“Not 8 o’clock yet” Davide barred from Palace of Justice

CEBU, Philippines - The security personnel of the Palace of Justice at the Capitol Compound did not allow Cebu Governor Hilario Davide III to enter the building early morning yesterday saying that it is not 8:00 o’clock in the morning yet.

Davide and an aide have roamed around the Capitol premises yesterday before the office hours until he thought of visiting the court sala of his friend, Judge Bienvenido Saniel Jr., for coffee.

Upon reaching the main entrance of the building, Davide said he was told by the guard on duty that it is not 8:00 o’clock yet.

“Wa lang pud ko nipugos,” Davide told reporters.

Davide said he tried to show his identification card but he changed his mind even if he saw already some court employees entering the building.

“Ang mga empleyado gipasud kay mga empleyado man sa korte, di man ko empleyado sa korte,” Davide said. (The employees were allowed inside. I am not an employee.)

It was no big deal for him saying the security personnel were just doing their jobs in implementing stricter security measures after the shooting incident happened inside the court early this year.

Davide said that when he was in practice of his profession as lawyer, he used to come for hearing in court earlier and they can just enter the building.

Ronald Jayme, one of the security guards detailed in front of the Palace of Justice, told the media that they failed to recognize Davide and did not allow him to enter the premises.

“He arrived at around 7:45 a.m. which is not an office hour. It is the protocol that visitors are not allowed to enter the Palace unless it’s already 8:00 a.m.,” he said in Bisaya.

But he said if only he realized that it was the governor of Cebu, he would have accompanied Davide to the sala of Judge Bienvenido Saniel Jr.

“After we told him that he is not allowed to enter the premises, he told us ‘Okay I will come back,’” he said in Bisaya.

It was too late when someone informed them it was Davide they turned away, but the governor already left.

Aside from Jayme, another security guard detailed at the entrance was Rex Amay, also of the Eagle Matrix Agency.

The security guards asked for apology.

The security measures in the Palace of Justice were strengthened after a shooting rampage inside the premises killed Dr. Rene Rafols and his lawyer Jubian Achas and wounded assistant city prosecutor Ma Theresa Casiño. The suspect, John Holdridge Pope, also shot himself.

Meanwhile, RTC judges also visited Davide’s office last Monday where they expressed concern on the Palace of Justice sitting at the provincial lot inside the Capitol compound.

One of the concerns is that the Supreme Court cannot introduce improvements on the building unless the property is donated.

Davide said he still has to take up the matter with the Provincial Board and he would like to know the nature of the use of the property.

Davide also wished that the Palace of Justice is improved./JPM (FREEMAN)