Baguio LGU to file raps vs. 2 judges after background check revealed ‘anong klaseng judge sila’

The Baguio City government will be filing administrative cases against two judges for intervening in an erring driver's arrest and defying its ordinance, respectively, the city's Mayor Benjamin Magalong said Tuesday.

Magalong was referring to Baguio City Judge Roberto Mabalot who is being accused of intervening for the release of taxi driver Jone Dominguez Buclay who was brought to the police station for trying to run over Patrolman Julius Walang who was assigned at the Baguio City Traffic Enforcement Unit last December 31, 2019—an incident caught on video that has since gone viral.

The other judge was Judge Nelson Largo of the Municipal Trial Court of Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija who issued a subpoena on personnel of Baguio City’s Public Order and Safety Division (POSD) and threatened to cite them in contempt if they fail to honor the subpoena.

Largo’s issuance of subpoena came about after Bernard Batnag, a POSD enforcer issued the citation ticket and confiscated the license plate of Largo’s vehicle because of a parking and coding violation on Abanao Street last October 25, 2019.

“Kakasuhan namin sila ng administrative case. We are already coordinating with Court Administrator Midas Marquez,” Magalong said.

“Na-background check na rin namin sila, at nalaman na namin kung anong klaseng judge sila. Kaya we will be very persistent…kakasuhan namin sila,” Magalong added.

GMA News Online is still trying to contact the two judges for comment on Magalong's statement.

But Mabalot has already denied throwing his weight at the police station for the release of the erring taxi driver, saying that he came to the police station on the request of a relative and that he even scolded the driver for drunk driving.

Mabalot also said that he only assured the driver that he will not be detained since the penalty for reckless driving is paying a fine, and that they only left the police station after learning that a police blotter on the incident was already drawn up.

The Baguio police earlier said it will be filing criminal charges only against the driver and not Mabalot, who will end up facing an administrative complaint instead from the local government.

Largo, for his part, had already recalled the subpoena for the POSD personnel. Still, the Baguio City council declared him persona non grata or unwelcome in Baguio City due to judge’s abuse of contempt power. — MDM, GMA News