SC disbars RTC judge over ‘murder’

The Supreme Court (SC) has ordered the dismissal and disbarment of a regional trial court judge for orchestrating the 2019 murder of a colleague, describing the act as a “patent breach” of judicial duty.

In a decision dated 29 July 2025, the high court stripped Oscar Tomarong, presiding judge of RTC Branch 28 in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte, of his office and all retirement benefits. The court also ordered his name stricken from the roll of attorneys and perpetually disqualified him from government employment.

The administrative case followed Tomarong’s criminal conviction for the killing of Judge Reymar Lacaya, who presided over RTC Branch 11 in Sindangan.

According to court records, the two judges had been reassigned to each other’s branches shortly before the killing. Lacaya was shot dead beside his vehicle behind the Liloy court building after an afternoon hearing.

During the trial, an errand aide testified that Tomarong instructed him to hire assassins and paid P250,000 for the hit. Other witnesses corroborated the testimony, identifying the suspects fleeing the scene.

The Supreme Court ruled that murder is a crime of “moral turpitude,” which justifies the ultimate administrative penalty of dismissal. The justices defined moral turpitude as acts that are grossly immoral and contrary to a person’s duty to society.

“At a time when attacks against judges have prompted measures to protect members of the Bench, a judge who commits the murder of a fellow judge must be punished swiftly and severely,” the SC said.

While Tomarong’s criminal conviction is currently under appeal, the court emphasized that a final criminal judgment is not required for administrative sanctions. Administrative proceedings require only “substantial evidence,” a lower threshold than the “beyond a reasonable doubt” standard used in criminal trials.