Gunmen kill judge in northern Philippines; judges’ association calls for right to bear arms

Judges want to bear arms after Philippine shooting

MANILA, Philippines — Motorcycle-riding gunmen killed a regional trial court judge in the northern Philippines on Monday, prompting calls to exempt judges from a current gun ban.

Judge Reynaldo Lacasandile was waiting for a ride to go to work when one of two men on a motorcycle shot him twice with a pistol in Vigan province’s Tagudin township. He died while being brought to a hospital, police said, adding the attack could be work-related.

It was the second fatal attack on a judge this year. A judge was shot to death in northern Cagayan province last May. Two other justices survived separate grenade and bomb attacks in April.

The Philippine Judges Association condemned Lacasandile’s killing and asked the police to track down and punish the gunmen. It said judges facing threats should be exempted by the Commission on Elections from a gun ban ahead of nationwide village elections on Oct. 25.

While some judges facing threats should be allowed to bear arms, Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Corona said he opposes the wholesale arming of judges.

“It’s not good for the judiciary’s image if all our judges will go around with .45 pistols or M16 rifles,” Corona told reporters. “We will be like in the Wild, Wild West.”