Judge who convicted notorious carjacker shot dead

MANILA, Philippines – A regional trial court judge who convicted a notorious carjacker in 2012 was killed in an ambush by unidentified men in Ticay, Malolos City yesterday afternoon.

Judge Wilfredo Nieves, presiding judge of the Malolos RTC Branch 84, died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds in the body.

In April 2012, he had sent Raymond Dominguez to prison for up to 30 years for carjacking. The Dominguez gang was also linked to the grisly murders of car dealers Benson Evangelista and Emerson Lozano, the son of Marcos loyalist lawyer Oliver Lozano.

Police said Nieves was ambushed at at about 5 p.m. along MacArthur Highway in Barangay Ticay, Malolos City.

Initial investigation showed that Nieves left his office at the Capitol
compound in Malolos, Bulacan around 4:30 p.m. in his Toyota Fortuner with license plate UOC-273 and headed home.

As he slowed down for a stoplight on MacArthur Highway, the suspects got out of a silver Toyota Innova and a motorcycle and fired at Nieves’ vehicle.

The judge suffered multiple gunshot wounds in different parts of his body.

Investigators are still trying to determine the motive for the killing.

Malacañang had lauded Nieves’ conviction of Dominguez.

“Judge Nieves took only a year and four months to resolve the case,” presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said in a statement upon learning of the decision in January 2011.

“It proves that with honest and committed public servants, our judicial system can work effectively toward fulfilling its duties to the public,” Lacierda said.