Judge shot dead in Zamboanga

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines - A court judge handling high-profile cases was gunned down Friday morning by two unidentified assassins Zamboanga City, police officials said. 

Chief Inspector Danilo Tindero, deputy police commander of Station 6, identified the victim as Judge Reynerio Estacio, 65, of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 14.

Police investigation disclosed that at 8 a.m., the victim was on board a service vehicle with his wife Tess and was about to leave his residence when the suspects fired at close range. 

Estacio sustained two gunshot wounds on his left arm and back which exited toward his left chest.

Police said the victim might have struggled to cover his wife as the suspects shot them several times before escaping on board a single motorcycle toward an unknown direction.

The wife was unhurt as a neighboring tricycle driver Jun Fabriga rushed the victim to the nearby hospital but Estacio was pronounced dead on arrival by an attending physician.

Chief Inspector Tindero said they recovered at least six empty shells believed to be dispensed from .45 caliber pistol.

Senior Superintendent Angelito Casimiro, City Police director, said they were investigating several angles into the slaying of Estacio including the motive of possible job related angle.

Branch 14 court personnel considered Estacio as a very approachable and a very considerate judge. But his branch has been dealing with high profile cases including murder and human trafficking. 

Estacio was raised in Margosatubig, Zamboanga del Sur before his family migrated to Bulacan. 

According to his court personnel, Estacio became a court clerk in the Court of Appeals and was assigned as fiscal in Caloocan city before he came to Zamboanga City and assigned as judge sometime in 2005. 

The court personnel said Estacio was supposed to retire on March 25.  

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Zamboanga chapter strongly condemned the gun slaying of Estacio citing it as an act of cowardice.

“We condemn the killing of Judge Estacio. This is an attack not only to the IBP but also to the judiciary,” said lawyer Gian Paulo Enriquez, IBP vice president for Zamboanga chapter.

The IBP believed that the killing of Estacio was a work-related incident.

The local IPB official also called on the police to resolve the crime.

“If they cannot solve this case they should resign,” Enriquez said.