As they condemned the shooting incident inside the Cebu Palace Hall of Justice last Tuesday, January 22, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Iloilo chapter members are calling for stricter security in the courts.

In a phone interview, Atty. Noel Palomado, vice-president of IBP-Iloilo said that it should serve as a wake-up call for authorities to increase efforts in protecting lawyers, members of the judiciary and also innocent civilians attending court proceedings.

But, Palomado admitted that since the rehabilitation of the Ramon Avancena Hall of Justice remains hanging, it is hard for authorities to provide the necessary security personnel since the courts here are scattered.

Presently, the Regional Trial Court is at the De Paul College, the Municipal Circuit Trial Courts at the Iloilo Terminal Market and the rest are in other areas in the city.

Atty. Janet Dillomes of the Women Lawyers Association of the Philippines said the incident could have been avoided if there’s strict implementation of security procedures with the aid of metal detecting devices.

She said that a simple wooden stick used by guards to check the bags could not detect a carefully disguised weapon.

“I suggest that aside from lawyers and court employees carrying case folders, everybody else should not be allowed to bring in bags while proceedings are ongoing,” she said.

Meanwhile, former IBP-Iloilo president Atty. Hans Sayno also shared the same sentiment.

“We need guards and police officers to strictly implement security rules,” he said.

Last Tuesday, at the Cebu Palace Hall of Justice, retired Canadian journalist John Pope shot to death a doctor and a lawyer and wounded a prosecutor, who is now in critical condition.

Pope was then shot by responding police officers.

The IBP national chapter released a statement yesterday condemning the said violence.

“The IBP condemns in the strongest terms the violence that has erupted in the Cebu City court, calling attention to the increasing incidents of deadly work-related violence against lawyers all over the country,” the IBP said in a statement.

Meanwhile, all 85 IBP chapters nationwide with other agencies will create a special task force to address the threats, violence and intimidation on lawyers around the country.*