Visayas judges given training on personal security

CEBU, Philippines – Fifty selected judges from Region VI, VII and VIII were trained for three days on personal security at the Waterfront Hotel Mactan, Cebu.

Lawyer Rodel O. Hernandez, Philippine Judicial (PHILJA) Attorney IV, said that the training was for judges who are handling highly controversial cases and those who are receiving death threats.

Hernandez said that former Chief Justice Renato Puno emphasized in their past meetings the importance of personal security for judges because of recent killings in the country with judges as victims.

"We want to let the people know that the judges are being informed about security," said Hernandez.

The Committee on Security of the Supreme Court of the Philippines sees the importance of personal security training among judges and wants to see how effective this is in preventing judges from falling victims to killings.

PHILJA aims to train the 2,300 judges all over the Philippines. So far, they have trained 300 judges.

Dr. Manolo Amisola, Training Specialist IV from the National Bureau of Investigation, gave the judges tips on crime prevention and basic first aid, martial arts and self-defense.

PHILJA started doing the training in 2005. The three-day seminar is the first program conducted this year. On September they will be conducting the training in Min-danao for Regions IX, X, XI, and XII and on October, in Luzon.

Meanwhile, PHILJA also gives training on personal security to court personnel and lawyers.

An actual shooting drill will end the three-day training on personal security today. - Clea Lhyle P. Ompad and Razel V. Cuizon, USJ-R Interns/JPM (FREEMAN)