Publishing judges, prosecutors junking drug cases may be libel

The plan of Mayor Tomas Osmeña and a councilor to publish the names of judges and prosecutors who dismiss drug cases or acquit drug suspects might place the mayor at risk of libel, said Regional Trial Court executive judge Simeon Dumdum Jr. yesterday.

Dumdum said it is better for the mayor to include publishing the entire resolution or decisions of the case so the public may also know of the reasons of prosecutors and judges in dismissing a particular drug case.

There are six judges handling drug cases at the Palace of Justice in Cebu City. They are RTC judges Soliver Peras, Meinrado Paredes, Enriquita Belarmino, Fortunato de Gracia, Gabriel Ingles and Renato Maamo.

Dumdum commented that publishing the names of judges and prosecutors who clear suspects from drug charges would create a presumption to the public that something irregular might be involved in their decision.

Cebu City prosecutor Nicolas Sellon, for his part, refused to comment about the issue but Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City chapter president Alex Tolentino described the proposal of councilor Augustus Pe Jr. as "unethical, improper and inappropriate."

Osmeña, in supporting the Pe proposal, earlier said that only those who dismiss drug cases, without valid reasons, would be exposed in the publication.

One of the judges, who requested anonymity, said there have been instances when the court is forced to acquit drug suspects simply because of inconsistent testimonies of prosecution witnesses, particularly during the trial proper of the cases.

The judge said the most common method of prosecution witnesses is to testify in court a fact contrary to what has been mentioned earlier in their affidavits.

"Kini maoy maayong tan-awon sa mayor aron silotan kining maong mga polis, ilabi na kadtong dili motunga sa hearing og ma-dismiss na lang hinoon ang kaso," another RTC judge said. - Rene U. Borromeo