Church confers award on slain Judge Arles

BACOLOD CITY — The Diocese of Bacolod conferred posthumously the St. Thomas More award to murdered Kabankalan City Regional Trial Court Judge Henry Arles in rites held at the San Sebastian Cathedral in the city last Wednesday.

The judge’s youngest child, lawyer Ria, received the award from Bishop Vicente Navarra during a Eucharistic celebration at 5:30 p.m.

Arles, who was gunned down while on his way home to Ilog, Negros Occidental on April 24 this year, was a legal counsel of the Diocesan Social Action Center of the Diocese of Bacolod, when he was still a lawyer.

Three more Negrense lawyers were conferred the St. Thomas More award by the diocese: Mitchelle Abella, Henrietta Vinco, and the late Ombudsman Juan Hagad (posthumous).

Abella and Vinco are presently serving as legal counsels for the Diocese of Bacolod, while Hagad has been known for his service to the Diocese, Navarra said.

The St. Thomas More Award is a diocesan honor accorded to lawyers in recognition of their services to the Church, especially in advocacies, such as promotion of social justice, defense of human life and human rights, protection of the environment and the promotion of genuine peace based on justice, Navarra said.

Initiated by Navarra in 2005, the award is named after St. Thomas More, patron saint of lawyers.