Wednesday, July 09, 2008 Judge gets more threats despite cop’s presence
ON SPO4 Adonis Dumpit’s first day as security escort of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Geraldine Faith Econg, she got suspicious calls.
Arturo Batoctoy, a clerk at Econg’s RTC Branch 9, took the first call. The caller asked about Dumpit.
The caller asked to confirm Dumpit’s new assignment, if he is alone in the job, or if not, and how many are with him.
Batoctoy said he didn’t answer the questions clearly because he found the call suspicious.
Batoctoy said the unidentified man called again twice but wouldn’t speak when he picked up the phone.
“I knew it was still him because the background noise was the same,” Batoctoy said.
Econg picked up the phone when man called the fourth time.
“They told me what the background noise was like and I listened for it. It was the way they described it so I knew it was him. I asked him what he wanted and that I’ll face him in any forum but he did not respond,” Econg said.
“Even if there was no threat, calling repeatedly and not talking when answered is harassment... and the time has come that I’ve had enough. I am angry and I will face
them in any forum,” she said.
Judges’ security
The threats on Econg have reached the attention of the Office of the Court Administrator.
Deputy Court Administrator Ruben dela Cruz, who sits in the Supreme Court’s (SC) committee for the security of justices and judges, met with Econg last Friday.
He was accompanied by a lawyer working in his office and National Bureau of Investigation-Manila agent Marlon Tauli.
During the interview yesterday, Econg was accompanied by a female police officer who asked not to be named.
Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña had sent Dumpit for Econg’s security.
Econg said she also requested a female police officer who would be more comfortable following her around.
Cebu City Police Office Director Patrocinio Comen-dador will coordinate with Osmeña on Dumpit’s new assignment.
Comendador said he only learned about the mayor’s decision yesterday.
Designating Dumpit as Econg’s security escort is not a problem because Osmeña has the authority to reassign his own close-in security personnel to others who he thinks need it more, Comendador said.
Last Monday, Comen-dador said he signed a memorandum order designating one female police officer as the judge’s security escort. (KNR/With JST)
