IBP condemns ‘red-tagging’ of Manila judge
THE Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) on Monday condemned the “red-tagging” of a Manila Regional Trial Court (RTC) judge by a former spokesperson for the government’s anti-communist task force Lorraine Badoy.
In a statement, the IBP pointed out that red-tagging and “capricious” statements such as those allegedly made by Badoy only “foment vitriol and hate against our judges.”
“Stating rational reservations on the decisions of the judiciary is normal. Attacking its members and threatening them with bodily harm is not. The judiciary’s job is to decide disputes. And no judge should ever feel threatened just by performing that duty,” the IBP said.
To threaten judges and members of the judiciary, the IBP said, is to “sow fear” at a “critical element” of the legal system.
“If judges can be treated disdainfully without consequence, the Rule of Law becomes a hollow promise,” it said.
In her Facebook post last September 23, Badoy blasted Branch 19 Judge Marlo Magdoza-Malagar for dismissing the government’s proscription case against the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).
Badoy likewise accused Magdoza-Malagar of “lawyering for the CPP-NPA”, and called her a “friend and true ally” of the Reds.
She also wrote on Facebook: “If I kill this judge and I do so out of my political belief that all allies of the CPP NPA NDF [National Democratic Front] must be killed because there is no difference in my mind between a member of the CPP NPA NDF and their friends, then please be lenient with me.”
Badoy later deleted the post.
