SC probes judges’ killings

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the creation of a task force that will investigate the recent killings of judges.

SC spokesman Theodore Te said the high court has tapped its committee on security chaired by Associate Justice Marvic Leonen to start discussions with appropriate agencies for the creation of the task force.

Te said the high tribunal has issued an administrative order for this purpose.

Northern Samar Municipal Trial Court Judge Reynaldo Espinar was shot dead inside a cockpit in Pambujan town Sunday afternoon. Espinar’s killing followed the ambush of Bulacan Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Wilfredo Nieves while on his way home on Nov. 11.

Aurora RTC Judge Erwin Alaba was gunned down in September.

The SC earlier called for a thorough probe and ensure that justice would be immediately served for the victims and their families.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) yesterday said it would conduct a parallel investigation into the killing of Espinar.

NBI assistant director Medardo de Lemos, the bureau’s officer-in-charge, said he gave instructions to NBI deputy director for regional operations service Edmund Arugay to relay to their Samar district office his order to conduct a probe.

“We would ask Judge Espinar’s family and office (staff) to learn more about his activities… if he had been receiving death threats, if he had any enemies, and if he was handling any high-profile cases,”  De Lemos said.

Rubout

On the killing of the suspect in the murder of Nieves, Chief Supt. Rudy Lacadin, Police Regional Office-3 director, said the investigation should “clear” a supposed rubout.

Arnel Janoras, 43, a resident of Dela Costa Graceville in San Jose del Monte City, Bulacan was shot dead after he allegedly tried to grab the gun of one of his police escorts on the way to an inquest.

Lacadin said one of the police escorts could have shot the suspect sensing that their lives were in danger.

In his extrajudiciary statement, Janoras identified a certain Raymond Dominguez as the mastermind in the killing of Nieves. –With Evelyn Macairan, Perseus Echeminada, Ric Sapnu, Ramon Efren Lazaro