TAYUG – Judge Ulysses R. Butuyan of the Regional Trial Court here has inhibited himself from hearing the case against the two accused in the murder of his fellow judge sometime in September last year.

Butuyan, presiding judge of RTC Branch 51, said however his order dismissing the case against the two accused, Elmer Cabiles and Jornald Vargas, last Nov. 30 for lack of probable cause, still stands.

“For the peace of mind of the Paases, I have inhibited myself from hearing the case subject to the Supreme Court approval. But my order of dismissal stands, “Butuyan told Pangasinan Star.

Police investigators presented Cabiles and Vargas as the prime suspects in the slaying of Pasay City Judge Estrellita Paas, 61, in her home in Natividad, Pangasinan sometime in September, last year.

After Butuyan’s controversial dismissal of the case, Vargas, could no longer be located. Cabiles, on the other hand, is being detained at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology district jail in Urdaneta City for another crime he allegedly committed sometime in 1996.

Butuyan was asked to inhibit himself from hearing the case in a motion submitted by the private prosecutor, Ronald Paas, son of the murdered lady judge, who accused him (Butuyan) of being biased and prejudiced for his refusal to issue a warrant of arrest for the suspects.

Butuyan said he cannot issue for the two until after he had examined both Cabiles and Vargas, including the other witnesses who were not presented by the prosecutor during the preliminary investigation last Nov. 22. The younger Paas also filed a motion for reconsideration on the dismissal of the case against Cabiles and Vargas.

It remains unclear what court will hear the private prosecutor’s motion for reconsideration after Butuyan inhibited himself from hearing the case. A new judge has yet to be named to take Butuyan’s place.

In a text message, Butuyan said: “The Paas case will bother society for a long while unless the culprit/s are jailed soon. The NBI, etc. must act fast this time around or justice fails again.”