BY MINKA KLAUDIA S. TIANGCO
A Manila Regional Trial Court judge was allegedly shot dead by her clerk inside her office on the 5th floor of the Manila City Hall Wednesday afternoon.
Police said the victim, Manila RTC Branch 45 Judge Theresa Abadilla, 44, was declared dead on arrival at the Manila Medical Center.
Her attacker, lawyer Amador Rebato, 42, chief clerk of court, died on the spot after shooting himself.
According to a police report, the two were inside Abadilla’s office on the 5th floor of the Manila City Hall at around 2:45 p.m. when employees heard a gunshot from inside.
The Manila Police District-Special Mayor’s Reaction (MPD-SMaRT) said the suspect was found slumped on a chair inside Abadilla’s office.
The judge was wheeled out of the Manila City Hall brought to the hospital but she was declared dead at 3:15 p.m.
The Manila City Hall was also put under lockdown due to the incident.
Police have yet to determine the motive behind the shooting.
A source said Abadilla reportedly asked Rebato to resign prior to the incident.
In 2019, Abadilla processed the P100,000 bail of Rappler CEO Maria Ressa because Manila RTC Branch 46 Judge Rainelda Estacio Montesa, her pairing judge and the one handling Ressa’s cyber libel case, was on duty at a Las Piñas court at that time.
Further investigation is underway.
