MANILA, Philippines — Following the fatal shooting of a regional trial court judge, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan has urged the full implementation of the Judiciary Marshals Act to safeguard members of the legal system.
Judge Joseph Wee Sit, the 38-year-old presiding judge of Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 2 in Isabela City, Basilan, was shot and killed in Zamboanga City on Thursday morning, November 12. Police reports indicated that Wee Sit was driving toward the Tumaga flea market at around 5:25 a.m. when two unidentified suspects on a white motorcycle pulled up beside his vehicle and opened fire.
The attackers fled toward the Tumaga Bypass Road. Responding police officers transported the judge to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead at 6:30 a.m.
Expressing grief and outrage over the incident, Pangilinan issued a statement on Friday, November 13.
“My heartfelt condolences go out to the family, loved ones, and colleagues of Judge Joseph M. Wee Sit of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 2, in Isabela City, Basilan. The judge was still very young. He would have turned 39 next week, on November 21, and had served in the judiciary for only a little over a year,” Pangilinan said.
“I strongly condemn his killing,” the senator stressed.
Pangilinan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, noted that the attack directly threatens judicial independence and public confidence in the justice system.
“It also strikes at the right of ordinary Filipinos to seek justice within our criminal justice system without fear,” he said, reiterating that “The Judiciary Marshals Act, enacted in 2022, must be fully implemented.”
Call for Thorough Investigation
Authorities have been urged to conduct a comprehensive and immediate probe into the murder. Wee Sit, who had been on the bench for just over a year, was known for handling high-profile cases.
In August, he issued arrest warrants for a municipal mayor and several co-accused individuals in Basilan in connection with a pre-election triple murder ahead of the May 12, 2025 midterm elections.
“Identify, apprehend, and hold accountable not only the gunmen but also anyone who ordered, funded, or assisted in this crime,” Pangilinan stated.
“If those who kill a judge can evade the law, what assurance can we offer ordinary Filipinos that we will be protected and that justice will be served?” he pointed out.
“If the case of Judge Wee Sit merely becomes another statistic, it will only reinforce the public’s belief that our justice system is rotten—and that even those in high positions are not safe,” he lamented.