A judge from a regional trial court in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte was shot dead this afternoon.
Judge Reymar L. Lacaya was ambushed by an unidentified gunman outside a courthouse in the town of Liloy, another town in Zamboanga del Norte, reported CNN Philippines.
Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin condemned the killing and asked authorities to expedite their investigation into Lacaya’s killing, based on a statement obtained by ABS-CBN News. He also asked the police to exert their best effort to apprehend the people responsible for Lacaya’s death.
The SC said in its statement that there are already guidelines which aim to protect judges from getting killed in the country. Based on these guidelines, any judge whose life is threatened can apply for security either from the police or the SC’s Security Committee.
Lacaya is the fourth judge in service to be killed since 2017 and the 30th since 1999, reported The Philippine Daily Inquirer.
The other judges killed since 2017 are Godofredo Abul Jr. of Butuan City, who was killed in August 2017; Ricky Begino of Presentacion, Camarines Sur, who was killed in June 2018; and Edmundo Pintac of Ozamiz City, who was killed in October 2018.
