Setting the record straight

In reference to the article written by Mr. Janvic Mateo entitled “After 18, years, kidnap victims get justice” which was released on Aug. 27, 2015 and Aug. 28 editorial entitled “A national embarrassment,” we would like to inform your office, just to put the record straight in the interest of justice, that Judge Marilou D. Runes Tamang, MNSA, was just recently appointed as permanent judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 98 of Quezon City in June 2015.

The case was deemed submitted for decision in February 2015 and the decision was rendered barely three months after her assumption of office notwithstanding the four volumes of the record of the case which she had to review. She started conducting hearings only on August 24, 2015 and it was her third hearing date when the decision was promulgated.

The case was heard and tried by several judges who have already retired. She could have opted to defer resolving the case but instead proceeded to decide and promulgate the decision considering the length of time the case had remained pending.– Atty. Rizza Abella Aquino, Clerk of Court, RTC Branch 98, Quezon City