A PRESIDING judge of Branch 28 of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte, is facing dismissal from the judiciary and disbarment in connection with the 2019 murder of a fellow judge.
In a ruling posted on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, the Supreme Court (SC) En Banc ordered the dismissal and disbarment of Judge Oscar D. Tomarong, presiding judge of RTC Branch 28 in Liloy.
The SC said the decision stemmed from disciplinary proceedings initiated by the Judicial Integrity Board (JIB), following Tomarong’s criminal conviction for orchestrating the killing of Judge Reymar L. Lacaya, then presiding judge of RTC Branch 11 in Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte.
According to the ruling, the two judges were reassigned to each other’s court branches in 2019. Judge Lacaya was shot dead after a court hearing in Branch 28, when gunshots were heard as he was walking toward his car parked behind the court building. He was later found lifeless beside the vehicle.
During the criminal trial, Juliber Cabating, a public works employee who also served as Tomarong’s errand aide, testified that Tomarong instructed him to look for hired killers to murder Lacaya. Cabating said Tomarong paid the killers P250,000 through him.
As penalties, the SC ordered Tomarong’s dismissal from the service, forfeiture of his retirement benefits, disbarment from the practice of law, and perpetual disqualification from reemployment in government.
The Court reiterated that murder is a crime involving moral turpitude, describing it as a grave offense warranting dismissal under the Rules of Court. Moral turpitude, the SC explained, refers to acts that are grossly immoral, dishonest, and contrary to one’s duty to society.
The SC described Tomarong’s actions as among the most serious violations of judicial duty.
“At a time when rising attacks against judges have necessitated the adoption of protective measures, a judge committing the murder of a fellow judge must be punished swiftly and severely,” the Court said in its ruling.
Although Tomarong’s criminal conviction remains under appeal, the SC ruled that a final conviction is not required to impose administrative sanctions. It stressed that disciplinary cases only require substantial evidence to establish wrongdoing.
The SC also declared Tomarong unfit to practice law, citing the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability, which prohibits lawyers from engaging in unlawful, dishonest, or immoral conduct. The Court emphasized that a lawyer who shows “utter disregard for the sanctity of human life” cannot remain a member of the legal profession.
The SC further reminded all courts of their duty to promptly report any convictions of judges and court personnel to the JIB, in accordance with the Rules of Court. (JJL)