Palace: ‘Hasty’ to conclude Mandaluyong City judge was red-tagged

A poster displayed on Wednesday on a pedestrian walkway above EDSA in Mandaluyong City purportedly from communist rebels thanks Judge Monique Quisumbing-Ignacio for releasing their “comrades,” Manila Today editor Lady Ann Salem and union organizer Rodrigo Esparago. . —LYN RILLON

MANILA, Philippines — It is “hasty” to conclude that Judge Monique Quisumbing-Ignacio of the Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court was red-tagged after she dismissed charges filed against a journalist and a trade unionist, Malacañang said Thursday.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said authorities are still investigating the incident and the public should wait for the results of the probe before concluding that Quisumbing-Ignacio was red-tagged.

“Let us not conclude na na-redtag nga si Judge Ignacio. Authorities are investigating already this incident,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.

After Quisumbing-Ignacio dismissed the illegal firearms and explosives possession charges filed against journalist Lady Ann Salem and trade unionist Rodrigo Esparago, a tarpaulin sign was hung at the corner of Shaw Boulevard and EDSA that read: “Maraming salamat Judge Monique Quisumbing-Ignacio, RTC Branch 209, Mandaluyong City sa mabilis na paglaya ng kasamahan nating Lady Ann Salem at Rodrigo Esparago. Tuloy ang laban! Mabuhay!”

At the bottom of the message is the logo of the Communist Party of the Philippines.

Roque said anyone, including what he called “enemies of the government” could have hung that poster.

“Sa ngayon, let us not make hasty conclusions dahil kahit sino ay pupuwedeng nagsabit ng tarpaulin na ‘yan. ‘Wag na muna tayong masyadong mabilis mag-conclude,” he added.

(For now, let us not make hasty conclusions because anyone could have hung that poster. We should not be too quick to conclude.)

Should it be proven that Quisumbing-Ignacio was indeed red-tagged, Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte will give the judge protection.

“Kung totoong na-redtag po si Judge Ignacio, ang Presidente mismo ang magbibigay ng proteksyon kay Judge Ignacio kung kinakailangan, ‘yan ang assurance ng Presidente,” he said.

(If it is true that Judge Ignacio was red-tagged, the President will give her protection if needed. That’s the assurance of the President.)

/MUF