‘Mega shabu’ cases venue transfer set

To spare her staff from alleged offensive demeanor of an accused, the presiding judge of the Virac Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 43 handling the illegal drug cases in connection with the “mega shabu” laboratory in the municipality in 2016 ordered the transfer of venue of the cases.

Judge Lelu Contreras disclosed this as she wanted to do away with what she termed offensive demeanor of one of the accused in the case, former NBI Anti-Illegal Drugs Unit head Augusto Eric Isidoro to her staff.

The judge explained that initially, she did not agree to the transfer of venue, even when she will inhibit, because the security of the witnesses is more important than that of the prosecutors.

“However, after I was subjected to verbal assaults by the principal accused, Augusto Eric Isidoro, I changed my position and I agreed to the transfer of venue in order to spare my staff, who will still be handling the cases despite my inhibition, from the abusive conduct of Isidoro,” Contreras said.

In an order dated April 24, Contreras said she received a call from the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) on April 20 directing her to comment on the request filed by former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II asking Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio to transfer the cases filed against Isidoro from the Virac RTC to either a Quezon City or a Makati RTC and to issue an order to the accused to comment on the same request.