Supreme Court taps NBI in probe on Brion's death threat

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) has tapped the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in the probe on the reported threat on the life of Associate Justice Arturo Brion earlier this week, the Court’s spokesman lawyer Jose Midas Marquez said yesterday.

Marquez said the Philippine National Police (PNP) is also helping in the investigation while providing security for Brion.

The probe, he stressed, focuses on where the threats came from and the possible motive.

In an interview, Marquez also revealed that all other justices of the High Court have also been alerted following the death threat against Brion.

“We reminded our justices to be more careful and instructed them to be more vigilant,” he said, adding that security at the SC building on Padre Faura St. has also been put on “heightened alert.”

Marquez maintained that the Supreme Court cannot just ignore the death threats, and it is important that they be more careful since the death threats could possibly be connected to the Agojo drug case, after the SC affirmed the conviction of the accused in April this year.

He added that a lawyer-informant relayed information to the SC about such death threats last May.

The issue was also discussed in earlier sessions of the SC justices.

Marquez earlier confirmed that the threat against Brion could be connected to the 2004 killing of Tanauan Judge Voltaire Rosales, who was murdered after giving drug dealer German Agojo the death sentence.

He said Rosales is Brion’s former student at the Ateneo.

“Apparently, someone relayed the information to Brion (about the threat) and we don’t take those tips sitting down. It’s being verified and we’re taking the necessary precautions,” Marquez said.

He added that they are also verifying reports that there were leaks revealing how the judges deliberated on the case.

Brion reportedly blocked a proposal to acquit Agojo during the deliberations. He purportedly even pushed the affirmation of the convict’s death sentence.

“We’re still looking at that. It’s an allegation that has yet to be substantiated,” said Marquez.

Brion continued to report to his office despite the threat. He also refused to comment on the issue.

It was earlier reported that he was tipped off about a contract on his life.

“I was informed of a death threat. The Court found the information reliable and is looking into it,” Brion said in an interview. “This is part of the risk that I have to undergo.”

Brion declined to be specific about the information that he received.

He said the threat has to do with a drug case, but did not elaborate. The most he would say was this: “If anything happens to a justice of the Supreme Court, it will have a chilling effect on the judiciary.”

The justice has already reported the threat on his life to the police.

A total of 16 judges have been killed since 1999. Last year, the SC announced a P1-million reward for informants and witnesses whose information leads to the arrest and conviction of the killers.