Judges ask for tighter security after attack on Ungab

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Judges who work in Cebu City will appeal to Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno for more security personnel, in their meeting with her today.

The chief justice and consultants of Qimonda IT Center, the building where the courtrooms are located, will review security measures after the ambush last Monday that killed lawyer and Ronda Vice Mayor Jonnah John Ungab. Ungab, 44, was shot just moments after he drove out of the court complex.

Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he has no special instructions for the police and that he trusts they know what to do.

Several groups have condemned the attack on Atty. Ungab who, the Young Lawyers’ Association of Cebu pointed out, was one of some 200 lawyers who in July 2016 signed a petition against extra-judicial killings.

Judges in the Cebu City Hall of Justice want Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to provide for more in-house security personnel and will let her know in a meeting today.

Cebu City Executive Judge Gilbert Moises said that the courthouse’s security personnel and consultants of Qimonda IT Center, the building which houses the courtrooms, will meet to discuss new security protocols.

“I hope law enforcement would bring the culprits to justice,” said Judge Moises, referring to the ambush before noon last Monday on lawyer and Ronda Vice Mayor Jonnah John Ungab.

Ungab had just driven out of the complex with his wife Pearl when a man shot him twice in the head, then fled on a motorcycle another man was driving.

“That act must be condemned, for the lawyer was just doing his job, which he had sworn to do,” Judge Moises said.

Interviewed separately, Cebu City Mayor Tomas Osmeña said he was bothered by the attack.

Like pros

He said it appeared to have been done by professional killers.

“I’m concerned because something like that shows that those killers have no fear of the law. It appears that the shooting was done by cold-blooded killers, and that’s what bothers me,” the mayor said. He said he had never met Ungab.

Osmeña added he has no special orders for the police, since they already know what to do in solving a crime.

Several groups have condemned the attack and appealed to the authorities to find the killers, hold them accountable, and