Judge fails to decide case within legal period; administratively liable; decision valid

Jimenez's contention that the RTC failed to decide the case "within one year from the start of proceedings" as required by 79 of the Local Government Code of 1983 and the 90-day period provided for in Article VIII, 15 of the Constitution does not affect the validity of the decision rendered. For even granting that the court failed to decide within the period prescribed by law, its failure did not divest it of its jurisdiction to decide the case but only makes the judge thereof liable for possible administrative sanction. [G.R. No. 105746. December 2, 1996]