The Regional Trial Court judge shot by still unidentified assailants Wednesday evening died yesterday morning at the Silliman University Medical Center Foundation Inc. in Dumaguete City.

Presiding Judge Orlando Velasco of RTC Branch 63 passed away after several hours of battling for his life after being shot just outside his residence in Barangay Villareal, Bayawan City, Oriental Negros.

Velasco sustained several gunshot wounds from a .45 caliber pistol, Bayawan police chief Supt. Roy Abella said.

Abella said the judge has been receiving threats to his life, and had even reported having noticed persons trailing him, stalking and asking questions about his whereabouts. Police investigations revealed that the wife of Velasco heard three gunshots as soon as he dismounted from the motorcycle driven by a court employee Junjun Garabato.

Probers said the two had come from a social function when the gunmen on board a dark-colored motorcycle shot the judge, and immediately fled northwards.

On Wednesday, Velasco had heard several heinous crime cases in his sala like murder, arson, rape and violation of Republic Act No. 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, police said.

He was also handling civil cases involving prominent personalities in Bayawan. A provincial prosecutor, who refused to be identified, told the DAILY STAR that Velasco had a high percentage of conviction rating that included drug-related cases.

The National Bureau of Investigation is conducting a separate probe for the identification of the suspects who up to press time yesterday had not been apprehended or identified, although the police said they have in their custody a suspect apprehended at a police blockade in Sta. Catalina.*JG

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