SC urged: Fast-track hall of justice at SRP

CEBU, Philippines — The Regional Development Council in Central Visayas (RDC-7) has called on the Supreme Court to expedite the construction of a permanent Hall of Justice in Cebu City at the South Road Properties (SRP).

The council has identified the proposed disaster-resilient Hall of Justice as a priority infrastructure project for the region.

The proposal, endorsed by the RDC’s Development Administration Committee (DAC) during the RDC Full Council meeting on June 24, seeks the immediate implementation of the long-planned judicial complex on a parcel of land at the SRP donated by the Cebu City Government.

According to the resolution, the initiative is anchored on the Central Visayas Regional Development Plan 2023-2028, which recognizes the role of a swift, fair and effective justice system in promoting inclusive growth and sustainable development.

"The region advocates for the prompt, efficient, and impartial resolution of cases," the resolution stated.

The RDC emphasized that the timely administration of justice helps protect individual rights while fostering a stable environment conducive to economic development and social progress.

To strengthen the justice sector, the council underscored the need to establish and upgrade critical facilities, including courts, prosecution offices, detention centers, rehabilitation facilities and police stations.

It likewise stressed the importance of constructing justice facilities that are disaster-resilient and climate-adaptive to ensure the continuity of operations during emergencies and natural calamities.

"By providing secure, safe, and reliable working environments, such facilities help guarantee that the delivery of justice remains uninterrupted, accessible, and responsive under all circumstances," the resolution stated.

The call for a permanent Hall of Justice follows the repeated displacement of Cebu City courts due to earthquake-related damage to their offices.

The former Palace of Justice within the Capitol Compound sustained structural damage during the magnitude 7.2 Bohol earthquake on October 15, 2013, forcing court operations to relocate.

More recently, the Cebu City Hall of Justice was again transferred after the Qimonda IT Center Building suffered structural damage during the magnitude 6.9 offshore Northern Cebu earthquake on September 30, 2025.

The council noted that the Cebu City Government had long ago donated a prime property at the SRP specifically for the construction of a permanent Hall of Justice.

The resolution also pointed out that several groundbreaking ceremonies for the project had already been held over the years, reflecting both the city government's commitment and the judiciary’s recognition of the need for a centralized judicial complex.

"Despite these symbolic milestones, actual construction of the Hall of Justice has yet to begin," the document stated.

The RDC said the proposed Hall of Justice would serve as a modern, sustainable and disaster-resilient judicial complex that would ensure the uninterrupted operation of courts, consolidate justice-related services in a single secure location, and improve public access to legal services throughout Cebu. — /FPL (FREEMAN)