Ateneo de Zamboanga College of Law condemns killing of Basilan judge

PAGADIAN CITY, Zamboanga del Sur  – The Ateneo de Zamboanga University (AdZU) College of Law on Thursday condemned the deadly attack on Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Joseph Wee Sit, calling on authorities to ensure swift justice for the victim.

In a statement, the Jesuit-run law school expressed deep grief over the killing of Wee Sit, who served as the presiding judge of RTC Branch 2 in Isabela City, Basilan.

“He should have reached his courtroom. He should have returned home to his family,” the statement read.

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The law school pointed out that attacks against members of the bench “strike at the very core of the justice system and endanger the wider public, particularly vulnerable sectors who rely on the courts for legal redress.”

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“The killing of a judge threatens everyone who depends on the courts for protection and redress,” the AdZU College of Law said. 

“Judges must be able to decide cases without fear. Lawyers must be able to represent their clients without intimidation. When violence threatens these duties, it also endangers the people whom the law is meant to serve, especially those with the least power to defend themselves,” it added.

The school urged law enforcement agencies to provide credible updates to the public and the victim’s family, and to hold accountable not only the perpetrators but also the masterminds behind the attack.

It likewise appealed for concrete security measures for judges, lawyers, and court personnel who face threats in the line of duty.

According to the Zamboanga City Police Office, Wee Sit was onboard his vehicle along Tumaga-Putik Road in Barangay Tumaga around 5:25 a.m. on Thursday when he was shot and later died at hospital.