Judge in Ivler murder trial inhibits self

MANILA, Philippines - After twice denying appeals to inhibit himself, the judge hearing the murder charges against road rage suspect Jason Ivler finally granted the prosecutors’ repeated pleas and inhibited himself yesterday.

Following Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 76 Judge Alexander Balut’s decision, the case against Ivler will be re-raffled to another judge.

Balut earlier denied a motion for him to inhibit filed by the prosecution, who claimed he violated due process and the prosecution’s right to speedy trial. Prosecutors also assailed the judge’s alleged “flip-flopping” in issuing orders.

The prosecution filed a motion for reconsideration but the judge also junked it in an Aug. 2 order, saying he believes he acted within the parameters of the Constitution and the concepts of fair play and orderly administration of justice.

However, Balut issued an order yesterday, saying that “after rational consideration of the allegations, even knowing that they are unsupported… and just to obviate any further speculation the prosecution panel might be nurturing at the back of its mind regarding his propensity to tilt the scales of justice in favor of the accused, and if only to remain consistent with the noble task of dispensing justice freely and independently, the undersigned now inhibits from further proceeding in this case.”

Ivler is facing murder charges for allegedly killing Renato Victor Ebarle Jr. during a road altercation in Quezon City in November last year.