Sereno
Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno cautioned the judges identified by President Rodrigo Duterte as those with links to the illegal drug trade not to surrender to any police officer in the absence of a warrant of arrest.
In her letter to Duterte, she asked the source and basis of any allegation against the seven judges.
“We abhor its ability to even destroy public institutions, thus our proactive investigation of any report that judges and court personnel abet drug trade,” Sereno said.
However, she said “a premature announcement of an informal investigation on allegations of involvement with the drug trade will have the unwarranted effect of rendering the judge veritably useless in discharging his adjudicative role.”
“Thus, this Court has been careful, all too aware that more often than not, a good reputation is the primary badge of credibility and the only legacy that many of our judges can leave behind,” she said.
The Chief Justice added that Duterte’s announcement may have endangered the lives of the six judges given the extrajudicial killings of those suspected to be involved in the narcotics trade.
“Our judges may have been rendered vulnerable and veritable targets for any of those persons and groups who may consider judges as acceptable collateral damage in the ‘war on drugs,’” Sereno said as she noted that many judges have been assassinated since 1999, a large portion of whom was upon the orders of crime lords, more specifically drug lords.
She also urged Duterte to allow the judges to carry defensive firearms “because we do not have the personnel to protect our judges.”
“We request that you reconsider your reported order that the judges you named, with the above clarification on who these are, continue to bear these licensed self-defense weapons, if any, until a proper investigation concludes that formal criminal charges should be brought against them,” Sereno said.
Sereno said the high court has an administrative mechanism in investigating, suspending or disciplining judges.
In fact, she said they are currently investigating a judge with links to illegal drugs.
“We are currently investigating a report on a judge who may be so involved. He is not on the list [you have mentioned],” Sereno said.
Sereno, in her letter described each of the judges that Duterte has identified:
Judge Lorenda Mupas was dismissed in 2007 as Municipal Trial Court Judge of Dasmariñas, Cavite for gross ignorance of the law.
“We request that her dishonorable discharge be duly considered and that she be not referred to as part of the judiciary as of nine years ago,” Sereno said.
Judge Roberto Navidad, formerly of the Calbayog City, Samar Regional Trial Court was killed on Jan. 14, 2008 at age 69.