Court fines Marlene Aguilar for challenging judge to a fistfight

source: gma

A Quezon City court has fined Marlene Aguilar, mother of murder suspect Jason Ivler, P20,000 for challenging the judge handling her son’s case to a fistfight during a hearing last month.

The two-page order was issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 219 Presiding Judge Bayani Vargas, who said that aside from challenging him to a fistfight, Aguilar also gave libelous remarks against him during the March 23 hearing.

Aguilar’s conduct during the hearing prompted the prosecution to ask the court to cite her in indirect contempt, a request Vargas granted.

“Marlene Aguilar, for her actuation which was aired in GMA Channel 7 news on March 23, 2011 whereby the presiding judge of this court was challenged to a fistfight coupled with libelous remarks which has the effect of degrading the administration of justice in the trial of her son, Jason Ivler, is hereby adjudged guilty of indirect contempt and ordered to a fine of P20,000," Vargas stated in his order.

Aguilar challenged Vargas to a fistfight after the judge denied the motion of Ivler’s counsel that the accused be excused from attending the proceedings. Following the outburst of his mother, Ivler also yelled at Vargas, prompting the judge to call for a recess.

Before the issuance of the order, the court directed defense counsel Priscilla Marie Abante to comment within 10 days on the motion of the prosecution to cite Aguilar in contempt. Abante did not file a comment.

In the same order, Vargas warned Aguilar that any similar actuation would compel the court to impose the more strict sanction of imprisonment.

Ivler is facing murder charges for the killing of Renato Ebarle Jr. during a traffic altercation in Quezon City on Nov. 18, 2009. Ebarle’s father and namesake was at that time a Malacañang official.

source: gma