Probe sought of suspended Ilocos judge

An anticorruption group on Friday asked the Supreme Court to look into the alleged arbitrariness of a suspended judge to order the arrest of a mayor and 18 other government officials in Ilocos Sur.

The Filipino League of Advocates for Good Governance (FLAGG) said the high court had already handed down the suspension of Cabugao Regional Trial Court Judge Raphiel Alzate over an administrative offense six days before he ordered the arrest of Mayor Josh Edward Cobangbang of Cabugao town and his subordinates on Feb. 18.

Cobangbang and the other municipal officials had been indicted for illegal detention by the Department of Justice after they allegedly padlocked a resort in Cabugao while its operator and a 4-year-old boy were still inside the establishment.

“It’s only in the Philippines we see an already suspended judge issue 19 warrants of arrest six days after his suspension,” Ed Cordevilla, FLAGG founding chair, said in a statement.

“The Supreme Court, which issued Alzate’s suspension, should look into this matter before its integrity goes down the drain with the embattled judge,” he said.