Judge who summoned traffic cops over parking ticket unwelcome in Baguio

BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — A Cabanatuan City judge is unwelcome in Baguio City unless he apologizes for summoning a city traffic enforcer who gave him a ticket for illegal parking.

The Supreme Court has already told Cabanatuan City Municipal Trial Court Branch 3 Judge Nelson Largo to explain his actions.

"Unless he accepts what he did is wrong and be humble enough to come to apologize to the people of Baguio, he will remain unwelcome here," said Baguio City Vice Mayor Faustino Olowan as the city council approved a resolution declaring Largo persona non grata in the country's summer capital.

Resolution No. 429, authored by all the members of the Baguio City council, came after Largo reportedly ordered Bernard Batnag, chief of traffic enforcement assigned to Baguio City Public Market, to explain why he should not be cited in contempt.

READ: Cabanatuan judge told to explain subpoena to traffic enforcer over parking ticket

Traffic enforcers took the license plate of Largo's vehicle on October 25 for for illegal parking and violation of number coding along Kayang Street. This was followed by a show-cause order to the enforcers on October 28.

Vice Mayor Olowan said that all the city councilors condemned the apparent arrogance of Largo who summoned the traffic enforcers for implementing the city's traffic ordinances.

Olowan, a lawyer, said: "This is not good for a supposed to be role model in obeying the law as Largo is out to make the law enforcement pay for doing their duty where he summoned them to his sala where it seems he will be the prosecutor and the executioner."

The council stressed that Batnag and the enforcers of the Public Order and Safety Division were doing their job by citing violators of city ordinances.

The council also condemned the action of Judge Largo for berating the personnel of the Traffic Management Unit inside their office back in October.

Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong endorsed the “persona non grata” declaration and personally wrote the Supreme Court to look into the incident with Largo.