The Philippines: SC to form task force to address judges’ killings

November 24, 2015

After a spate of recent killings targeting judges, the Supreme Court on Tuesday afternoon the creation of a task force that will address the issue.

Based on a report from The STAR, SC urged its committee on security chaired by Justice Marvic Leonen to form a task force that will coordinate with appropriate agencies in addressing the killing of judges following the third justice slain in the last three months.

The high court said it condemns the killing of the judges which weakens the fair decision-making of the law.

…

In September, an Australian Law professor sent a letter to Philstar.com mentioning that the “Philippines is a very dangerous place for lawyers” following the number of attacks to lawyers and judges.

http://m.philstar.com/headlines/show/dad30c57429f154e83bd6892b2199908?t=foh5t6kohubmn8bea9iqju6cj0

(PhilStar) The Philippines: Australian law prof: Philippines a very dangerous place for lawyers

September 8, 2015

(Crime scene investigators examine the vehicle of slain trial court Judge Jude Erwin Alaba at the court compound in Barangay Suklayin, Baler, Aurora September 1. )

An Australian law professor on Monday said the “Philippines is a very dangerous place for lawyers” following the death of a Baler Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge.

In a letter sent to Philstar.com, Gill Boehringer, former dean of Macquarie University School of Law in Sydney, Australia, urged the government to act on protecting the lawyers under threat.

“Lawyers are not the most admired profession, but without them the rule of law would not survive. It is often the lawyers who are most concerned to protect the rights of others without thought for their own safety who are the victims of murderous attacks,”

Boehringer cited that Baler RTC Judge Erwin Alba, shot dead last September 1, was the 24th judge murdered in the Philippines since 1999.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/09/08/1497377/australian-law-prof-philippines-very-dangerous-place-lawyers

The Philippines: SC asks for full probe on Bulacan judge’s slay

November 13, 2015

The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday called on authorities to leave no stone unturned in investigating the killing of Malolos, Bulacan Regional Trial Court Judge Wilfredo Nieves last Wednesday.

In a statement, the SC said “the court condemns in the strongest terms the killing of Judge Nieves and calls on the authorities concerned to take all necessary steps with all deliberate speed to do justice for
Judge Nieves by fully investigating his killing.”  Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, who supervises judges in the country, tasked Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva to go to Bulacan to coordinate with authorities for the investigation.

http://www.tribune.net.ph/nation/sc-asks-for-full-probe-on-bulacan-judge-s-slay

The Philippines: Zero budget for OFWs’ legal assistance in ’16

September 8, 2015

As the Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs)’s vote is not that important to the administration for the 2016 presidential elections, the OFW sector is no longer in the radar of priorities of the Aquino administration.

This was how Kabataan Rep. Terry Ridon described the Aquino administration’s treatment of the OFWs after budget documents revealed the Aquino administration has not allotted even a single centavo for legal assistance for OFWs in 2016.

Ahead of yesterday’s congressional deliberation for the budget of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Ridon noted the “conspicuous absence” of any particular item of appropriation for the Legal Assistance Fund (LAF).

http://www.tribune.net.ph/headlines/zero-budget-for-ofws-legal-assistance-in-16

The Philippines: Baler judge shot dead, wife hurt

September 2, 2015

A gunman on a motorcycle shot and killed yesterday afternoon the judge who last year acquitted a New People’s Army (NPA) commander accused of killing two soldiers 15 years ago.

His wife sustained a bullet wound in the left arm and is under observation in a hospital.

Police said 45-year-old Judge Jude Erwin Alaba of Baler Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 91 was shot in the chest.

He was declared dead on arrival at the hospital.

http://www.philstar.com/headlines/2015/09/02/1494997/baler-judge-shot-dead-wife-hurt

Philipppines: Lawyer killed, 2 wounded in Cebu ambush

August 13, 2015

CEBU CITY, Philippines — A female lawyer was killed while her law partner and office staff were wounded when they were ambushed by still unidentified men in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City, Cebu, past 6 p.m. on Thursday.

SPO2 Juan Calamba, desk officer of the Mandaue City Police Station 5, identified the fatality as Amelie Ocañada Alegre, 35.

Wounded were her law partner, Briccio Boholst and an office staff, Antonio Pino who were both recuperating at the University of Cebu Medical Center in Mandaue.

Boholst is a former Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City president and Mandaue city administrator.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/712815/lawyer-killed-2-wounded-in-cebu-ambush

Philippines: The Law Society of Upper Canada expresses concern about human rights violations faced by lawyers and members of the judiciary in the Philippines

TORONTO, May 6, 2015 /CNW/ – The Law Society of Upper Canada is deeply concerned about the ongoing human rights violations faced by lawyers and judges in the Philippines.

The 2015 Day of the Endangered Lawyer was dedicated to lawyers in the Philippines. Reports indicate that at least 41 lawyers and 18 judges have been murdered in the Philippines since 2001. An increasing number of lawyers and judges have been harassed and attacked.  According to the Basic Report on the Human Rights Lawyers under Continuing Threat in the Philippines, in these cases “only very scarcely a perpetrator is arrested and nearly never prosecuted or punished by the courts.”

http://www.newswire.ca/en/story/1531631/the-law-society-of-upper-canada-expresses-concern-about-human-rights-violations-faced-by-lawyers-and-members-of-the-judiciary-in-the-philippines

Philippines: AFP ordered to file charges vs personnel who allegedly harassed lawyer

The Court of Appeals has ordered the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to identify those in their ranks that are allegedly harassing a human rights lawyer and file appropriate charges against them.

In a 22-page decision, the appeals court Former Special Sixth Division also ordered respondents to produce before the court for possible destruction all information that the military has gathered about Atty. Maria Catherine Dannug-Salucon including records, photographs and dossiers.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/681254/afp-ordered-to-file-charges-vs-personnel-who-allegedly-harassed-lawyer

The Philippines: CA issues writs of protection to Cordillera human rights lawyer

MANILA – In a landmark decision, the Court of Appeals issued the writs of amparo and habeas data for Cordillera human rights lawyer Maria Catherine Salucon on March 12. Salucon filed a petition for the writs of amparo and habeas data in April 2014, following a series of harassment and intimidation against her by state agents. She is a founding member and current auditor of the National Union of People’s Lawyers (NUPL), and handles its cases in the Cordillera and Cagayan Valley regions. – See more at: http://bulatlat.com/main/2015/03/17/ca-issues-writs-of-protection-to-cordillera-human-rights-lawyer/#sthash.jGDTkFy3.lnywUrmO.dpuf

http://bulatlat.com/main/2015/03/17/ca-issues-writs-of-protection-to-cordillera-human-rights-lawyer/

(IAPL) Day of Endangered Lawyer 2015

Click to see pdf version

The IAPL expresses solidarity with lawyers and legal workers around the world on the Fifth “Day of the Endangered Lawyer”, Friday, January 23, 2015. The date has been celebrated since 2010. The international focus this year is on the Philippines and IAPL has deep concern for our colleagues in the Philippines who have experienced the loss of more than 100 fighters of legal profession since 1998.

Attacks on lawyers, fatal and otherwise, occur across the world in all types of countries. They are increasing in frequency. More than 1000 lawyers and legal workers have been killed or disappeared in the past several decades.