Judge, family to get cop escorts following bombing

MANILA, Philippines - The Calabarzon police gave assurance yesterday that a Manila judge and his family would be provided with ample security to prevent another attempt on their lives following the bombing of their car in Taytay, Rizal last Wednesday.

Chief Superintendent Rolando Anonuevo, Calabarzon police director, said he assured Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr., of Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 26, of full protection during a meeting Wednesday afternoon.

Anonuevo rushed to Pampilo’s residence at Palmera 3 Subdivision in Barangay Dolores, Taytay town after a bomb exploded on his black Honda CRV.

“All he (Pampilo) needs to do is forward his request,” he said.

During their meeting, Anonuevo quoted Pampilo as saying that he handled several high-profile cases, including those of First Gentleman Mike Arroyo against journalists as well as the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group (PASG), but did not categorically say who could be behind the attempt on his life.

Anonuevo directed Senior Superintendent Jonathan Miano, Rizal police director, to assign police security escorts to Pampilo, his wife and daughter.

“It’s now up to Miano how many security escorts he will assign to the judge and his family,” he said.

He said Pampilo is an acquaintance of Taytay police chief Superintendent Manny Pion “so security escorts would not be a problem for him and his family.”

Pampilo was preparing to leave his house with his daughter, Cindy Marie, when a bomb exploded beneath his car at around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday.

Anonuevo created Task Force Pampilo headed by Senior Superintendent Ely Rasco, chief of the criminal investigation and detection unit of the Calabarzon police, to thoroughly probe the incident.

Police quoted a witness as saying that at around 5 a.m. Wednesday, she noticed two men, one of them wearing fatigue pants and carrying a duffle bag, sitting near Pampilo’s vehicle.

Police are readying the artist’s sketches of the two men based on the witness’ description.

Records showed that Pampilo ordered the abolition of the PASG since it duplicates the functions of the Bureau of Customs.

Meanwhile, the PASG yesterday denied allegations that it was behind the bombing of Pampilo’s vehicle.

PASG Assistant Secretary Danilo Mangila said the agency “has nothing to do with such a pusillanimous act of violence.”

“We are all professionals in our given field and the same is true with his position as RTC judge, but for him to make such an allegation without any proof makes him otherwise,” Mangila said.

Malacañang refused to intervene in the matter but said Pampilo should know that he has to present proof.

“PASG officers and personnel are professionals and would not stoop down to that kind of violence; neither would they take the decision of Judge Pampilo personally for they were just enforcing the mandate of EO 624,” he said, referring to the executive order creating the agency. – With Ed Amoroso and Paolo Romero