MetroBriefs

Manila judge inhibits self from PUP case

He’s stepping out of the ring but starting a new fight. A Manila Regional Trial Court judge under fire for his ruling in an ongoing court battle among officials of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP) has voluntarily inhibited himself from the case. Judge Silvino Pampilo of Branch 26 on Monday announced his decision to drop out of the case filed by incumbent PUP president Dante Guevarra. Guevarra earlier asked the court to nullify a PUP board of regents’ resolution appointing Edicio de la Torre to replace him after his term ended on July 5. The court ruled in his favor, prompting the board to ask the judge to inhibit himself from the case and to file an administrative case against him with the Supreme Court. Pampilo, however, said he would file a libel suit against the board members who earlier alleged that he was biased in Guevarra’s favor because the latter paved the way for him to teach at the PUP College of Law. “We plan to file libel cases against them with the Office of the Ombudsman,” Pampilo said in an interview.—Jaymee T. Gamil

20-year-old man killed in Manila

A 20-YEAR-OLD man was stabbed dead on Sunday night by two men who waylaid him while he and his friends were on their way to another friend’s house in Manila. Angelo Pahangahay, a resident of Gate 20 Area H Parola Compound in Tondo, died while he was undergoing treatment at Gat Andres Bonifacio Memorial Hospital. The police have identified one of his attackers as a certain Michael. The victim was stabbed dead at around 10:30 p.m. on Sunday in an alley at the Parola Compound in Tondo.—Jeannette I. Andrade