MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) has directed the Palace to submit complaints against four judges named in President Rodrigo Duterte's list of alleged "protectors" of the illegal drug trade in the Philippines.
This is because the high court has decided to treat Duterte's speech on August 7 as a complaint against the said judges.
In a press briefing, spokesperson Atty. Theodore Te said the SC is directing Palace Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to submit within seven days complaints for administrative proceedings against four out of seven judges in the president’s list, namely:
- Judge Exequil Dagala of the Metropolitan Trial Court of Dapa-Socorro, Surigao;
- Judge Adriano Savillo of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 30 of Iloilo City;
- Judge Domingo Casiple of RTC Branch 7 in Kalibo, Aklan; and,
- Judge Antonio Reyes of RTC Branch 61 in Baguio City.
The judges are to, in turn, submit their answers within seven days of getting the complaints.
The SC has named retired Associate Justice Roberto Abad to investigate the complaints.
Abad is expected to finish his probe within 30 days, and to make his recommendation to the SC en banc afterwards.
"This is a standard investigation," said Te, downplaying the probe.
While the investigation is ongoing, Te added, the Office of the Court Administrator will most likely name people to take over the judges' posts.
He further clarified that the SC does not have any say in a criminal suit against the judges. "If there is a basis for criminal action, a separate tribunal will handle that," he said.
On Monday, Chief Justice Lourdes Sereno said in a letter that the judges named in Duterte's list have not held drug-related cases, and could not be involved in the drug trade as members of the judiciary are often targets of threats from criminals.
In the letter, she emphasized that it is "important to know the source and basis of any allegation" against the judges.
Source : http://news.abs-cbn.com/
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