Rama not in favor of “common fund”

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama is opposed to the Supreme Court’s (SC) idea to have a “common fund” for judges’ allowances.

“Di ko musugot sa common fund. Di ang Supreme Court ang magbuot sa guidelines, kun dili ang ubos o LGU ang magbuhat niini kay they act and they don’t know what’s going on below,” Rama disagreed.

It was earlier stated by Associate Justice Aurora Santiago-Lagman, a member of the Judicial Bar Council during a recent speaking engagement in Cebu that Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was looking at the possibility of having a “common fund” where allowances of judges from LGUs be given to the SC who will in turn distribute it to the judges to assure that it is fairly given.

The Cebu city government is reportedly giving judges of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) with P30,000 while Regional Trial Court (RTC) judges get P35,000. The provincial government also gives RTC judges with P12,000.

But Rama clarified that the city government has not released allowances to the judges for the past three months due to the lack of funds.

According to Rama, only half of the proposed P24 million budget for the allowances of the judges was approved by the city council.

Rama said that the other P12 million will be included in this year’s supplemental budget.

Further, Rama stressed that the allowances would not affect judicial independence.

“Independence is a choice. With or without allowances you can always be biased. If you have very clear profession in terms of professionalism, you will never be disturbed by the allowance,” Rama explained, adding that the justice system should have the independence and impartiality.

He added that the allowances were given not to create biases nor favor the cities’ cases. — (FREEMAN)