The Supreme Court has cleared three judges earlier implicated by President Rodrigo Duterte in illegal drug trades after the Philippine National Police and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency failed to present evidence against them.

In a decision, the SC cleared Judges Exequil Dagala of the Dapa-Socorro, Surigao municipal circuit trial court; Adriano Savillo Iloilo City regional trial court; Domingo Casiple of Kalibo, Aklan regional trial court of involvement in illegal drug trade.

“We affirm our commitment not to shirk from our responsibility of imposing disciplinary action upon any erring judicial officer or personnel. Yet we must also be steadfast in our undertaking to not be the instrument that destroys the reputation of any member of the bench by pronouncing guilt based on speculation,” the SC said.

SC public information chief Theodore Te explained that the disclosure of the names of the Judges endangered their lives in danger and damaged their reputation.

Retired Associate Justice Roberto Abad led a fact-finding investigation, but ended the inquiry against three of the four judges. Abad said he is waiting for a reply from the police and PDEA on his query about Baguio City Benguet RTC Judge Antonio Reyes.

“Acting on his (Abad) report, the Court found that no prima facie case has been established against the said judges. It was constrained to terminate the investigation considering that despite repeated pleas, the PDEA insisted that no witness is willing to come forward and that it has exhausted the documentary evidence it can submit,” said the High Tribunal.

Last August, Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno told the four judges in Duterte’s drug list not to surrender to any police officers if there is no warrant of arrest.

The chief justice said: “A premature announcement of an informal investigation on allegation of involvement with the drug trade will have the unwarranted effect of rendering the judge veritably useless in discharging his adjudicative role.”

Duterte threatened to declare martial law. Robredo opted not to respond and Duterte apologized. DMS