MANILA, Philippines – Armed men attacked a regional trial court judge and her staff who were on their way to Naga City on Tuesday afternoon, police said.
The victims were identified as Regional Trial Court Branch 56 Judge Jeaneth Gaminde San Joaquin and her staff Rocelle S. Martinez. The two were injured and were taken to the Libmanan District Hospital.
Based on the police report, the incident happened around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday along Barangay Puro Batia, Libmanan, Camarines Sur, while Judge San Joaquin and Martinez’s vehicle was heading to Naga City.
Two assailants onboard a motorcycle fired at them. Pursuit operation is ongoing.
The Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Camarines Sur chapter, in a statement condemned “in the strongest terms the wicked attempt and vicious assault to the life of Judge Jeaneth Gaminde San Joaquin and her secretary.”
“IBP Camarines Sur, in coordination with the authorities, will leave no corners hidden nor quarters safe for the evil perpetrators,” they further stated.
Since 2016, records showed that the number of attacks against members of the Bench and the Bar has increased.
From August 2016 up to July 7, 2020, based on the data from the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), a total of 49 lawyers, prosecutors, and judges have been killed. The figure is higher than the 27 lawyers killed in a span of eight years or from 2006 to 2014 based on the data from an international organization, Lawyers for Lawyers. [ac]
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