SCOTP asks PNP, PDEA to submit complaint on 4 judges allegedly linked to drugs

PNP chief Ronald "Bato" Dela Rosa

2016_0817_ronald-dela-rosa PNP Director General Ronald dela Rosa

MANILA, Aug. 17 – The Supreme Court of the Philippines (SCOTP) on Tuesday directed Philippine National Police Director (PNP) General Ronald Dela Rosa (pictured above) and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Director General Isidro Lapena to submit complaint-affidavits against four active judges who were allegedly linked to illegal drug trade in the country as earlier mentioned by President Rodrigo Duterte.

SCOTP spokesman Theodore Te during a press conference said that the high court directed the four judges namely MCTC Judge Exiquil Dagala, Judge Adriano Savillo, RTC, Branch 30, Iloilo City, Judge Domingo Casiple, RTC, Branch 7, Kalibo, Aklan, and Judge Antonio Reyes, RTC, Branch 1, Baguio City. to submit their answer within seven days from receipt of the complaint-affidavits.

Te read the en banc order which stated to “Invite PNP Director General Ronald Dela Rosa and PDEA Director General Isidro Lapeña, heads of the statutory authorities mandated to obtains information on illegal drugs activities, to submit Complaint-Affidavits or other information against the four judges within the seven days from receipt of this order, to the Secretariat of the fact-finding investigation, care of the Legal Office, Office of the Court Administrator (OCA), in five copies.”

The SCOTP has topped retired Associate Justice Roberto Abad to spearhead the probe and has 30 days to submit the results from receipts of the answers of the judges.

The high court then directed Abad to issue notices of hearing to the four judges and all other necessary parties upon commencement of the investigation.

The SC also directed Abad, the secretariat of the fact-finding team and all SC officials and parties to treat with confidentiality the proceedings in the investigation of the case.

Last Aug. 7, Duterte named seven judges when he announced the list of personalities allegedly involved in the illegal drugs trade but one of them- Judge Roberto Navidad, formerly of the Calbayog City, Samar Regional Trial Court died on Jan. 14, 2008 while Judge Lorenda Mupas was dismissed in 2007 as Municipal Trial Court Judge of Dasmariñas, Cavite for gross ignorance of the law and Judge Rene Gonzales, formerly of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) Branch 7, Iloilo City compulsorily retired last June 20. (from PNA report / Christopher Lloyd T. Caliwan)

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