Manila  - The Supreme Court's swift action to punish several appellate court justices involved in a multimillion-peso bribery scandal has boosted anti-corruption efforts in the Philippines' graft-ridden judiciary.

After two months of investigation, the high tribunal on Tuesday dismissed from service Court of Appeals Associate Justice Vicente Roxas for multiple violations of the canons of the Code of Judicial Conduct.

The decision was hailed as a warning to erring magistrates.

"This should now instill fear in the hearts of those in the legal system that the Supreme Court will not take lightly any act that will smear the integrity of the legal profession and our justice system," House Speaker Prospero Nograles said.

"As a lawyer, I welcome the strict implementation of the canons of judicial ethics," he added.

Government Press Secretary Jesus Dureza said the high tribunal's decision has strengthened the faith of the public in the judiciary.

"What is happening in the Court of Appeals strengthens the faith of the people that if there's anything wrong within the judiciary, the system itself can correct it, provide redress and mete appropriate penalty," he said.

Corruption is a major problem in the Philippine judiciary, which is plagued by a lack of transparency; low salaries; inadequate facilities; and delays in resolving complaints against members of the judiciary, court officers and lawyers.

A 2005 survey among Philippine lawyers and judges nationwide showed that 49 per cent knew of a case in which a judge was bribed but said they failed to act because they could not prove the charges.

The Berlin-based Transparency International has also ranked the Philippine judiciary as among the most corrupt in the world - on the same level as the justice systems in Rwanda, Russia and Nepal.

But the Supreme Court has been implementing reforms to rid the justice system of corrupt personnel as well as to stem delays in proceedings. Last year, an appellate court judge was sacked for gross ignorance and undue delays in his cases.

Aside from Roxas, the Supreme Court suspended for two months Associate Justice Jose Sabio for simple misconduct. Three other justices, including Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Conrado Vazquez, were reprimanded for dubious indecisiveness and inaction.

The scandal stemmed from Sabio's revelation in July that he was offered a 10-million-peso (217,390-dollar) bribe during deliberations on a corporate takeover battle between the Government Service Insurance System state pension fund and the Manila Electric Co utilities firm, also known as Meralco.

The Court of Appeals had blocked an attempt by the fund to gain control of Meralco. The appellate court's ruling is being reviewed by the Supreme Court.

Sabio alleged that a lawyer working for Meralco had offered the bribe to ensure that the company would win when the Court of Appeals hands down a final decision on the case.

Sabio lambasted Roxas for taking undue interest in the case and for rushing a decision to favour Meralco.

The high tribunal said Roxas wrote a ruling on the petition without conducting proper deliberations and consultations with other Court of Appeals justices.

He was also found to have been dishonest when he offered fabricated transcripts of deliberations to a review panel investigating the bribery scandal.

Congressman Joel Villanueva, party-list representative of the Citizen's Battle Against Corruption, said the decision showed the Supreme Court's determination to rid the judiciary of corrupt magistrates.

"It is a testament to the Supreme Court's resolve to rid the judiciary of hoodlums in robes," he said, "but mere dismissal of one justice is not enough."

"Disbarment proceedings and criminal forfeiture should also be pursued against the erring justices," he added. "We must make sure that corruption is stomped out wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head."

While it was not the first time an appellate court justice had been sacked because of impropriety and misconduct, the Supreme Court's action drew accolades because of the transparency in the conduct of the hearings and the swiftness in penalizing the erring judges.

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines urged the appellate justices involved in the scandal to resign to preserve the integrity of the Court of Appeals.

"They should have resigned when the scandal first broke to at least show the people the Court of Appeals has its integrity," Bar President Feliciano Bautista said. "Those involved must resign." (dpa)