House bill filed to establish marshals service for judiciary protection

A bill filed at the House of Representatives seeks to establish the Office of the Philippine Marshals Service under the Supreme Court - a law enforcement agency tasked with protecting members of the judiciary against potential attacks.

In a statement, Deputy Speaker Johnny Pimentel said he filed House Bill 5403 in response to the call of Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta for a marshals service amid recent attacks against judges.

“Right now, every active judge is a sitting duck with absolutely no protection whatsoever against potential attacks,” said Pimentel, who pointed out that 31 judiciary members had been killed while in active service since 1999.

This year alone, at least two judges had been killed --- Sindangan, Zamboanga del Norte RTC Branch 11 Judge Reymar Lacaya in May, and Tagudin, Ilocos Sur Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 25 Judge Mario Anacleto Bañez in November.

Currently, judges can only request close protection officers from the Philippine National Police.

“This arrangement is inadequate, given that judges may not readily perceive threats from angry and atrocious litigants,” Pimentel said.

Under the bill, the marshals service would be headed by a director appointed by the Chief Justice.

The director and the Supreme Court Chief Justice would determine the organizational structure, composition, and size of the marshals service.

For an individual to be a marshal, he or she should have a bachelor's degree and be at least 21 to 35 years old.

The measure mandates marshals to:

• undergo training at the Philippine Public Safety College;
• possess suitable firearms for the proper protection of court officers and properties;
• serve as “peace officers” and as such, have the power to conduct arrests, searches and seizures in accordance with existing laws and rules; and investigate and counteract crimes against judicial officers; and take and require sworn truthful statements of any person or persons so summoned in relation to cases under investigation.

— Erwin Colcol/DVM, GMA News