SC lauds Tarlac judge in Nuezca case

Dismissed cop Jonel Nuezca

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) has commended the judge who “expeditiously” resolved the case of former police officer Jonel Nuezca who killed Sonya Gregorio and her son Frank Anthony in Tarlac.

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo on Friday said Judge Stela Marie Gandia-Asuncion of Branch 106, Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Paniqui, Tarlac managed to just resolve the cases in eight months.

“Despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic and community quarantines, she was able to hear and resolve these two cases in eight months,” he said in a statement.

“The timely resolution of cases is both a constitutional mandate and a key aspect in the delivery of justice. May her example inspire all of us to continue working towards a judiciary that is both receptive and responsive to the needs of our citizenry and the community,” the chief justice added.

Gesmundo said Judge Gandia-Asuncion handed down his decision two months earlier than the 10-month deadline for criminal cases.

The Tarlac Regional Trial Court found Nuezca, now dismissed from service, guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of murder and was meted out with the of reclusion perpetua for each case.

He was also ordered by the court to pay P952,560 or P476,280 in damages to the heirs of Sonya and another P476,280 to the heirs of Frank Anthony.

READ: Court convicts ex-cop Nuezca for murder of Tarlac woman and her son

The SC said the case was raffled to Judge Gandia-Asuncion before the end of December 2020. Judge Gandia-Asuncion, who was a municipal trial court judge for more than 10 years before her promotion to the RTC in 2019, set the case for hearing and conducted continuous trials in accordance with the guidelines for continuous trial in criminal cases.

The High Court said Judge Gandia-Asuncion heard a total of eight witnesses, five for the prosecution, and three for the defense, including the accused, who testified through videoconferencing from the detention facility.

“Judge Gandia-Asuncion could have promulgated the decision even earlier were it not for the two separate forced lockdowns of her court and of the Office of the Prosecutor due to the COVID-19 infections,” the SC said.

The judge gave the defense two additional trial dates in June this year and re-scheduled the promulgation to August, the High Court added.