Judge Reymar Lacaya was the fifth judge to be murdered since Duterte came to power. Is the president's war on drugs putting jurists at risk?
May 9 was a typical busy day for Judge Reymar Lacaya. He had 17 trials scheduled to hear that Thursday, so he left early for the courthouse, more than an hour’s drive from his main office. Before heading to work, he rang his daughter to tell her to be safe, and that they would see each other on the weekend when they were both at home.
Critics said that despite placing the whole of Mindanao under martial law since 2017, Duterte has failed to prevent deadly incidents in the restive southern Philippine island. “Judge Lacaya’s killing underscores the need for accountability for these murders. Unless perpetrators are brought to justice, these violations of human rights will continue.”
Just a week before Lacaya’s death, the two long-time friends had a long conversation when their respective families ran into each other at a grocery store in the provincial capital, Dipolog City. Lotis S. Paburada, who once served as a legal researcher in court for Lacaya, said he always treated his staff fairly “with no air of superiority.”When he was first appointed as judge, Lacaya would take the bus every day at 5am to make it to work on time at 8am. He did this for years until he turned 60, when he bought his pickup truck, and started driving, his daughter, Joy, recalled.
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