Judges should be given bodyguards!

Just when we wrote about the remarkable strength or should I say recovery of our Peso currency vis-à-vis the US dollar in our column yesterday, the Philippine Star headlined this news also yesterday when the Peso surged to P52.83 to one US dollar. We're happy with this report because a lot of pundits have been saying that come January, the Peso would creep back to its old rate against the US dollar. Well, you can say that this is one good news for 2006 and let's hope it would continue to strengthen against the US dollar.

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Pasay City Judge Hendrick Gingoyon was gunned down a few days ago and I can only hope that this is not the beginning of a new trend. In the past years, our profession as journalists was dubbed as the most dangerous profession as we were "Second only to Iraq" in terms of journalists getting killed. But at least the Year 2006 is starting on a different foot. This time the target of the killers was a sitting Judge from Pasay City.

Actually, Judge Gingoyon is a Cebuano assigned to the Pasay Regional Trial Court (RTC). I gathered from my boyhood friend, Boy Mancao that Judge Hendrick was the younger brother of the famous Pressing Gingoyon, who was gunned down in the Shell Station across the old Provincial Jail in Martires St. (now M.J. Cuenco Ave.) after a bank heist in the late 60s. I'm not sure now whether that was the Insular Bank or IBAA. But I do remember that a former Ms. Cebu Corona Nemeño who was working in the bank was wounded in that heist. Those where the days of then Mayor Serging Osmeña, the father of Mayor Tommy Osmeña.

I gathered also that another brother, Dennis who was with the Philippine Constabulary was also killed in an encounter in Samar several years ago. That makes three in the Gingoyon family dying by the bullet. At this point, we still have no idea as to who ordered the hit on Judge Gingoyon. For sure the principal suspect must be linked to the cases that he had already resolved. With the proper sleuthing, it won't be difficult to decipher who had Judge Gingoyon assassinated or killed.

The debate whether we in the media should be authorized to carry firearms seems to have shifted into the Judiciary because of the killing of Judge Gingoyon. We read that Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Geraldine Faith Econg who is handling the trial of Philippine Benevolent Missionaries Association (PBMA) Supreme Master Ruben Ecleo Jr. has long ago packed her firearm to protect her.

I don't blame Judge Econg because judges are not given bodyguards for their security. If you ask me, I would rather see judges given bodyguards simply because packing a gun will not assure them of their security… more so that they might not have the time to practice shooting their piece.

Actually, the judges can help in eliminating criminality if all of them speed up the cases in their respective Branches. As the old adage goes, "Justice delayed is Justice denied." If criminals knew that committing a crime isn't worth the trouble… then there would be less of these misfits of society.

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While the Christmas holidays are practically over in the country except for the traditional holding of Three Kings, here in Cebu, we're now in the midst of preparations for the coming Sinulog Festival, which through the years have earned the title as the biggest tourism crowd drawer amongst all the festivals that are held in the Philippines. Just think, years ago, I used to ride with my dirt bike buddies from Cebu to Kalibo for the famous Ati-Atihan festival, which is still being held annually together with our Sinulog.

But the popularity of our Sinulog stems from the fact that Cebu is so accessible. We have more than enough hotels to house both domestic and foreign tourists. In Kalibo, this is one problem they still have even today… because Boracay is just a bit too far and too expensive for the domestic tourist market. Cebu has the added advantage of being in the middle of the country, thus it doesn't cost the domestic tourists much to take a ride to come here.

What brings the millions to attend the Sinulog is also the fact that so many people from all over the country have relatives already living or working here… which means they have a place to stay for the Sinulog weekend.

Of course, we shouldn't forget the reason for the Sinulog in the first place… which is to worship and honor the Señor Sto. Niño or the Child Jesus, who has devotees from all over the country. So with the Sinulog Festivities just another week away, let's ask all Cebuanos to put our best smiles for our guests to welcome them in the heartland of the nation's bets tourist destination.

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