Relaunch of court office evokes varying opinions

CEBU, Philippines -  The relaunching of  Regional Court Administration Office (RCAO) in Cebu has its disadvantages and advantages.

This was the statement of Constancio Alimurong, the president of the Philippine Association of Court Employees (PACE)- Province of Cebu Chapter.

He said that he is not against the reopening of RCAO-7 because it will hasten the transaction within the court like the processing of their salaries and their supplies, among others.

But he hopes that the people who will be appointed in RCAO will be courteous to the public.

“Dili nila kalimtan nga dili sila Supreme Court, hig mag-feeling nga Supreme Court sila,” he said. (I hope they won’t forget that they are not the Supreme Court, they might start acting like they are the Highest Court.)

Meanwhile, former Executive Judge Mienrado Paredes of Regional Trial Court, Cebu City welcomed the  relaunching of RCAO. He said he is all for it provided that the programs of RCAO will be implemented.

“Mo-uyon ko ana kung ang programa sa RCAO dili lang kutob sa print,” he said. (I hope to see projects implemented and not just remain on print.)

Before the RCAO was abolished last year, Paredes said there was no clear reason why it was stopped. The RCAO was launched in 2008 by former chief justice Renato Puno.

The new office of RCAO is located at the Lapu-Lapu City Hall of Justice.

Moreover, Paredes said Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno has to answer the issues behind the reopening of RCAO.

Based on earlier reports, Senior Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo de Castro questioned the resolution issued by Sereno dated November 27, 2012 to reopen the RCAO in Cebu.

De Castro said the re-opening of the RCAO was issued without the approval from the Supreme Court en Banc.

In his memorandum dated December 3, 2012, de Castro questioned the resolution issued by Sereno reopening the RCAO and appointing former Cebu Judge Geraldine Econg as acting chief of RCAO.  (FREEMAN)