The Supreme Court has already designated some judges and court personnel to man the Regional Court Administrators Office based in Lapu-Lapu City whose task is to entertain litigants and court personnel without need to go to Manila.
Regional Trial Court Judge Cresencio Rafael Tan, Jr. of Dumaguete City has been designated as the regional court administrator in Central Visayas with lawyer Rullyn Garcia as his deputy.
To recall, Garcia was the head of a group of lawyers tasked by the Supreme Court to investigate the reported marriage scam involving some Cebu-based judges that resulted to the suspension of at least five bench officials.
Chief Justice Reynato Puno also designated some branch clerks of courts in Cebu and other parts of the region to act as assistant regional court administrators for different fields of duties.
They are Rosemarie Pabatao, who used to be the branch clerk of court of RTC Branch 22, as deputy for budgeting; Catherine Bagano, branch clerk of court of RTC branch 57, as deputy for financial accounting and disbursement; Isidro Bongcayao, Jr., clerk of court of Danao-based RTC Branch 25, as deputy for general services; and Dennis Pacas, clerk of court of Lapu-Lapu City-based RTC-Branch 54, as the deputy for human resources development.
Puno also designated Ceferino Faunillan, Jr. of the Supreme Court’s program management office as deputy for revenue management.
The designated regional court administrators may also propose the detail of other support personnel as may be necessary in facilitating the implementation of the pilot RCAO in Central Visayas.
The chief justice said the designated personnel shall be detailed on full-time basis and shall be freed of all assignments and responsibilities of their current positions and that each of them shall be entitled to a monthly honorarium which shall not exceed 20 percent of their monthly basic salary.
The lawyers welcomed the creation of the RCAO in Central Visayas for them to save money for the expenses in going to Manila every time they have transactions that need the action of the Court Administrator. – Rene U. Borromeo/MEEV