BUTUAN CITY, Philippines – Slain Butuan Judge Godofredo Abul Jr. was on President Duterte’s order of battle against illegal drugs, a police official said yesterday.

Superintendent Martin Gamba, Caraga police information officer, said Abul had denied any involvement in the illegal drug trade and even issued a “letter of denial” when he learned that he was on the President’s narco list.

“He went to the Butuan City police and…cleared himself,” Gamba told The STAR.

A report of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency showed Abul also went to the PDEA-Caraga office in this city to deny the allegations.

The STAR obtained a copy of a Supreme Court ruling dated Feb. 28, 2017, which showed that Abul was suspended for six months for allegedly extorting money from six drug suspects in exchange for the dismissal of the charges filed against them.

The SC cited a complaint filed by Lito Saniel, director of the prison ministry of the diocese of Butuan, and the investigation report of Rullyn Garcia of the Office of the Court Administrator, which stated that Abul asked for P200,000 to P300,000 from five inmates.

In his defense, Abul said the testimonies and complaints of the inmates were hearsay.

In a radio interview, a brother of Abul said the suspension order issued by the high tribunal was not yet final. He said Abul went on leave out of delicadeza.

Abul and his wife had just boarded their sport utility vehicle in their garage in Barangay Tiniwisan when the assailant entered through the open gate and shot him several times on Saturday. His wife was wounded and taken to a hospital for treatment.