Pasig courts tighten security over death threats
The Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) has tightened security measures at its more than 30 branches after unnamed judges received on Wednesday email messages containing death threats, Supreme Court spokesperson Camille Ting said.
“Following standard security protocols, the Pasig RTC immediately coordinated with the Pasig City Police, who dispatched a SWAT Team to the Pasig City Hall of Justice to secure the safety of judges, court personnel, court users, and the public,” Ting said in a statement on Thursday.
The high court did not identify the judges concerned, but its Office of the Judiciary Marshals has launched an investigation in coordination with the Philippine National Police Anti-Cybercrime Group and the National Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-Cybercrime Division, she said.
“The probe aims to identify and apprehend the perpetrator and pursue the appropriate legal actions. To protect the integrity of the ongoing investigation and the safety of those concerned, further details remain confidential at this time,” Ting added.
She did not identify the branches involved, but being a commercial hub with a large transit and permanent population, the Pasig RTC has thousands of cases in its dockets at any given time, including a number of high-profile criminal and civil cases.
Based on screenshots provided by the Supreme Court, one of the emails sent at 3:24 a.m. on Wednesday read in Tagalog: “Judges at the Pasig Hall of Justice should be careful. On July 16, 2025, two of them will be shot in the middle of a hearing. Stay vigilant. Judges are our targets today.”
Sent via emails
Another email sent at 8:48 a.m. that same day said: “The gunmen are already in position. Don’t take any chances. Evacuate immediately.”
The Supreme Court, Ting said, emphasized that the judiciary remains committed to upholding judicial independence.
“Judges will continue to carry out their duties with integrity and calm resolve, guided by fairness and the rule of law,” she said. “We urge the public and all stakeholders to remain vigilant and to continue supporting the judicial process with trust and respect.”
