SC tackles Badoy’s issue on judge
We members of Hukom Inc., an organization of trial court judges, view these acts of red tagging, online vilification, doxxing and others as attacks on the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary
Daily TribuneWe members of Hukom Inc., an organization of trial court judges, view these acts of red tagging, online vilification, doxxing and others as attacks on the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary
The Supreme Court will tackle today, 4 October, the threat on Manila Regional Trial Court Judge Mario A. Magdoza -Malagar by Loraine Marie T. Badoy, former spokesperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict.
Earlier, the high bench initiated the administrative case on its own (motu propio) on "threats" against Magdoza -Malagar in connection with the dismissal of the petition for proscription filed by the Department of Justice.
In the said decision dated 21 September, the judge also declared that the Communist Party of the Philippines and its armed wing, the New People's Army are not terrorist organizations.
Judge Malagar's ruling drew criticisms from the public, one of them in the social media posts of Badoy.
The motu proprio case denominated as A.M. No. 22-09-16-SC (Re: Judge Marlo A. Magdoza-Malagar) was first taken up last 27 September.
A resolution was issued by the court after its full court deliberation which states: "The Court STERNLY WARNS those who continue to incite violence through social media and other means which endanger the lives of judges and their families, and that this SHALL LIKEWISE BE CONSIDERED A CONTEMPT OF THIS COURT and will be dealt with accordingly."
The SC, however, did not order Badoy to explain or comment on the motu proprio administrative case. Legal quarters said Badoy may be cited in indirect contempt of court which is punishable with fine or imprisonment of six months, or both at the discretion of the court.
Badoy, in her Facebook post last 23 September, accused Judge Malagar of "lawyering" for the CPP-NPA.
"So if I kill this judge and I do so out of my political belief that all allies of the CPP-NPA-NDF (National Democratic Front) must be killed because there is no difference in my mind between a member of the CPP-NPA-NDF and their friends, then please be lenient with me," Badoy also stated in her Facebook post that was deleted last Saturday, 24 September.
Even before the issuance of the SC resolution last 27 September, Hukom Inc. — a group of trial court judges — condemned the attack against Judge Malagar in a statement issued last 26 September.
"We members of Hukom Inc., an organization of trial court judges, view these acts of red tagging, online vilification, doxxing and others as attacks on the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary.
We cannot rest easy and accept them as normal and ordinary. These acts must be called out because of their chilling effect on the exercise of our judicial functions and the lasting damage they cause our institutions," the group said.