Florentino Floro
Encyclopedia
Florentino V. Floro, Jr. (born November 5, 1953 in Manila
) is a former 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 duendes
, a type of dwarf common in Latin American mythology.
, Philippines
on November 5, 1953, eldest of five brothers, to Florentino Carreon Floro and Milagros Geronimo Velasquez. Floro's primary education was by the Religious of the Virgin Mary
, graduating from secondary school in 1969 in Valenzuela City
. Initially training to be a priest, he entered the seminary
in 1965, leaving the priesthood to enter law. From 1970 to 1974 Floro attended Adamson University
and Ateneo de Manila University's Loyola Schools
, earning a BA in philosophy and theology. Floro earned a Bachelor of Laws
degree from the Ateneo Law School
and placed 12th in the 1983 Philippine Bar Examination
s with a grade of 87.55 percent.
. The Clinic Services of the Supreme Court found "evidence of ego disintegration" and "developing psychotic process", and Floro voluntarily withdrew his application. Floro re-applied in 1998 again with a negative evaluations. Due to his impressive academic performance he was allowed to submit a second, more favorable psychiatric opinion from private practitioners. On his 45th birthday Floro was appointed a regional trial court judge in the Metro Manila
region of the capital (the youngest ever appointed) and began work in November 1998. Floro stated his mission was to rid the Philippine legal system of corruption
. In March of the following year, Floro requested an audit
be performed, which resulted in a July 13 report to a court administrator who recommended the report be considered a complaint against Floro and that he be given another psychiatric examination. On July 20, 1999 Floro was placed on preventive suspension during the investigation against him, for a variety of reasons:
The investigation resulted in 13 charges. In March, 2001 the Supreme Court reviewed a report incorporating psychiatric and psychological findings of multiple doctors which judged the evidence to be substantiated, and recommended Floro be declared unfit to be a judge, effective immediately. Over the next several years (in part taking so long because of Floro's delaying tactics) the Supreme Court undertook an investigation, ultimately handing down a unanimous decision that Floro be dismissed from the bench. The court did not rule that Floro was insane, but did suffer from psychosis
that impaired his judgement.
On Fridays, Floro would change from his traditional blue robes to black, which he claimed helped him recharge his psychic powers. Floro's claims went on to garner worldwide attention.
and removed him from his position with three years back pay, allowances and benefits. The court did not find Floro guilty of gross misconduct
or corruption
but did find that his mental health indicated "gross deficiency in competence and independence". Floro was also not barred from application or admittance to government services which do not require the dispensation of justice.
against him, which was denied. Floro subsequently filed three further motions
that the evidence presented against him in the form of the psychiatric evaluations were inadmissible, and argued that he should not be dismissed for his beliefs. The court stressed that its decision had nothing to do with Floro's beliefs in dwendes or the validity of that belief, but permitting him to continue as a judge would be harmful to public trust in the judiciary as a guardian of the law.
Despite a directive to file no further appeals, Floro filed several more pleadings. On November 3, 2006, Floro filed his second appeal and a motion to clean the judiciary, accompanying the motion with a statement that he would use his three dwarfs to inflict sickness on the current judges, praying for his curse to work on every Friday. Floro claimed he was dismissed due to his belief in the paranormal.
On July 12, 2007, the Philippines Supreme Court Justices ordered Floro to stop requesting a review of his case stating it had no reason to reverse itself on his dismissal and issued a warning that he can be held liable for contempt of court
if he continued.
On February 3, 2010, Floro filed his own nomination for the post of Supreme Court chief justice, which is scheduled to be vacated by incumbent Reynato Puno upon his retirement on May 17. However, the high tribunal excluded him from the list of nominees on February 8, citing his earlier disbarment order.
s.
In June, 2004, 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. Floro asked the Court to declare a failure of elections and order the COMELEC
to conduct special presidential elections. Floro also asked the Supreme Court to declare Noli de Castro
as acting President, as Solomon
ic solution to the political crisis.
In January, 2007, the Supreme Court of the Philippines
dismissed with finality the August 30, 2006 Disbarment
administrative lawsuit
filed by Floro against Chief Justice
Hilario Davide, Jr.
, Justice Bernardo P. Pardo
, Alfredo Benipayo
and 6 others.
In late April, 2007, 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". 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 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, August 1, 2008, Floro filed a taxpayer lawsuit against some Court of Appeals Justices and lawyers in the GSIS-Meralco bribery case
.
Manila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
) is a former Filipino
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
who achieved notoriety after being suspended from the Philippine judiciary in 2006 due to mental illness
Mental illness
A mental disorder or mental illness is a psychological or behavioral pattern generally associated with subjective distress or disability that occurs in an individual, and which is not a part of normal development or culture. Such a disorder may consist of a combination of affective, behavioural,...
. Floro made several statements that he was psychic
Psychic
A psychic is a person who professes an ability to perceive information hidden from the normal senses through extrasensory perception , or is said by others to have such abilities. It is also used to describe theatrical performers who use techniques such as prestidigitation, cold reading, and hot...
and claimed to frequently communicate with invisible duendes
Duende (mythology)
A duende is a fairy- or goblin-like mythological creature from Iberian, Latin American and Filipino folklore. While its nature varies throughout Spain, Portugal, Spanish and Portuguese-speaking America and the Philippines, analogues from other cultures include the Danish-Norwegian Nisse, the...
, a type of dwarf common in Latin American mythology.
Biography
Florentino V. Floro, Jr. was born in ManilaManila
Manila is the capital of the Philippines. It is one of the sixteen cities forming Metro Manila.Manila is located on the eastern shores of Manila Bay and is bordered by Navotas and Caloocan to the north, Quezon City to the northeast, San Juan and Mandaluyong to the east, Makati on the southeast,...
, Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
on November 5, 1953, eldest of five brothers, to Florentino Carreon Floro and Milagros Geronimo Velasquez. Floro's primary education was by the Religious of the Virgin Mary
Religious of the Virgin Mary
The Congregation of the Religious of the Virgin Mary is a ecclesiastical community of vowed religious Roman Catholic women of pontifical right and approval founded in Manila, Philippines. The community was founded in 1684 by Venerable Mother Ignacia del Espíritu Santo, a Filipino Roman Catholic...
, graduating from secondary school in 1969 in Valenzuela City
Valenzuela City
Valenzuela ,In rare occasion it is pronunced as , with a glottal stop after /ɐ/ in Filipino/Tagalog languages. officially known as the City of Valenzuela is a highly urbanized, first-class city and one of cities in the Philippines that constitutes Metro Manila...
. Initially training to be a priest, he entered the seminary
Seminary
A seminary, theological college, or divinity school is an institution of secondary or post-secondary education for educating students in theology, generally to prepare them for ordination as clergy or for other ministry...
in 1965, leaving the priesthood to enter law. From 1970 to 1974 Floro attended Adamson University
Adamson University
Adamson University is a private university Catholic university in Manila, Philippines, founded on June 30, 1932 by Greek immigrant George Lucas Adamson as the Adamson School of Industrial Chemistry...
and Ateneo de Manila University's Loyola Schools
Loyola Schools
The Loyola Schools is the higher education unit of the Ateneo de Manila University that offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the Arts and Sciences. It operates under the statutes of the Ateneo de Manila University...
, earning a BA in philosophy and theology. Floro earned a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree from the Ateneo Law School
Ateneo Law School
The Ateneo de Manila Law School is the law school of the Ateneo de Manila University, a private Jesuit university in the Philippines. It was founded in 1936, in the Padre Faura, Manila campus of the Ateneo, where it remained even after the college, graduate school, and basic education units moved...
and placed 12th in the 1983 Philippine Bar Examination
Philippine Bar Examination
The Philippine Bar Examination is the professional licensure examination for lawyers in the Philippines.It is the only professional licensure exam in the country that is not supervised by the Professional Regulation Commission...
s with a grade of 87.55 percent.
Judicial career
In 1995 Floro applied to the Judicial and Bar Council, but was rejected for the bench after failing the mandatory psychological examination by the Supreme Court of the PhilippinesSupreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
. The Clinic Services of the Supreme Court found "evidence of ego disintegration" and "developing psychotic process", and Floro voluntarily withdrew his application. Floro re-applied in 1998 again with a negative evaluations. Due to his impressive academic performance he was allowed to submit a second, more favorable psychiatric opinion from private practitioners. On his 45th birthday Floro was appointed a regional trial court judge in the Metro Manila
Metro Manila
Metropolitan Manila , the National Capital Region , or simply Metro Manila, is the metropolitan region encompassing the City of Manila and its surrounding areas in the Philippines...
region of the capital (the youngest ever appointed) and began work in November 1998. Floro stated his mission was to rid the Philippine legal system of corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
. In March of the following year, Floro requested an audit
Audit
The general definition of an audit is an evaluation of a person, organization, system, process, enterprise, project or product. The term most commonly refers to audits in accounting, but similar concepts also exist in project management, quality management, and energy conservation.- Accounting...
be performed, which resulted in a July 13 report to a court administrator who recommended the report be considered a complaint against Floro and that he be given another psychiatric examination. On July 20, 1999 Floro was placed on preventive suspension during the investigation against him, for a variety of reasons:
- Violating a variety of rules governing judicial conduct, including circulating a business card containing self-congratulatory statements, and announcing his qualifications in court
- permitting his chambers use as sleeping quarters
- rendering verdicts without the use of written orders
- declarations in criminal cases on the side of the accused
- having a private law practice while a judge
- appearances in personal cases while a judge, without permission from the Supreme Court
- having hearings without the presence of a prosecuting attorney
- improper use of his authority to dismiss a criminal case
- ordering mental and physical examinations of an accused over the objections of a prosecutor on unjustified grounds
- issuing conflicting orders
- criticizing the rules of court and the Philippine justice system
- use of improper language during court proceedings
The investigation resulted in 13 charges. In March, 2001 the Supreme Court reviewed a report incorporating psychiatric and psychological findings of multiple doctors which judged the evidence to be substantiated, and recommended Floro be declared unfit to be a judge, effective immediately. Over the next several years (in part taking so long because of Floro's delaying tactics) the Supreme Court undertook an investigation, ultimately handing down a unanimous decision that Floro be dismissed from the bench. The court did not rule that Floro was insane, but did suffer from psychosis
Psychosis
Psychosis means abnormal condition of the mind, and is a generic psychiatric term for a mental state often described as involving a "loss of contact with reality"...
that impaired his judgement.
Claims
While a judge, Floro made a number of claims, including:- He was the fifth-best psychic in the country
- He was the "angel of death" and able to cause pain and sickness to those who appeared before him in court
- He was able to write while in a tranceAutomatic writingAutomatic writing or psychography is writing which the writer states to be produced from a subconscious and/or spiritual source without conscious awareness of the content.-History:...
- He had the ability to appear in multiple locations at the same timeBilocationBilocation, or sometimes multilocation, is a term used to describe the ability/instances in which an individual or object is said to be, or appears to be, located in two distinct places at the same instant in time...
- He was aided in the court by three duendes named Luis, Armand and Angel (dwarfs found in Philippine folklorePhilippine mythical creaturesPhilippine folklore, unlike Greek or Roman mythologies, has not been organized into a formal pantheon, does not generally contain long epics, nor has it been relegated to history. To this day, Philippine myths still have an active role in the lives of rural Filipinos. The countless myths...
; Floro stated the duendes first appeared to his mildly retardedMental retardationMental retardation is a generalized disorder appearing before adulthood, characterized by significantly impaired cognitive functioning and deficits in two or more adaptive behaviors...
brother the day their father died) - He had healing powers, which he claimed he used to help people in his chambers during breaks
On Fridays, Floro would change from his traditional blue robes to black, which he claimed helped him recharge his psychic powers. Floro's claims went on to garner worldwide attention.
Judgment
After 68 months of suspension, on April 7, 2006 the Supreme Court fined Floro 40,000 pesosPhilippine peso
The peso is the currency of the Philippines. It is subdivided into 100 centavos . Before 1967, the language used on the banknotes and coins was English and so "peso" was the name used...
and removed him from his position with three years back pay, allowances and benefits. The court did not find Floro guilty of gross misconduct
Misconduct
A misconduct is a legal term meaning a wrongful, improper, or unlawful conduct motivated by premeditated or intentional purpose or by obstinate indifference to the consequences of one's acts....
or corruption
Political corruption
Political corruption is the use of legislated powers by government officials for illegitimate private gain. Misuse of government power for other purposes, such as repression of political opponents and general police brutality, is not considered political corruption. Neither are illegal acts by...
but did find that his mental health indicated "gross deficiency in competence and independence". Floro was also not barred from application or admittance to government services which do not require the dispensation of justice.
Appeals
In May 2006 Floro filed a motion to set aside judgmentMotion to set aside judgment
In law, a motion to set aside judgment is an application to overturn or set aside a court's judgment, verdict or other final ruling in a case. Such a motion is proposed by a party who is dissatisfied with the end result of a case. Motions may be made at any time after entry of judgment, and in some...
against him, which was denied. Floro subsequently filed three further motions
Motion (legal)
In law, a motion is a procedural device to bring a limited, contested issue before a court for decision. A motion may be thought of as a request to the judge to make a decision about the case. Motions may be made at any point in administrative, criminal or civil proceedings, although that right is...
that the evidence presented against him in the form of the psychiatric evaluations were inadmissible, and argued that he should not be dismissed for his beliefs. The court stressed that its decision had nothing to do with Floro's beliefs in dwendes or the validity of that belief, but permitting him to continue as a judge would be harmful to public trust in the judiciary as a guardian of the law.
Despite a directive to file no further appeals, Floro filed several more pleadings. On November 3, 2006, Floro filed his second appeal and a motion to clean the judiciary, accompanying the motion with a statement that he would use his three dwarfs to inflict sickness on the current judges, praying for his curse to work on every Friday. Floro claimed he was dismissed due to his belief in the paranormal.
On July 12, 2007, the Philippines Supreme Court Justices ordered Floro to stop requesting a review of his case stating it had no reason to reverse itself on his dismissal and issued a warning that he can be held liable for contempt of court
Contempt of court
Contempt of court is a court order which, in the context of a court trial or hearing, declares a person or organization to have disobeyed or been disrespectful of the court's authority...
if he continued.
On February 3, 2010, Floro filed his own nomination for the post of Supreme Court chief justice, which is scheduled to be vacated by incumbent Reynato Puno upon his retirement on May 17. However, the high tribunal excluded him from the list of nominees on February 8, citing his earlier disbarment order.
Lawsuits
Since his suspension from the judiciary, Floro has filed multiple lawsuitLawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
s.
In June, 2004, Floro filed an intervention petition, in the certiorari
Certiorari
Certiorari is a type of writ seeking judicial review, recognized in U.S., Roman, English, Philippine, and other law. Certiorari is the present passive infinitive of the Latin certiorare...
lawsuit filed by the opposition Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino
Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino
The Koalisyon ng Nagkakaisang Pilipino or United Opposition or KNP, was the coalition of the dominant opposition in the Philippines during the 2004 general elections...
(KNP) Davao City
Davao City
The City of Davao is the largest city in the island of Mindanao in the Philippines. Its international airport and seaports are among the busiest cargo hubs in the Philippines....
Rep. Ruy Elias Lopez, to stop a joint session of Congress from canvassing the votes for president and vice president. Floro asked the Court to declare a failure of elections and order the COMELEC
Commission on Elections (Philippines)
The Commission on Elections, or COMELEC, is one of the three constitutional commissions of the Philippines. Its principal role is to enforce all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections, initiatives, referendums, and recalls....
to conduct special presidential elections. Floro also asked the Supreme Court to declare Noli de Castro
Noli de Castro
Manuel Leuterio de Castro, Jr. , better known as Noli de Castro or "Kabayan" Noli de Castro, was Vice President of the Philippines ....
as acting President, as Solomon
Solomon
Solomon , according to the Book of Kings and the Book of Chronicles, a King of Israel and according to the Talmud one of the 48 prophets, is identified as the son of David, also called Jedidiah in 2 Samuel 12:25, and is described as the third king of the United Monarchy, and the final king before...
ic solution to the political crisis.
In January, 2007, the Supreme Court of the Philippines
Supreme Court of the Philippines
The Supreme Court of the Philippines is the Philippines' highest judicial court, as well as the court of last resort. The court consists of 14 Associate Justices and 1 Chief Justice...
dismissed with finality the August 30, 2006 Disbarment
Disbarment
Disbarment is the removal of a lawyer from a bar association or the practice of law, thus revoking his or her law license or admission to practice law...
administrative lawsuit
Lawsuit
A lawsuit or "suit in law" is a civil action brought in a court of law in which a plaintiff, a party who claims to have incurred loss as a result of a defendant's actions, demands a legal or equitable remedy. The defendant is required to respond to the plaintiff's complaint...
filed by Floro against Chief Justice
Chief Justice
The Chief Justice in many countries is the name for the presiding member of a Supreme Court in Commonwealth or other countries with an Anglo-Saxon justice system based on English common law, such as the Supreme Court of Canada, the Constitutional Court of South Africa, the Court of Final Appeal of...
Hilario Davide, Jr.
Hilario Davide, Jr.
Hilario Gelbolingo Davide, Jr, GCSS is a former Ambassador/Permanent Representative of the Permanent Mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Nations in New York City....
, Justice Bernardo P. Pardo
Bernardo P. Pardo
Bernardo Pardo is a former Philippine Supreme court Associate justice and a former Comelec Chairman. He was appointed by former Philippine President Joseph Estrada. He was born in Manila, to San Isidro, Nueva Ecija natives, Dr. and Mrs. Leopoldo G. Pardo, and is married to Zenaida C...
, Alfredo Benipayo
Alfredo Benipayo
Alfredo Logronio Benipayo is the former Dean of the University of Santo Tomas Faculty of Civil Law, the oldest law school in the Philippines. He is a former magistrate and a respected law professor and bar reviewer in the country....
and 6 others.
In late April, 2007, 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
Philippine Court of Appeals
The Court of Appeals of the Philippines is the Philippines' second highest judicial court, just after the Supreme Court. The court consists of 68 Associate Justices and 1 Presiding Justice...
Associate Justices, "CA ‘Dirty Dozen". Floro named one justice specifically as part of a "dirty dozen", twelve judges currently under investigation for corruption by the court's Ombudsman
Philippine Ombudsman
The Ombudsman of the Philippines is an ombudsman responsible for investigating and prosecuting Philippine government officials accused of crimes....
.
For non-payment of docket
Docket
Docket may refer to:*Docket , the official schedule of proceedings in lawsuits pending in a court of law. Term also includes a case identification number and reference point and case history for all case work involving a particular case....
fees, the High Court, on June 5, 2007, dismissed Floro's intervention petition dated May 30, 2007, and his supplement dated June 1, 2007, in the Gregory S. Ong
Gregory S. Ong
Gregory Santos Ong is a Filipino jurist and an incumbent Justice of the Sandiganbayan. He was initially appointed as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the Philippines by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on May 16, 2007, but his appointment was subsequently withdrawn after questions...
citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
case, filed by former Senate President Jovito Salonga
Jovito Salonga
Jovito "Jovy" Reyes Salonga is a Filipino nationalist politician and lawyer, as well as a leading opposition leader during the Marcos regime from 1972, when Ferdinand Marcos declared martial law, until 1986, when Marcos was deposed as a result of a bloodless revolution...
.
On, August 1, 2008, Floro filed a taxpayer lawsuit against some Court of Appeals Justices and lawyers in the GSIS-Meralco bribery case
GSIS-Meralco bribery case
The GSIS-Meralco bribery case is a political controversy and pending legal case being heard by the Supreme Court of the Philippines. This complex case began with a complaint filed by the GSIS with the Securities and Exchange Commission of the Philippines questioning the unvalidated proxy votes...
.