Image from Supreme Court of the Philippines - The Supreme Court ordered an investigation against the four judges named by Duterte as drug protectors
- The SC considered Duterte’s speech on August 7, where he named over 150 government officials involved in drugs, as a complaint
- Retired SC Associate Justice Roberto Abad was appointed by the SC to head the fact-finding panel
The Supreme Court (SC) ordered a fact-finding probe on four judges named by President Rodrigo Duterte as being involved in the illegal drug trade.
The High Tribunal, during its en banc session on Tuesday, August 9, said it considered the president’s speech last Sunday, August 7, where he named over 150 government officials from the judiciary, police and local governments who are allegedly involved in the narcotics trade, as a complaint against the judges.
The 4 judges named by the president as protectors of drug syndicates are Judge Exequil Dagala of the Municipal Trial Court of Dapa-Socorro, Surigao; Judge Adriano Savillo, Regional Trial Court (RTC), Branch 30, Iloilo City; Judge Domingo Casiple, RTC, Branch 7, Kalibo, Aklan; and Judge Antonio Reyes, RTC, Branch 61, Baguio City, Benguet.
According to Rappler, three more judges were included in the President’s list, but Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno said the three were no longer with the judiciary; two of whom were retired, while the other one has been dead since 2008.
The High Court also ordered Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to submit a complaint-affidavit against the 4 judges, while the judges were ordered to submit their answers a week after receiving the complaint-affidavit.
Retired SC Associate Justice Roberto Abad was appointed by the SC to head the fact-finding panel. He was directed to conclude the fact-finding probe and make a recommendation within 30 days from receipt of the judges’ answers to the complaint.
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