THE Supreme Court (SC) on Sunday expressed "outrage" in the shooting incident that killed a Butuan trial court judge.
Judge Godofredo Abul Jr. was killed after a motorcycle-riding gunmen open fired at his vehicle while he and his wife were about to leave their house 10 a.m. of Saturday. His wife was wounded.
"The Chief Justice and the Associate Justices express their outrage and sadness at the killing of the Honorable Presiding Judge Godofredo Abul Jr. of the Regional Trial Court of Butuan City, Branch 4 and the injuries inflicted on his wife [on Saturday]," the SC said.
The magistrates in their statement further urged the authorities to hasten its investigation and deliver justice for the couple.
"They (Justices) call on the authorities concerned to take all necessary steps with all deliberate speed to do justice for judge Abul and his wife by fully investigating the crimes committed," the statement read.
According to Chief Inspector Ephraim Detuya, Butuan City police station 4 commander, Abul was supposed to return to work this August after being suspended by the High Court last February over a case of extortion filed against him by a Catholic priest, whose relative is facing drug cases.
Abul was the second judge killed since President Rodrigo Duterte assumed office.
Last February 2, Retired Surigao City judge Victor Canoy was gunned down also by unknown gunmen while he was buying food at an eatery.
Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) governor for Eastern Mindanao Dennis Bacala condemned the attack against Abul.
In his social media post, he called the killing a "blow to the law profession."
"The IBP Eastern Mindanao condemns in the strongest possible terms this atrocity. This kind of violent attack is not only an attack to the person of the Honorable Judge but this is an attack to our institution,” Bacala said. (SunStar Philippines)