Arroyo bats for higher pay for judges

President Arroyo asked both chambers of Congress yesterday to speed up the passage of measures increasing the salaries of judges all over the country for the government to complete its campaign to beef up national security and stabilize the peace and order situation.

In a keynote speech during yesterday’s general membership meeting of the Philippine Military Academy Alumni Association at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Mrs. Arroyo said that one-third of the country’s courtrooms are empty, with no judges to try cases because of the low pay.

"A lawyer needs to have ten years of experience (in courtroom practice) before becoming a judge. But in the present scale, a judge receives lower pay than a brand-new lawyer who has entered a private law firm," the President said.

Mrs. Arroyo noted that an effective judicial system can only be achieved with additional judges to try cases against criminal elements.

"If we want to complete the fight for national security, for peace and order, (then) together with policemen and soldiers, we must have enough judges on board. All of these form part of my good governance reforms and promotions program. These are the key reforms needed to rebuild our country," she said.

The President said that in her more than two years in office, she was able to make some changes in the livelihood of military and police personnel. After 10 years of waiting, they were finally able to receive higher salaries.

Mrs. Arroyo said she assumed office with the help of the police, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the justice system and is focused on achieving "improved social equity, higher moral standards" and modernizing the economy.

The President said she wants to improve the judges’ source of income before she finishes her term in June next year to encourage more qualified individuals to be a judge.

"I will leave office focused on the same priorities and I am now free to act with a more determined hand," she said.

Mrs. Arroyo said that a combination of good intelligence, good military and police work, and a criminal justice system in place will bring peace and order and national security in the country.

"I hope you will remember me as the president who completed the higher pay to policemen and the military. I would like to let you know that I asked Congress to improve the pay of judges so that we would better be able to attract qualified individuals into the criminal justice system," she said.

The President noted that fewer, less qualified individuals are willing to be judges while the ranks of the police and the military continued to increase despite the low pay before their salary hike.