Slain Aurora judge handled drugs, land dispute cases

BALER, Aurora Regional Trial Court Judge Erwin Alaba was handling sensitive drugs and land dispute cases before he was killed, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez said on Wednesday.

Alaba was shot to death by a lone gunman on Tuesday afternoon.

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has instructed Marquez to go to Baler to confer with the Philippine National Police (PNP) Provincial Director of Aurora, Chief of Police of Baler, Provincial Prosecutor of Aurora and officials of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for a speedy investigation on the case.

Marquez also met with Alaba’s staff for the conduct of an inventory of cases being handled by the slain judge.

“Some leads are being followed by the police based on eyewitnesses accounts,” Marquez added.

He also visited the wake of Alaba and condoled with his family on behalf of the Supreme Court.

The Judge is survived by his wife and three children, the youngest of whom is a second year high school student. Tetch Torres-Tupas