Wednesday, September 19, 2007

I Always Suspected

Passed along without comment via Adventures in Ethics and Science:

As a trial-court judge, Florentino V. Floro Jr. acknowledged that he regularly sought the counsel of three elves only he could see. The Supreme Court deemed him unfit to serve and fired him last year. ...

Helping him, he says, are his three invisible companions. "Angel" is the neutral force, he says. "Armand" is a benign influence. "Luis," whom Mr. Floro describes as the "king of kings," is an avenger.

There’s more, about trances, blue robes, psychic powers, and whether elves would intimidate defendants, but the basic question is also raised:

Mr. Floro says he never consulted the invisible elves over judicial decisions and the fact that he puts faith in them should make no difference to his career. "It shouldn't matter what I believe in, whether it's Jesus, Muhammad, or Luis, Armand and Angel," he says in an interview.

And from the blogger:

It strikes me that there's a tension here not unlike that in the Marcus Ross case. On the one hand, our confidence in a particular methodology for decision making (whether scientific or judicial) makes us inclined to say that deploying that methodology will get us reasonably objective and impartial results that have relatively little to do with the details of which particular people are using that method. On the other hand, there are some beliefs that strike us as pretty likely to compromise objectivity and impartiality.

It would be nice to have some empirical data on how compatible elf-belief is with competent exercise of jurisprudence, or of the scientific method. As well, getting some independent confirmation of Mr. Floro's psychosis (to make sure there were other indicators besides elf-belief) would be useful. Otherwise, our inclination to take elf-belief as a disqualification from being a judge (or a scientist) looks like an attractive hypothesis without a whole lot of support.

I’m going to see if I can get a panel on this set up for the next NASC conference.

[Okay, one comment, but not elf-related. Just ask yourself who you’d rather have as a judge—him or this SOB who just forced a family to sell two of their dry cleaning stores by suing and appealing until these poor people didn’t have any more money. No word on his removal from the bench, but being an SOB has never been a disqualification before. Just talking to elves.]

2 comments:

Gritsforbreakfast said...

I suppose, if it's true that we (or various aspects of ourselves) are actually represented by every character in our dreams, perhaps that's also true of hallucinations. Following that logic, I suppose you could say the three elves are all parts of the Judge's psyche, and their collective input may represent his "decision."

Jokes aside (which is a difficult prospect, admittedly), if he actually believes he hears voices and sees unseen magical creatures, he is experiencing full-blown psychoses, is diagnosably mentally ill, and IMO should be deemed incompetent on those grounds.

My suggestion in this instance: The judge should be placed on leave, evaluated by psych experts, prescribed an anti-psychotics drug regimen, and allowed to resume his duties once his competency has been restored.

Anonymous said...

Supreme Court of the Philippines' Decisions on Judge Floro's Case:

1. The Main Decision: 75 pages - March 31, 2006 - A.M. No. RTJ-99-1460
http://www.supremecourt.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2006/mar2006/A.M.%20No.%20RTJ-99-1460.htm

2. August 11, 2006, Denial of the Appeal

http://www.supremecourt.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2006/august2006/A.M.%20No.%20RTJ-99-1460.htm

3. July 12, 2007, Final Denial with Contempt Warning

http://www.supremecourt.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2007/july2007/RTJ-99-1460.htm

SC TELLS ‘MYSTIC JUDGE’ - ‘Stop filing appeals or be cited in contempt’

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/topstories/topstories/view_article.php?article_id=77335
Thursday, July 19, 2007 - SC tells sacked psychic magistrate to stop bothering court
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/man/2007/07/19/news/sc.tells.sacked.psychic.magistrate.to.stop.bothering.court.html
Judge Floro's Appeal:
http://kevinunderhill.typepad.com/Documents/FloroThirdSupplemental.doc
Judge Floro's 400 pages BOOK - "World Famous Mystic Armand, Luis & Angel, The THREE Dwarves, MEET THE JUDGE, Psychic and Healing Martyr of Filipino Justice"

http://judgefloropics.blogspot.com/2006/12/filipino-psychic-named-2006-uk-times.html

Judge Floro's Blogs:

1. Psychic and Healing Judge
http://psychic-and-healing-judge.blogspot.com/

2. The Curse of Mystic Dwarves LUIS, ARMAND & ANGEL
http://judgefloropics.blogspot.com/
3. ANGEL OF DEATH, LUIS ARMAND and ANGEL
http://angelofdeathluisarmandandangel.blogspot.com/

Judge Floro's Blogger Profile:

http://www.blogger.com/profile/08050768475939438767

4. TPM Cafe:
http://www.tpmcafe.com/user/17035/recent

Judge Floro' Accounts / Bios / Pics on:

1. Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/srch.php?nm=Florentino+V.+Floro

1.a. Flicker: Photos
http://www.flickr.com/photos/judgefloro/

http://www.flickr.com/people/judgefloro/

2. MySpace.com:
myspace.com/judgefloro
http://www.myspace.com/judgefloro

3. Multiply:

http://judgefloro.multiply.com/journal
http://judgefloro.multiply.com/profile
http://judgefloro.multiply.com/

4. LiveJournal:
http://judge-floro.livejournal.com/
http://judge-floro.livejournal.com/profile

5. Celebrity:
http://www.celebs.com.ph/profile/florentino-v-floro/

6. Now Public:
http://members.nowpublic.com/judgefloro
7. Digg:
http://digg.com/users/judgefloro
7.a. StumbleUpon:
http://judgefloro.stumbleupon.com/home/ http://judgefloro.stumbleupon.com/
http://judgefloro.stumbleupon.com/tag/judge-florentino-floro/
http://judgefloro.stumbleupon.com/about/
http://judgefloro.stumbleupon.com/
7.b. Reference Encyclopedia: User:Florentino floro
http://www.referenceencyclopedia.com/?title=User:Florentino_floro
7.c. MedLibrary.org : User:Florentino floro
http://medlibrary.org/medwiki/User:Florentino_floro
7.d. WikiPilipinas : User:Florentino floro
http://en.wikipilipinas.org/index.php?title=User:Florentino_floro
7.e. Sprinko Encyclopedia: User:Florentino floro
http://encyclopedia.sprinko.com/index.php?title=User:Florentino_floro

Judge Floro's Threads on Sun Star Forums:
1. PUNO'S SUMMIT, UTTER FAILURE: Extra-Judicial Killings 361 Killed in 75 Days
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7808
2. A.M.# 07-09-13-SC - Indirect Contempt & Disbarment,
Judge Floro vs. Sen. Miriam Santiago - First Friday, October 05, 2007
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8242
http://judgefloropics.blogspot.com/2007/10/am-07-09-13-sc-contempt-disbarment.html
3. S.C. OCAD DISBARMENT CASE VS. CA "DIRTY DOZEN" JUSTICES

http://psychic-and-healing-judge.blogspot.com/2007/03/sc-objocad-disbarment-case-vs-ca-dirty.html

http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/july/30/yehey/metro/20070730met1.html

http://www.sunstar.com.ph/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7829
http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2007/july/30/yehey/metro/20070730met1.html

Monday, July 30, 2007 - SC to probe TRO fixers, justices in appeals court
4. Twin Angioplasty Surgeries - Jaime T. LICAUCO OUT & JAMES RANDI vis-a-vis the 3 Dwarves
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4323

Judge Floro on Front Pages of:

1. New York Times - World Briefing: Europe, Americas, Africa, Middle East and Asia -
THE PHILIPPINES: JUDGE SEEKS REINSTATEMENT
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/04/world/04briefs.html

1b. CNN. com TRANSCRIPTS | ShowBiz Tonite with A.J. Hammer.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0605/03/sbt.01.html
1c. Sydney Morning Herald | 2006 Times Online Judge of the Year
The award for judge of the year went to Judge Florentino Floro Jr. - The Times December 05, 2006
A chilli-hot year for whiny garbage - David Pannick, QC
http://www.smh.com.au/news/World/NZ-lawyer-wins-bizarre-conduct-award/2006/12/06/1165080995623.html#
1d. 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for April 10 -
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/12268699/

2. BBC NEWS | Asia-Pacific | Filipino 'dwarf' judge loses case

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/5261856.stm

Juiz que consultava duendes é afastado nas Filipinas - BBC Brasil

http://www.bbc.co.uk/portuguese/reporterbbc/story/2006/08/060818_juizduendespu.shtml

Hakim percaya gaib dipecat - BBC Indonesia

http://www.bbc.co.uk/indonesian/news/story/2006/08/060821_philippinejudge.shtml

2.a. Le Figaro.fr - Le juge et ses trois gnomes renvoyés des prétoires

http://www.lefigaro.fr/people/20060818.WWW000000287_le_juge_et_ses_trois_gnomes_renvoyes_des_pretoires.html


3. UK Times Online, "The Times" - June 6, 2006
I used to be a judge but I'm all right now . . . by David Pannick QC

http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/columnists/david_pannick/article671074.ece

4 . UK James Hookway, Taiwan, Wall Street Journal, Front Page A1 - September 17, 2007
In the Philippines, Ex-Judge Consults Three Wee Friends
Mr. Floro Loses His Job But Becomes a Celebrity; Using a Little Elfin Magic
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB118999288641229392-95G0Ue1f7TUZOJoD8v3ZgLndq0k_20080916.html?mod=rss_free
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118999288641229392.html?mod=psp_free_today
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB118999288641229392-Kh8oBb4trD_IFGcOCcZsuCSTocI_20071016.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top

Wall Street Journal, Opinion Journal, July 27, 2006
'I Never Consulted Any Imaginary Dwarf'
http://www.opinionjournal.com/best/?id=110008710

5. James Randi, JREF Newsletter - FILIPINO JUSTICE - May 19, 2006
http://www.randi.org/jr/2006-05/051906sylvia.html#i13

The 3 Stooges: ARMAND, LUIS & ANGEL, The THREE Dwarves MEET THE JUDGE
http://www.randi.org/images/commentary/200605/19dwarfs.jpg

6. Ripley's Believe It or Not! #70(6/8/2006)

http://jog.cocolog-nifty.com/english/2007/01/ripleys_believe_16.html
http://jog.cocolog-nifty.com/english/2007/01/index.html
http://jog.cocolog-nifty.com/photos/uncategorized/060608_abc.gif
http://jog.cocolog-nifty.com/english/files/0070.pdf

7. Skeptics Dictionary - Newsletter 67 - Hi! I'm psychic and I'm here to help!
http://skepdic.com/news/newsletter67.html

7.a. News of the Weird by Chuck Shepherd - Judges Gone Wild!
http://artvoice.com/issues/v5n39/news_of_the_weird
http://208.109.242.142/archives/archives-2006/weirdnewsvol15ed38.html


Judge Floro on YouTube:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=judge+floro

Channel 9, RPN-9: August 30, 2000
Kasangga Mo Ang Langit with Rey & Reyster Langit - August 30, 2000
Channel 2, Abs-Cbn / Anc-News:
Magandang Gabi Bayan - with Gus Abelgas - August 21, 1999
Assignment - with Cong. Teddy Locsin
Disbarment vs. C.J. Davide, Jr. - with R.G. Cruz - September 10, 2006
ABS-CBN SPECIAL: KABA KUTOB KILABOT - with Catherine De Castro and Albert Martinez - October 29, 2006
Healing Oil, Kimpormasyon - with Kim Atienza - April 3, 2007
Patrol, "Imprecation / Curse on the Judiciary" - April 4, 2007
MUNDO NG MALIGNO - with Kim Atienza - October 31, 2006
Kontrobersyal of the Year 2006 - with Mr. Boy Abunda - May 12, 2006
Channel 11, GMA Kapuso and Q-TV:
"Sa Pulso", GMA Kapuso and Q-TV - with Ivan Merina - November 12, 2006
Channel 5, ABC TV:
FRONTLINES - December 28, 2006
"Totoo TV" - ONE HOUR, with Ariel & Maverick

Judge Floros Interview about the Story of Luis, Armand & Angel:
1. Sam Chambers, Kent, UK, China, The Standard,
Creature features of the Philippines - Saturday, September 02, 2006
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=11&art_id=26375&sid=9641493&con_type=3&d_str=20060902
Florentino and the three dwarves
http://www.thestandard.com.hk/news_detail.asp?we_cat=11&art_id=26377&sid=9682141&con_type=1&d_str=20060902
2. By UK, Hyde- Sunday, June 4. 2006 - Damn Data, Cabinet of Wonder - Dwarves of Law revisited
http://www.wunderkabinett.co.uk/damndata/index.php?/archives/373-Dwarves-of-Law-revisited.html
Memorandum of Dire Prophecies of LUIS, Angelus Dei Per Judge Florentino V. Floro
(April 6, 2006 to October 7, 2007)
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7888
The Prophet: Dire Predictions of Judge Floro
Hope Diamond: Mystic Dwarfs LUIS, Armand & Angel,
Psychic Judge curse JBC, 14 S.C. Justices and Judiciary

http://angelofdeathluisarmandandangel.blogspot.com/2006/10/prophet-dire-predictions-of-judge.html

Judge Floro's Auto / Article User Page on Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florentino_Floro
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Florentino_floro

Judge Floro's 27 pages, 34, 000 views, 1,400 replies Legendary thread on RUSH Counterparts Message Board:

http://www.rushmessageboard.com/cpmb/index.php?showtopic=2112&st=1300&start=1300

Judge Floro's emails and yahoo / msn messengers:

judge_florentino_v_floro@yahoo.com

judgefloro@yahoo.com
judgefloro@hotmail.com
Judge Floro's contact numbers:

Celphone No. secretary Belen: 0927-3440957

digitel Philippines land line - (044) 662-8203