Judge Alfredo Ampuan of Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court tries his hand on a .38-revolver

QUEZON CITY, Philippines – The 3-day “Courtroom Security Training for Judges” ended with a bang, literally, as Metro Manila judges filled a shooting range in Quezon City on Wednesday.

From revolvers to semi-automatic pistols and shotguns, Metro Manila judges were taught how to shoot at the Stronghand Indoor Shooting Range in E. Rodriguez Avenue in Quezon City as part of their “security awareness” training.

The training was launched based on the order of the Supreme Court through the Philippine Judicial Academy. It was conducted in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and in partnership with the European Union-Philippines Justice Support Programme.

Metro Manila judges, who are considered high-risk because of threats to their life due to their handling of high-profile cases, were invited by the Supreme Court to attend the training.

Lady judges were not exempted from the firearms training during the Courtroom Security Training for Judges organized by the Supreme Court

Guns were only a portion of the course. The seminar focused on understanding and assessing risks and threats, the basic concept of courtroom security, surveillance, security, emergency scenarios, and technical facts on firearms and explosives.

“Pati iyong awareness nga. Paglabas mo pa lang ng bahay, aware ka na, ‘yong mga possible threats. Kasi kung walang training, judges would not be aware, [they] would not detect,” explained Judge Jimmy Santiago of the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 12.

Santiago was a decorated policeman before he joined the judiciary. He was known in the 80’s as Senior Police Officer 4 Jimmy Santiago, the sharpshooter of then-Western Police District which covered Manila.

But not all those who attended are gun enthusiasts.

Judge Carissa Frondozo of Manila Metropoltan Trial Court Branch 7 admits it was a nerve-shaking experience for her.

Manila RTC Branch 7 Judge Clarissa Frondozo verifies her shots on the target paper as she loads another magazine

“Sa una, siyempre, nakakakaba, instinctive naman iyon eh, na di ba magpi-flinch ka ‘pag may baril?” said Frondozo after firing 9mm and revolver pistols. She also fired a shotgun.

Atty. Ed Villarta of NBI said he was impressed with the judges who were new in handling guns. After checking the target paper from Frondozo’s shots, Villarta said “Ge-grade natin? Puwede nang 90 or 95!”

Judge Silvino Pampilo Jr. of Manila Branch 26 said it’s been years since he tried practice shooting.

Pampilo has an actual threat to his life. Last April 14, Pampilo’s car was bombed while parked outside his house in a subdivision in Taytay, Rizal.

Police believed that the possible motive behind the attempt on Pampilo’s life may be connected to the high-profile cases that he was handling.

Some of the cases in his sala include:

• the eviction of oil depots in Pandacan;
• the case filed by Sulpicio Lines against PAGASA alleging that the weather agency’s erroneous weather forecast caused the sinking of M/V Princess of the Stars;
• the US$683 million dollar-salting case filed against former First Lady Imelda Marcos;
• Atty. Jose Miguel “Mike” Arroyo’s libel case;
• the declaration that the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority has no police power;
• the extra-judicial killing case filed against former Maj. Gen. Jovito Palparan; and,
• tthe motion seeking to declare the Presidential Anti-Smuggling Group as an unconstitutional body.

Pampilo now lives with security escorts.

“Siguro, itutuloy-tuloy namin ito para lahat ng mga judges ay matuto para humawak ng baril, lalong-lalo na ngayon na, at present, ang napatay na judges ay 23 na” said Pampilo. Photos by Jorge Cariño

Judge Jimmy Santiago, formerly known as “Sharpshooter”, checks out target papers