Roque: Tarp 'thanking' judge who released Salem, Esparago is not red-tagging

The tarpaulin linking Mandaluyong Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Monique Quisumbing-Ignacio to Communist Party is not tantamount to red tagging, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said.

Roque was referring to the judge who junked illegal possession of firearms charges filed against journalist Lady Ann Salem and union leader Rodrigo Esparago last February 5 because of police’s conflicting claims on the evidence they presented and inaccurate testimonies.

Judge Ignacio figured in a tarpaulin showing the supposed communist party thanking her for junking the charges against Salem and Esparago.

“Bakit nagko-conclude na tayo na nared-tag si Judge base sa tarpaulin? Kahit sino puwede magsabit ng tarpaulin,” Roque said in a Palace briefing.

(Why conclude that the judge is being red-tagged based on a tarpaulin? Anybody can hang a tarpaulin.)

“Let us not conclude that the Judge has been red-tagged. Authorities are already investigating this incident,” he added.

Roque then warned those behind such tarpaulin will face consequences since there are closed circuit television cameras in the area.

“Mahuhuli po kayo kasi may CCTV sa area kaya malalaman natin ‘yan. (You will be caught in the CCTV footages and will be exposed),” he said.

“I refuse to conclude that the Judge is being red-tagged. We should wait for the results of the investigation. Let us not make a hasty conclusion,” he added.

Roque earlier said that the public should assume regularity in actions taken by judges, considering that a strong evidence needs to be presented to them before they take any action on a pending case.

The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) earlier decried the presence of such tarpaulin.

“Such incriminating claims in the tarpaulin that links Judge Quisumbing-Ignacio to the Communist Party of the Philippines without any specific and verifiable evidence exposes her to grave danger,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia said in a statement.

Bayan Muna Partylist Representative Ferdinand Gaite said the tarpaulin red-tagging Judge Quisumbing-Ignacio was posted along Shaw Boulevard corner EDSA.

The Courts are under attack! After PNP's attempt to profile HR lawyers, now we're seeing harassment vs. judges who expose their flawed searches! It can be recalled that Judge Quisumbing-Ignacio dismissed the trumped-up charges vs Salem, Esparago after irregularities... pic.twitter.com/2YKH8llPe4

— Bayan Muna Rep. Ferdinand Gaite (@FerdinandGaite) March 16, 2021

—AOL, GMA News