Judge declared persona non grata

Unless he accepts what he did is wrong and be humble enough to come to apologize to the people of Baguio, he will remain unwelcome here.

Baguio City Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan leads the Baguio’s Sangguniang Panlungsod in declaring Cabanatuan judge Nelson Largo a persona non grata over arrogant and unprofessional behavior following a traffic row. A. QUITASOL

BAGUIO CITY — A Cabanatuan judge was declared a persona non grata after the Baguio City council approved a resolution barring him from entering the city’s premises following his arrogant and disrespectful actions toward traffic enforcers after he was caught violating traffic laws.

The Sangguniang Panlungsod passed Resolution Number 429 against Cabanatuan City Municipal Trial Court Branch III Judge Nelson Largo, who issued subpoenas to Baguio traffic enforcers and demanding them to explain why he should not charge them with indirect contempt after he was apprehended for illegal parking and violating the number coding law in the city.

“Unless he accepts what he did is wrong and be humble enough to come to apologize to the people of Baguio, he will remain unwelcome here,” said Baguio City Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan yesterday.

Baguio traffic enforcers took the license plate and issued a violation against Largo, who was attending a seminar in the city, for his traffic infractions on 25 October 2019. This caused the judge his ire, claiming that his license plate was seized without due process and his functions as judge were impaired as he was delayed for court hearings following the incident.

Three days after the incident, Largo issued a subpoena to Baguio Peace and Order Safety Division officer Bernard Batnag and his team demanding them to appear before his sala on 29 November 2019 and explain why they should not be cited for indirect contempt of court for causing him this inconvenience.

The city council also condemned the actions of Largo where he berated personnel of the Traffic Management Unit inside their office.

Baguio Mayor Benjamin Magalong wrote to Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta on 15 November, citing that the actions of Largo was a “blatant display of arrogance and unprofessionalism.”

Olowan said that the subpoena against Batnag and his men was held in abeyance after the SC asked an explanation from Largo on his actions against the law enforcers.

Largo later on cancelled his subpoena to Batnag and his men, stating that all documents forwarded by the Baguio City Legal Office were found to be meritorious.

Olowan added that this only shows that the issuance of subpoenas against the traffic enforcers was questionable.