The Supreme Court has suspended a judge from the Malabon City Regional Trial Court for “overissuance of search warrants.”
In a two-page en banc resolution dated May 31, 2016 signed and promulgated by Clerk of Court of the en banc Felipa Anama, the SC ordered that Malabon City RTC Branch 170 Judge Zaldy B. Docena suspended for six months pending the completion of an investigation on the issuance of search of warrants.
Judge Docena happened to handle the controversial case of Ruby Rose Barrameda, the sister of actress Rochelle Barrameda, who was killed and her body was found inside a steel drum sealed with cement recovered from the Navotas City seaport.
The SC issued the resolution upon the recommendation of the Office of the Court Administrator headed by Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez.
The SC also held responsible Malabon City RTC Executive Judge Celso Raymundo L. Magsino and he was ordered to be relieved from his post as executive judge and shall be included in the investigation.
“Relieve Judge Celso Raymundo L. Magsino, Branch 74, same court, from his duties as Executive Judge of RTC Malabon City, and include him in the investigation in view of the apparent irregularity in the raffle of applications for search warrants,” the SC said.
The SC has tapped Judge Edmund Batara to be the new executive judge and Judge Emmanuel Laurea to be the new vice executive judge.
The SC also ordered the OCA to “immediately seal/secure all records/folders pertaining to the applications for search warrant received by Judge Docena.”
The overissuance of search warrants was discovered following the preliminary results of the spot audit in the sala of Judge Docena.
