The Supreme Court has ordered the conduct of a fact-finding investigation against four incumbent judges identified by President Rodrigo Duterte as involved in narcotics trade.
Treating Duterte鈥檚 speech as a complaint, the high court ordered Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea to submit complaint-affidavits against the four judges within seven days while the judges also have seven days to submit their answers.
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Ordered investigated are聽Judge Exequil Dagala of the Municipal Trial Court (MTC); Dapa-Socorro, Surigao, Iloilo City Regional Trial Court Branch 30聽Judge Adriano Savillo, Kalibo; Aklan RTC Branch 7 Judge聽Domingo Casiple; and Baguio City RTC Branch 61聽Judge Antonio Reyes.
鈥淭he Court today resolved to treat the speech of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte as a complaint against the four incumbent judges鈥irect Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea to submit complaint-affidavits against the four judges within seven days,鈥� the high court鈥檚 resolution stated.
Aside from the four judges, Duterte also identified Cavite Judge Lorenda Mupas, Calbayog City Judge Roberto Navidad and Iloilo City Municipal Trial Court in Cities Judge Rene Gonzales.
However, Mupas has been dismissed in 2007聽for gross ignorance of the law while Navidad was murdered in 2008 and Gonzales retired last June.
The high court has designated retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Roberto A. Abad to conduct the investigation.
He was given 30 days to terminate the investigation. CDG/rga
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