Thursday, July 10, 2008 Seares: Guarding Judge Econg By Pachico A. Seares News Sense
WHO would harm Cebu Regional Trial Court Judge Geraldine Faith Econg?
Most probably someone hurt by a decision she has issued or someone who fears an adverse ruling from her court.
A Supreme Court fact-finding team says it can't identify the person making threats on her life. She's handling many high-profile cases, anyone of which can set off murderous thoughts in a sore loser.
Of course, High Court probers aren't trained in crime sleuthing or behavior analysis. They can only speculate. Who'll be gunning after the judge? "Anyone," they say. Safe guess.
But maybe it's just a prank to spook the judge. If it is, the intent is succeeding, with some help from Judge Econg herself who isn't being quiet any more about the death threats.
The judge already feels oppressed. She doesn't want to be bullied by someone who speaks in a muted voice on the phone.
Real threat
And the threat can be real. At least one case she's handling has had a history of violence whose toll includes cult members killed by police while trying to stave off the arrest of the accused, family members of the victim massacred in their house, and one crusading private prosecutor gunned down in her office at home.
She's trying to unload the case, the charge of parricide against cult leader and former town mayor Ruben Ecleo Jr. But it's
for self-inhibition, not for fear of her life.
Or maybe it is. Judge Econg can't just rule out fear. Even though one of her bodyguards is sharpshooter SPO1 Adonis Dumpit and the judge herself packs a mean gun.
From an assassin determined to kill, no one's totally safe.
