Progressive groups have renewed their campaign against the appointment of a controversial trial court judge to the appellate court, citing her “troubling history” of issuing dubious search warrants.
The Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Movement Against Tyranny (MAT) and the Makabayan coalition of progressive party lists have written to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. opposing the inclusion of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge (QC-RTC) Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert to the shortlist of possible appointees to the Court of Appeals.
In their letter received by the Office of the President today (July 10), MAT Convenor Sr. Mary John Mananzan, OSB and BAYAN Chairperson Teddy Casiño urged Marcos not to appoint Villavert and opposing Marcos’ inclusion of the judge in a shortlist the Judicial and Bar Council in a letter dated June 27.
“[Villavert is] widely known for having issued numerous search warrants that became the basis for raids, arrests, and the filing of questionable charges against human rights defenders, trade unionists, community organizers, and other activists,” Mananzan and Casiño wrote.
BAYAN and MAT said her appointment would “send a dangerous signal: that judges who lend their office to politically motivated abuses can be rewarded with promotion, rather than held accountable.”
Both groups cited Villavert’s warrant that led to the Bacolod City raids of October 31, 2019 that led to the arrest of 57 unionists, activists and women’s rights advocates, all of whom were later freed by other courts for insufficiency of evidence and irregularity.
Villavert also issued the search warrant against three Bayan-Manila activists that ultimately led to the death of Baby River Nasino who was born in jail and separated from his mother as an infant.
READ: Group to Judicial Council: Remember Baby River
The QC-RTC judge also issued the warrant against journalist Lady Ann Salem and union organizer Rodrigo Esparago, along with three other unionists who were arrested on human rights day in 2020.
Villavert’s warrants also led to the Bloody Sunday massacre of March 7, 2021 that killed nine activists and arrested several more across the Southern Tagalog region.
The Judicial and Bar Council 9JBC) screens and recommends nominees for judicial positions to the President who makes the final appointment. The JBC however accepts letters and petitions in favor of or against applicants such as Villavert.
In their separate petition, Makabayan expressed “strong opposition” to any possibility of Villavert’s promotion to a higher position in the judiciary “now and in the future.”
“The Judiciary should be helmed by magistrates who have not only demonstrated competence, independence, and probity, but have unsullied records of standing for human rights,” Makabayan wrote.
The progressive bloc of partylists noted that most of Villavert’s warrants accommodated requests from the police but have been deem insufficient or defective by fellow judges across the Philippines.
Villavert had been an applicant for the Court of Appeals for several years already.
Makabayan’s letter was signed by ACT Teacher’s Party Rep. Antonio Tinio, Kabataan Youth Party Rep. Renee Co, former ACT Rep. France Castro and former Gabriela Women’s Party Rep. Arlene Brosas. # (Raymund B. Villanueva)
