CamSur judge slain; suspect nabbed

LEGAZPI CITY – A judge in Camarines Sur was killed by a lone assailant in Barangay Sta. Maria, Presentacion town on Tuesday.

Ricky Begino, 50, San Jose-Lagonoy Metropolitan Circuit Trial Court presiding judge, died while being treated at the Naga Imaging Center Cooperative Doctors Hospital.

The suspect and Begino’s neighbor, Wilfredo Armea, 73, was arrested at around 8:40 a.m. yesterday.

Witnesses said Begino was standing in front of his house when Armea approached and shot the judge in the nape.

Probers are eyeing a land dispute as the motive for the killing.

However, Begino’s sister Agnes said the land dispute was settled several years ago.

Agnes said Begino recently rejected a plea agreement on a case filed against Armea and it could have angered the suspect.

Justice for Begino

“Take all the necessary steps with deliberate speed to do justice for Judge Begino,” Carpio said.

Ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno lauded authorities for their “prompt action,” but stressed the need to address the “increasing frequency of violent attacks against our people, including those involved in the administration of justice.”

Sereno said Begino ”served with idealism especially pronounced when he led the Philippine Trial Judges League in 2016 to 2017.”

“He was a kind and good human being,” she added.