Judges told to secure Palace of Justice bldg.

Regional Trial Court executive judge Simeon Dumdum Jr. has ordered all judges occupying the four-story Palace of Justice building to review their respective security measures to prevent another burglary after the Cebu Provincial Prosecutors Office and the RTC Branch 15 were broken into.

Dumdum told the security personnel that court employees are not allowed to stay in the courts after 5 p.m. unless they have written permission from the presiding judges, they are also required to inform the security guards manning the building of their activities.

He also instructed the building administrator and the head of security officers to submit recommendations on how to prevent another burglary in the courts.

Dumdum's order was issued last December 29 after the discovery of another burglary attempt, this time at the court branch presided by RTC judge Fortunato de Gracia Friday last week.

The National Bureau of Investigation is now investigating the incident.

It was the NBI agents under Medardo De Lemos who solved the first burglary at the Cebu Provincial Prosecutors Office two weeks ago after they apprehended Bryant Baguio, 24, a janitor working at the Palace of Justice.

Baguio confessed that he was the one who stole some firearms and hand grenades from the evidence room of the prosecutors office at the ground floor of the four-story Palace of Justice building.

The person who broke into RTC Branch 15 failed to take any valuables or court documents, De Gracia did not rule out the possibility that some of his court personnel are involved in the burglary. - Rene U. Borromeo