MANILA – Senator Richard Gordon has revived his call for the passage of a measure that will create a security service for members of the judiciary following the murder of Manila City Regional Trial Court Judge Maria Theresa Abadilla inside her office.
“The killing of shows that even our judges are not safe from criminals,” Gordon said in a statement. “The unit will act as an independent arm that will ensure the security of the judiciary.”
“Our judges have a vital impact on people’s lives as they protect our liberties and rights,” the senator added. “Without the judges, there can be no justice. This cruelty must stop now.”
The Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights has approved earlier this year the bill that would not only provide security detail for judiciary members, but also authorize the conduct of confidential investigations on threats against judges.
Gordon urged the Department of Budget and Management to submit their recommendations on the proposed measure so that the Senate could continue to work on its passage.
“This is truly unforgivable,” Gordon said. “It has never been and should never be acceptable that we allow our citizens to be killed especially our judges.”
Abadilla was shot by her clerk of court on Wednesday afternoon. She was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead past 3 p.m. The clerk of court, 42-year-old lawyer Amador Rebato, Jr., killed himself after shooting the judge.
Meanwhile, Supreme Court Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta considered the killing as “big loss to the judiciary.”
Abadilla worked at the Supreme Court as law clerk for more than a decade before she became judge./PN
