Ex-prosecutor, brother gunned down in Sulu

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines—Even as members of the judiciary here were still in shock following the Feb. 28 killing of Regional Trial Court Judge Reynerio Estacio Sr., a former government prosecutor was gunned down along with a brother while they were burying a sister of theirs in Indanan, Sulu, on Monday afternoon, officials said.

“It gives a chilling effect to everyone in the judiciary. We are angered and saddened by the killing of Judge Estacio, and we are saddened by another killing of a lawyer in Sulu,” Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Peter Eisma told the Inquirer on Tuesday.

Senior Supt. Abraham Orbita, the Sulu provincial police director, said retired prosecutor Issan Sawadjaan and his brother Mac Issan, an employee of the Bureau of Customs, were shot to death by unidentified assailants in the village of Kajatian while laying their sister to rest at the local cemetery on Monday afternoon.

(Being Muslims, the victims had the option to use their father’s name “Issan” either as first or last name.)

Both victims were residents of Zamboanga City and had gone to Indanan for their sister’s funeral, Orbita said.

“The suspects approached and talked to them, and then shot them,” Orbita said.

No other details were available, however.

Emil Aquino, president of the Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi or Zambasulta chapter of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, called on the authorities to act on the killings, saying they were “a big blow to the judiciary system.”

Eisma said Estacio was the first RTC judge killed in Zamboanga City but the 24th in the country.

Before his death, Estacio handled many controversial cases involving politicians, suspected Abu Sayyaf bandits and policemen.

Eisma said members of the judiciary would be meeting with the police on how to secure other lawyers and judges “knowing that anytime, killers can easily put down their targets.”

Aquino said police had leads as to who was behind the Estacio killing. He refused to elaborate, however.

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