ZAMBOANGA CITY (November 13) — A judge presiding over a high-profile multiple-murder case involving a Basilan mayor was shot dead by motorcycle-riding gunmen in a brazen morning ambush along Tumaga-Putik Road in Barangay Tumaga here on Thursday, November 12.
Judge Joseph Wee Sit, presiding judge of the Isabela City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 2, was driving alone toward the Zamboanga City port at around 5:25 a.m. when an unidentified gunman on a motorcycle opened fire on his vehicle.
Wee Sit, a resident of Justina Subdivision in Barangay Tumaga, was reportedly heading to the port to catch an early morning ferry to Isabela City, Basilan, where he held court.
Responding to a report from a concerned citizen, personnel of Zamboanga City Police Station 7 found the judge critically wounded inside his vehicle. He was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead at around 6:30 a.m. due to multiple gunshot wounds.
Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) documented five bullet holes on the driver’s side of the vehicle and recovered eight empty cartridge cases believed to have come from a .45-caliber pistol.
The killing has raised serious concerns over the security of members of the judiciary, particularly those handling politically sensitive cases.
Wee Sit was presiding over the non-bailable multiple murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder cases against Hadji Muhtamad Mayor Arsina Kahing-Nanoh and 13 co-accused, including her husband, Nadz Nanoh.
The charges stemmed from a May 12, 2025, predawn maritime ambush off Barangay Sangbay Big in Hadji Muhtamad, Basilan, where armed men aboard two speedboats allegedly opened fire on a pump boat carrying supporters and poll watchers of rival mayoral candidate Hadji Jamar Abdullah Mansul.
The attack left three people dead and two others wounded.
In September 2026, Wee Sit issued a significant ruling denying defense motions to recall the arrest warrants, effectively keeping the warrants against Kahing-Nanoh and her co-accused in force.
The case involves serious criminal accusations against the mayor and her co-accused, who remain entitled to the presumption of innocence.
Basilan Gov. Mujiv Hataman condemned the killing, describing it as a major loss to the judiciary, the community, and the rule of law.
Hataman called on law enforcement agencies in Zamboanga City and the region to conduct a swift and thorough investigation to identify not only the gunmen but also those who may have masterminded the attack.
He said violence against members of the bench constitutes a direct assault on democratic institutions and the administration of justice, adding that the provincial government would extend full support to authorities in pursuing the perpetrators.
The Zamboanga City Police Office (ZCPO) also condemned the killing and mobilized all its units for hot-pursuit operations.
It has created a Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) to coordinate the investigation, consolidate leads, and pursue the suspects.
“The ZCPO assures the public that this incident is being treated with utmost urgency and that all necessary lawful measures will be undertaken to bring those responsible to justice,” the police office said, urging residents to report information that could help identify the perpetrators.
Investigators are also reviewing closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from cameras along Tumaga-Putik Road and nearby routes to establish the suspects’ identities and escape route.
The investigation now faces a critical task: determining whether the killing was connected to the cases Wee Sit was handling and identifying those behind the attack.
