The Supreme Court has cleared three of the four incumbent trial court judges linked by President Duterte to the illegal drugs trade.
Cleared by the SC after a fact-finding investigation were Judge Exequil L. Dagala of the municipal circuit trial court of Dapa-Socorro, Surigao del Norte; Judge Domingo L. Casiple Jr. of the Regional Trial Court of Kalibo, Aklan; and Judge Adriano S. Savillo of the RTC in Iloilo City.
In his report that was adopted by the SC, retired Justice Roberto A. Abad said that in the case of the fourth judge, Antonio C. Reyes of the RTC in Baguio City, he “is still awaiting a reply to a query made as to the allegations against Judge Reyes.”
“Wherefore, the Court hereby declares that no evidence has been put forward to link Judges Exequil L. Dagala, Adriano S. Savillo, and Domingo L. Casiple Jr. to any involvement in the use, trade, or proliferation of illegal drugs, and thereby this fact-finding investigation against them is hereby terminated,” the SC said.
Seven judges were originally named by the President as involved in illegal drugs. Three of them – Lorenda Mupas, Roberto Navidad, and Rene Gonzales – were dismissed, killed, and retired. (Rey G. Panaligan)