ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines — The Philippine National Police (PNP) has mobilized regional units to track down two motorcycle-riding suspects involved in the fatal shooting of a regional trial court judge along Tumaga-Putik Road in Barangay Tumaga, Zamboanga City, on Thursday, November 12.
PNP Chief PGen. Jose Melencio Nartatez Jr. directed the Police Regional Office in Zamboanga Peninsula (PRO-9) to carry out an intensive manhunt for the assailants who killed Judge Joseph Wee Sit, the presiding judge of Regional Trial Court Branch 2 in Isabela City, Basilan.
“We will leave no stone unturned in pursuing those responsible. We will exhaust all available resources to ensure their arrest and hold them accountable for this senseless crime,” Nartatez said in a statement.
Initial police findings reveal that Judge Sit was driving his sports utility vehicle at approximately 5:50 a.m. when two unidentified suspects on a white motorcycle pulled up and opened fire before escaping toward Tumaga Bypass Road.
Emergency responders rushed him to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Investigators recovered eight empty cartridge cases from a .45-caliber pistol at the crime scene.
Investigation and Security Measures
Following the incident, the Zamboanga City Police Office activated a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to consolidate leads, examine evidence, and identify the culprits.
Nartatez emphasized that the killing of a judge strikes directly at the heart of the nation’s legal institutions.
“An attack on any member of the judiciary is an assault on the very institution that upholds justice and the rule of law,” he stated.
Nartatez also committed to working closely with the judiciary to evaluate and reinforce security protocols for judges and court personnel nationwide.
“We acknowledge the important role of the judiciary as an independent branch of government tasked with safeguarding the country’s fundamental rights and promoting justice. Rest assured that we will protect the safety and security of the members of the court to enable them to promulgate decisions without any fear,” he added.