Jr. of his functions as Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 73, Malabon City and consider him SEPARATED from the service due to a medically disabling condition of the mind that renders him unfit to discharge the functions of his office, effective immediately; 3) As a matter of equity, AWARD Judge Florentino V. Floro, Jr. back salaries, allowances and other economic benefits corresponding to three (3) years; SO ORDERED." MINITA V. CHICO-NAZARIO, Associate Justice.

The Ratio decidendi / Dictum of the judgment, states:

"Equity does not demand that its suitors shall have led blameless lives." (Justice Louis Brandeis, Loughran v. Loughran, 292 U.S. 216 (1934), 78 L ed 1219, 1227, 54 S Ct 684). There is no indication that Judge Floro is anything but an honorable man. And, in fact, in our disposition of the 13 charges against him, we have not found him guilty of gross misconduct or acts or corruption. Moreover, Judge Floro himself admitted that he believes in "psychic visions," of foreseeing the future because of his power in "psychic phenomenon." He believes in "duwendes" and of a covenant with his "dwarf friends Luis, Armand and Angel." He believes that he can write while on trance and that he had been seen by several people to have been in two places at the same time. He has likened himself to the "angel of death" who can inflict pains on people, especially upon those he perceived as corrupt officials of the RTCs of Malabon. He took to wearing blue robes during court sessions, switching only to black on Fridays. His own witness testified that Judge Floro explained that he wore black from head to foot on Fridays to recharge his psychic powers. Finally, Judge Floro conducted healing sessions in his chambers during his break time."

Declaration of judicial unfitness

Justice Minita Chico-Nazario ruled that Judge Floro's removal from judicial service cannot be considered a penalty or legal punishment. She further declared that Judge Floro never lost all or part of his accrued benefits and he is not disqualified from appointment to any other public office including government-owned or controlled corporations.

"All these things validate the findings of the Supreme Court Clinic about Judge Floro's uncommon beliefs and that such beliefs have spilled over to action. Lest we be misconstrued, we do not denigrate such belief system. However, such beliefs, especially since Judge Floro acted on them, are so at odds with the critical and impartial thinking required of a judge under our judicial system. Psychic phenomena, even assuming such exist, have no place in a judiciary duty bound to apply only positive law and, in its absence, equitable rules and principles in resolving controversies. Thus, Judge Floro s reference to psychic phenomena in the decision he rendered in the case of People v. Francisco, Jr. sticks out like a sore thumb. Judge Floro's separation from the service does not carry with it forfeiture of all or part of his accrued benefits nor disqualification from appointment to any other public office including government-owned or controlled corporations. As Judge Floro s separation from the service cannot be considered a penalty, such separation does not carry with it the forfeiture of all or part of his accrued benefits nor disqualification from appointment to any other public office including government-owned or controlled corporations.

Recognition of qualification to enter government service

Finally, Justice Nazario held that Judge Floro can still apply and be admitted to any government service which does not require dispensation of judicial actions.

"In fact, the psychological and psychiatric reports, considered as the bedrock of the finding of mental impairment against Judge Floro, cannot be used to disqualify him from re-entering government service for positions that do not require him to dispense justice. The reports contain statements/findings in Judge Floro's favor that the Court cannot overlook in all fairness as they deserve equal consideration. They mention Judge Floro s assets and strengths and capacity for functionality, with minor modification of work environment. Thus: a. High intellectual assets as a result of "self-discipline and self- organization." b. "(I)mpressive academic achievements" with "no drastic change in his personality and level of functioning as a lawyer in private practice." c. "(C)haracter traits of suspiciousness, seclusiveness, pre-occupation with paranormal and psychic phenomena not detrimental to his role as a lawyer." d. "Everyday situations can be comprehended and dealt with in moderate proficiency. His concern for the details that make up a total field represents his attempts at being systematic and cautious." e. "(E)quipped with analytical power." Consequently, while Judge Floro may be dysfunctional as a judge because of the sensitive nature of said position, he may still be successful in other areas of endeavor."

The Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines tolerated Judge Floro's decision to conduct healing sessions in his chambers, but when he started claiming to possess supernatural powers and the ability to foretell the future, after signing a covenant with his “dwarf friends,” they took away his gavel and judicial robes. The high court dismissed Judge Floro for the eccentricity after he admitted to consulting imaginary mystic dwarfs, Armand, Luis and Angel. For the New Age believers, the three dwarves are considered as “channelers” who could relay “information from realms beyond.”

The second consolidated case: A.M. No. RTJ-06-1988 (Luz Arriego v. Judge Floro, Jr.)

On August 9, 1999, an administrative case was filed by Mrs. Luz Arriego, the mother of the private complainant in Criminal Case No. 20385-MN, a case which was tried by Judge Floro. Docketed as A.M. OCA-I.P.I. No. 99-812-RTJ, it is the same charge “h” in A.M. No. RTJ-99-1460: “(f)or using/taking advantage of his moral ascendancy to settle and eventually dismiss Criminal Case No. 20385-MN (for frustrated homicide) in the guise of settling the civil aspect of the case, by persuading the private complainant and the accused to sign the settlement even without the presence of the trial prosecutor.”

In its ruling, the court sustained Judge Floro's argument that "the hearing on the Arriego case was not only in accordance with the Rules of Court but was also beneficial to the litigants concerned as they openly manifested their willingness to patch up their differences in the spirit of reconciliation." Justice Nazario also ruled that "courts have plenary power to recall and amend or revise any orally dictated order in substance and in form even motu proprio, adding that what was involved was merely an interlocutory, that was not judicially approved, thus, Mrs. Arriego actually had no cause for complaint, there being no basis for the charge of dishonesty.

The Third Case: A.M. No. 99-7-273-RTC (Re: Resolution Dated 11 May 1999 of Judge Floro, Jr.)

Atty. David S. Narvasa, the petitioner Mary Ng Nei's counsel, accused Judge Floro of violation of Canon 2, Rule 2.03, Code of Judicial Conduct, regarding a resolution he issued on 11 May 1999 in Special Proceeding Case No. 315-MN “In Re: Petition To Be Admitted A Citizen Of The Philippines." Narvasa said that it was "highly inappropriate for Judge Floro, Jr. to even mention in his resolution that Justice Regino C. Hermosisima, Jr. is his benefactor in his nomination for judgeship." Narvasa cited the rule which provides that "a judge shall not allow family, social, or other relationships to influence judicial conduct or judgment."

Ruling

The ponente Justice Minita Chico-Nazario pronounced judgment on the above-charges of Arriego and Narvasa, consolidated with the main case of "Office of the Court Administrator v. Judge Florentino V. Floro, Jr," A.M. No. RTJ-99-1460, to wit:

"WHEREFORE, premises considered, the Court resolves to: xxx 4) DISMISS the charge in A.M. No. RTJ-06-1988 (Luz Arriego v. Judge Florentino V. Floro, Jr.) for LACK OF MERIT; and 5) DISMISS the charge in A.M. No. 99-7-273-RTC (Re: Resolution Dated 11 May 1999 Of Judge Florentino V. Floro, Jr.) for MOOTNESS. SO ORDERED." MINITA V. CHICO-NAZARIO, Associate Justice.

Appeals

Judge Floro timely moved to set aside the judgment against him, though the court upheld his separation from service, saying that permitting him to continue as a judge would be harmful to public trust in the judiciary as a guardian of the law, as judges were expected to resolve cases before them with judicial detachment. It further stressed that its decision had nothing to do with Floro's belief in invisible dwarves or the validity of such a belief.

Judge Floro filed three Partial Motions for Reconsideration submitting 7 legal grounds. He first filed a court manifestation dated 30 May 2006, informing the Court that he has already received the amount of 1,180,325.80 pesos pursuant to the Decision dated 31 March 2006.

"They should not have dismissed me for what I believed," Judge Floro told local reporters after filing his first appeal on May, 2006. "From obscurity, my name and the three mystic dwarves became immortal," Judge Floro wrote in a letter to the court. The Filipino judge said he consulted imaginary mystic dwarves.

The high court agreed with the psychiatric evaluation reports of its medical clinic services which declared that Judge Floro was suffering from psychosis, although the court did not pronounce him insane. The court also found he had "shown bias in a case he was trying and had criticized court procedure." Judge Floro then filed a 31 pages "Verified Third Supplement" dated 23 June 2006.

Resolution on three Partial Motions for Reconsideration

On August 11, 2006, the Court finally ruled that Floro's claimed dalliance with duendes would eventually make the judiciary an object of ridicule. The Resolution stated "judges are expected to be guided by the rule of law and to resolve cases before them with judicial detachment to ensure the public maintained its confidence in the judicial process."

The dispositive portion of the 6 pages denial Resolution states:

"In denying said motions, neither the etiology of Judge Floro’s belief in “dwendes” nor the validity of such belief is being passed upon. Judge Floro’s claim of dalliance with “dwendes,” poses a serious challenge to such required judicial detachment and impartiality and would eventually erode the public’s acceptance of the judiciary as the rational guardian of the law, if not make it an object of ridicule. His insistence on the existence of “dwendes,” among other beliefs, conflicts with the prevailing expectations concerning judicial behavior and manifests a mental state that should lay to rest any doubts about his valid removal from office for lack of the judicial temperament required of all those in the Bench. In fine, Judge Floro himself has confirmed that he is incapable of discharging the duties of a judge free from extrajudicial influences and that he falls short of the fundamental requirements of competence and objectivity expected of all judges. WHEREFORE, premises considered, Judge Floro’s Partial Motions for Reconsideration as well as the Supplements thereto are hereby DENIED WITH FINALITY there being no merits. No other pleading, however denominated, shall henceforth be entertained by this Court."

In his filed voluminous court pleadings in the appeal, Judge Floro argued that his life was changed on June 2, 1983 - the day his father, Florentino, Sr. died. He said it was on that night that the three dwarves Luis, Armand and Angel appeared to Robert, his mild retarded youngest brother. "My brother, because of his innocence, can see them," said Judge Floro, adding that the dwarves had bestowed his healing and psychic powers. "I am not a faith healer," he said, "I am gifted, as the number five seer, while Ferdinand Marcos is the number one, apparently," Judge Floro added.

According to Judge Floro, his three sidekicks, or "spiritual guides" as he prefers them to be called, take many different human and visible forms. Luis is the "king of kings" or "God's angel," Armand is a beautiful boy who, like Luis, has wings and Angel is their sister. The judge had only seen Luis once - on a rock in the middle of the Philippine archipelago. "Luis communicates and uses his powers via violet and white lights," said Judge Floro. According to Judge Floro, "Angel" is the neutral force, "Armand" is a benign influence and "Luis," as the "King of kings," is an avenger. The judge announced he would clean the judiciary amid his regular appearance on Philippine television."They say your show will be taken off the air if you don't feature me more often," said Judge Floro to Wall Street Journal's journalist, Mr James Hookway, who interviewed him.

Judge Floro told The Standard's Sam Chambers, that he informed the investigator at the court hearing that he predicted Joseph Estrada's political downfall and prophesied that Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo would survive her continuous political attacks, but he announced Mrs Arroyo's power will terminate soon and the Filipino will suffer as a result.

Judge Floro also argued in his appeal, that, a Philippine judge could become a millionaire within a month, since the starting price for any judicial decision being 50,000 pesos. "Court starts at 11am; at 11.05am (the judges) go for golf." In his judgment of the Court of Appeals, he stressed: "They say it is 85 percent corrupt. It is 100 percent corrupt," said Judge Floro.

Final resolution on multiple appeals and motions for reconsideration

Judge Floro disregard the August 11, 2006 high court's directive, that "no other pleadings will be entertained by the Court. He filed several more pleadings, i.e., "Verified Letter/Omnibus Motion for Leave of Court to Admit and Grant xxx," dated 25 August 2006; “Verified Another/Supplemental Complaint/Letter-Affidavit with Memorandum of Law/Authorities, and Urgent Prayer for Immediate Docketing and Early Resolution," dated 1 September 2006; and several other Motions and appeals dated - 27 December 2006, 16 January 2007, 2 February 2007, 2 February 2007 (to the JBC), 4 May 2007 and 1 June 2007.

On November 3, 2006, Judge Floro filed his second appeal and imprecation motion to clean the judiciary. The Philippine Daily Inquirer reported this as "Psychotic judge enlists help of dwarf-friends vs SC."

"This is a first in our judicial history - the Philippines Supreme Court has never dismissed or removed a judge because of their belief in the paranormal or religion. Other country's constitutions provide for dismissal or removal of judges, jurists and magistrates because of graft, corruption or misconduct," the judge insisted. "Armand, Luis and Angel's role is a never-ending fight against `black' or evil; a spiritual battle - the angels versus Lucifer. Right now Satan is winning, God is losing. All our leaders have 666 on their heads from the president down, the Supreme Court, everywhere. My mission is healing the wounds of the judiciary," Judge Floro explained.

“It shouldn’t matter what I believed in, whether it’s Jesus, Muhammad, or Luis, Armand, and Angel,” Judge Floro explained to journalists on his court appeals. What the Filipino dwarf judge stated is equivalent to “self-cherishing” as the fundamental concept of the Buddhist philosophy on “how to enhance cherishing love.” Judge Floro claimed he had the ability to write while in a trance, since he himself is "gifted" from God "to heal and to prophesy.

In his November 3, 2006 appeal, Judge Floro said his three dwarf-friends -- Luis, Armand, and Angel -- appeared to him and informed him that the high court justices would suffer their wrath for dismissing him, beginning midnight of November 5, 2006, the eve of his 53rd birthday. "Voting en banc with full authority, Luis voted negative, Armand conditionally positive, upon full appointment of Judge Floro to a higher or equal position by virtue of the eliminated magistrate, while Angel voted neutral," Judge Floro wrote. Luis agreed to spare, conditionally, one justice (Leonardo Quisumbing) if the judge would annoint the house of the justice with oil before November 5.

"I will devote my entire life, Fridays, until my last breath, towards the fulfillment, execution, and coming to pass of this biblical curse. With absolute faith in Luis, Armand and Angel – Angels of God, I will fulfill my destiny: spell and karma upon them, all their loved ones, up to the 4th generation," Judge Floro inscribed in one of his multiple appeals.

Meanwhile, on December 5, 2006 Judge Floro was awarded Judge of the Year by The Times - A chilli-hot year for whiny garbage, David Pannick, QC, presides over the memorable legal appearances of 2006. Pannick, QC is a silk Barristers in England and Wales.

On July 12, 2007, the Philippines Supreme Court Justices ordered Judge Floro to stop requesting a review of his case, denying and expunging the petitions and letters filed by him with a warning that he can be held liable for indirect contempt should he persist in disregarding lawful orders of the Court. The dispositive part of the per curiam resolution warning Judge Floro states:

"In this Resolution, We wish to remind Judge Floro that the Court cannot be swayed to modify or reverse its Decision and various Resolutions by inundating the ponente with numerous pleadings avowing ungodly reprisal as well as personal letters/telephone calls seeking audience with the latter, if, as in this case, they are only in furtherance of repeating issues and arguments already passed upon by the Court En Banc’s earlier Decision and Resolution. Otherwise stated, only meritorious arguments and substantial evidence can convince Us to modify or reverse our previous ruling. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, as it is hereby Resolved, Judge Floro’s “ORIGINAL PETITION/LETTER WITH LEAVE OF COURT For Re-Opening of Judge Floro’s Separation Case xxx are hereby NOTED WITHOUT ACTION and are ordered EXPUNGED from the records. It is hereby firmly reiterated that NO FURTHER PLEADING/S WILL BE ENTERTAINED in this case. Judge Floro is hereby given a WARNING that he can be held liable for indirect contempt should he persist in disregarding lawful orders of this Court and committing acts which tend to abuse, obstruct, impede, and degrade the administration of justice."

Related lawsuits

Because of Judge Floro's suspension and eventual separation from the Philippine judiciary, he filed multiple lawsuits having aimed for reinstatement after he was suspended on July 20, 1999.

On June, 2004, Judge Floro filed an intervention petition, in the certiorari lawsuit filed by the opposition Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino (KNP) Davao City Rep. Ruy Elias Lopez, to stop a joint session of Congress from canvassing the votes for president and vice president. Judge Floro asked the Court to declare a failure of elections and order the COMELEC to conduct special presidential elections. Judge Floro also asked the Supreme Court to declare Noli de Castro as acting President, as Solomonic solution to the political crisis.

On January, 2007, the Supreme Court of the Philippines dismissed with finality the August 30, 2006 landmark Disbarment administrative lawsuit filed by Judge Floro against Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr., Justice Bernardo P. Pardo, Alfredo Benipayo and 6 others.

In late April, 2007, Judge Floro filed a disbarment complaint grounded on charges of gross misconduct, ignorance of the law, manifest undue interest, questionable temporary restraining orders and violations of the ethical standards and code of conduct by the Philippine Court of Appeals Associate Justices, "CA ‘Dirty Dozen". Judge Floro named one justice specifically as part of a "dirty dozen", twelve judges currently under investigation for corruption by the court's Ombudsman.

For non-payment of docket fees, the High Court, on June 5, 2007, dismissed Judge Floro's intervention petition dated May 30, 2007, and his Supplement dated June 1, 2007, in the Gregory S. Ong citizenship case, filed by former Senate President Jovito Salonga.

On First Friday, August 1, 2008, Judge Floro filed a taxpayer lawsuit against some Court of Appeals Justices and lawyers in the GSIS-Meralco bribery case.

Aftermath and unusual circumstances

"At the same time, a series of unfortunate incidents have befallen the supreme court justices or their families, including serious illnesses and car accidents," the American Bar Association (ABA), an 1878 voluntary bar association of 410,000 members, lawyers and law students, with national headquarters in Chicago, Illinois, with a significant branch office in Washington, D.C., in its Jounal, said. "Floro says the person to blame for the mishaps is one of the elves, 'Luis,' a 'King of kings' who is an avenger. He told the newspaper that the elves help him predict the future, but he has never consulted them when issuing judicial decisions," the ABA added.

In an interview, on August, 2006, by The Standard, Hong Kong's first English and free newspaper, the main local competitor of the South China Morning Post, journalist Sam Chambers met Judge Floro at the famous Hobbit Bar on Mabini St, in Malate, Manila, amid a bottle of Australian shiraz. "One such blogger described Florentino as a Filipino X-Man for his efforts to rid the country's judiciary of corruption. However, Florentino admits to having a darker mission, avenging those who corrupt the legal system. This has led him to be dubbed an angel of death, a description he does not dispute," wrote Chambers of The Standard. "Eight Justices who Florentino has deemed corrupt have all been struck with serious illnesses, three of them dying. He has, he confesses, been psychically "inflicting illnesses" upon his tormentors, even going so far as to ensure one of them gave birth to a child with epilepsy," Chambers added.

In a special interview, on August, 2007, by The Wall Street Journal, an English-language international daily newspaper published by Dow Jones & Company (acquired by News Corp) in New York City with a worldwide daily circulation of more than 2 million, and with approximately 931,000 paying online subscribers, as of 2007, journalist James Hookway, on September 17, 2007, wrote that "Mr. Floro, 54 years old, has become a media celebrity; he is now wielding his new clout to campaign for the return of his job -- and exact vengeance on the Supreme Court of the Philippines."

Mr. Hookway explained that Judge Floro become a regular on Philippine television. "They say your show will be taken off the air if you don't feature me more often, Mr. Floro's told one interviewer; even so, a series of dire incidents appear to have the nation's top jurists rattled; according to local newspaper reports, a mysterious fire destroyed the high court's crest in its session hall on January 16, 2007, and a number of members of the court and their close family members have developed serious illnesses or have fallen victim to car accidents," Mr. Hookway added.

Five mystic court fires

"The fire gutted the en banc session hall, with the flames reaching the ceiling and perimeter wall. It started when we were having a meeting. The smoke came from one of the conference rooms. Thick smoke billowed out of the third floor of the main building,” said Chief Justice Reynato Puno. On July 22, 2000, one year and two days after Judge Floro was suspended, the Catmon, Malabon City Halls of Justice was burned, destroying 5 million pesos worth of court properties. The one hour dawn fire reached 5th alarm and fully destroyed the Fiscal's and Clerk of Court's Offices, the court salas, offices of Judges, canteen and stockroom, except Judge Floro's.

According to Mr. Hookway, enough bizarre events came to pass that in July, 2007 the Supreme Court issued an en banc resolution warning Judge Floro to stop in his threats of "ungodly reprisal." Judge Floro told Mr. Hookway that he is not suffering from psychosis, and that he's not to blame for the dire disasters. "He points the finger squarely at 'king of kings' elf Luis, who Mr. Floro says is bent on cleaning up what he says is the Philippines' corrupt legal system, and who had taken vengeance. During the court hearing, Mr. Floro revealed that Luis predicted that then-Philippine President Joseph Estrada would be ousted from office; Mr. Estrada was forced from power by a popular revolt two years later in 2001 and was sentenced last week to life in prison for corruption," Mr. Hookway elaborated.

The second fire also halved the Commission on Elections's seal on March 12, 2007, while the third fire almost obliterated the entire fourth floor of the Philippine Court of Appeals on July 26, 2007. The fourth mystic fire burned the Muntinlupa City halls and Metropolitan Trial Court on August 4, 2007.

Unexplained series of car accidents, illnesses, surgeries and deaths of Philippines jurists and lawyers

Just five days after the Supreme Court of the Philippines released on March 31, 2006, the decision in these consolidated cases, unexplained series of car accidents, illnesses, surgeries and deaths had befallen upon Philippines jurists and lawyers.

On April 12, 2006 and April 25, 2007, Luzvimanda D. Puno and Narcisa Puno, wife and mother, respectively of Chief Justice Reynato Puno passed away. On July 17, 2006 and November 16, 2008, Hilario Davide, Sr. and Edon Brion, the parents of Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr. and Supreme Court Associate Justice Arturo D. Brion, respectively, also died. Chief Justice Hilario Davide, Jr.'s brothers, the eldest, Jose Davide, a lawyer-engineer, and Jorge Davide, a doctor in soil, died in 2004 and 2002, respectively.

Lirio B. Bautista, wife of former Judical and Bar Council Member, retired Sandiganbayan Justice Raoul Villaflor Victorino, passed away on August 5, 2006, at Medical City, 6 days before the Supreme Court released on August 11, the resolution dismissing the appeal of Judge Floro.

"Alfredo Benipayo had chronic cough that bothered him for years. At first the best doctors thought the trouble was with his lungs. They found out later that it was his heart. He was suffering from CAD (coronary artery disease). His heart was clogged," wrote Fr. Rolando de La Rosa, O.P., UST in the Manila Bulletin. On February 21, 2001, Benipayo underwent angioplasty surgery 5 days after his appointment as Commission on Elections Chair. My doctor said, "We see a block in one of your arteries. To make sure that it's there, you better undergo an angiogram. It's true enough, not only one, but three of my arteries were severely blocked. Luckily, the operation was very successful. That was on a Friday, my fifth day in office. Sunday, I left the hospital, St. Luke's Medical Center," Benipayo told the Makati Business Club.

It was Justice Benipayo who signed the Memorandum of Suspension of Judge Floro on July 13, 1999. On February 22, 2008, 3 p.m., Alfredo Benipayo (Dean of the faculty of civil law at the University of Santo Tomas) was hospitalized in Iloilo City's Saint Paul's Hospital. At the middle of his lecture before the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Iloilo Chapter in a hotel, he collapsed.

On the evening of January 26, 2007, Judge Floro's expert witness, parapsychologist Jaime Licauco almost died, having had a near-fatal heart attack (Myocardial infarction). he was rushed to the Makati Medical Center and finally transferred to the Philippine Chinese General Hospital. Licauco’s cardiologist, Dr. Dy Bun Yok found (angiogram) that 70% of one of his arteries is blocked. Licauco stayed in the coronary care unit for 4 days, and thereafter, he underwent an angioplasty. After 2 days, Licauco left the hospital (after almost 2 weeks stay thereat). "My new cardiologist, Dr. Dy Bun Yok found one of my arteries was 70 percent blocked," Licauco wrote in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

On February, 2007, the judiciary mourned the twin deaths of retired S.C. Justice Vicente Ericta and C.A. Justice Roberto Barrios.S.C. Justice Antonio Martinez died of kidney failure on March 17, 2007.

On March 9, 2007, the neighbor of Judge Floro, Judge Rosa Reyes, Br. 74, RTC, Malabon died after 2 years battle with lung cancer. Associate Justice Bienvenido L. Reyes, who served as RTC Judge, in Br. 74, Malabon City, the neighbor of Judge Floro and precedessor of deceased Judge Rosa Reyes, suffered a heart attack (seizure) on August 8, 2009 and stayed in the intensive care unit of the Capitol Medical Center, Quezon City for "valvular heart disease, secondary to rheumatic heart disease; mitral regurgitation; and aortic valve stenosis (AS)." Reyes's physician, Dr. Francisco Lukban said.

Department of Justice Secretary Raul M. Gonzalez suffered from acute renal failure and in September 2007 he received a successful kidney transplant.

Judge Floro's counsel of record in these cases, Rene Saguisag suffered a dire car accident on November 8, 2007, in Makati City. A speeding dump truck struck Saguisag's van, killing his wife Dulce Saguisag, a former Secretary of the Department of Social Welfare and Development. Saguisag was in critical condition and stayed for 20 days in the ICU of St. Luke's Hospital. He had seven broken ribs and small blood clots in his brain. Makati City Mayor Jejomar Binay on April 21, 2008 asked the public to pray for Saguisag who was still recovering. "Hanggang ngayon e talagang hindi niya makalimutan yung nangyaring aksidente sa kanya (Until now, he cannot forget the accident)," Binay said.

Guihulngan, Negros Oriental Regional Trial Court Judge Mario Trinidad, was the 16th Filipino judge murdered, since 1999, (when Judge Floro was suspended), the Monsters and Critics reported. The Manila Times and Counsels for the Defense of Liberties (CODAL), Philippines, a lawyers’ organization stated, in their special reports, that since 2001, 26 lawyers were killed due to their professions; 755 civilians had been killed extrajudicially, while 359 survived attacks, but 184 persons were still missing.

Since the Supreme Court was created by law in 1901, no Supreme Court magistrate ever retired before the aged of compulsory retirement. But Justice Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez, had to hand her robes due to health reasons. “We were told she had health problems even when she was in the CA,” a JBC member confirmed Austria-Martinez opted for early retirement on April 4, 2009 because of health reasons. "I am saddened that Justice Ma. Alicia Austria-Martinez has opted to retire early from the Supreme Court due to 'health reasons.' She is not bedridden. Neither is she physically or mentally incapacitated, but she has chosen to retire on April 30, 2009 because she felt she could no longer cope with the heavy caseload," retired Chief Justice of the Philippines Artemio Panganiban wrote in his column in the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Former Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Francis E. Garchitorena, the predecessor of the ponente of these cases, Justice Minita Chico-Nazario, died of brain tumor on February 25, 2005, at the Makati Medical Center.

To Filipinos, who are superstitious and believe in magical creatures - some invisible, some half-human, half- animal - which are all said to inhabit the Philippine countryside. Dwarves or duende are elf-like beings, something like tiny magical goblins who dwell in the forests. According to Philippine mythology and folklore, there are two types: the black ones, who are evil and can harm, and the red ones, who are good and can heal. In Mindoro, the Mangyan tribe claim to barter with the few remaining duende for forest products. Then there are the nocturnal Agta, tall black men who also hang out in the forests; the Batibat, found in Ilocos, look like fat women who live inside posts, and suffocate people by sitting on top of them; the bovine-like Mantahungal have fearsome teeth; the Pugot are self-beheading multi-formed creatures, and the Tikbalang are centaurs in reverse.