P-Noy to grace 1st National Summit on Criminal Justice

MANILA, Philippines - President Aquino will be the keynote speaker in the 1st National Summit on Criminal Justice to be held on Dec. 5 and 6 in Manila, the Supreme Court said yesterday.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr. are also expected to grace the event.

Chief Justice Renato Corona will deliver his message for the judiciary.

The event aims to reexamine the institutional criminal justice issues and to forge strategies towards enhanced delivery of justice.

At least 500 delegates from civil society groups, foreign missions and core justice sector agencies will take part in the summit.

Prior to the summit, the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) composed of the SC, Department of Justice (DOJ) and Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) held a national forum on illegal drugs last Nov. 14 at the Philippine International Convention Center with the Chief Justice as main speaker.

Meanwhile, a security training for judges aimed at giving members of the judiciary knowledge on personal safety will be held in General Santos City from Dec. 6 to 8.

A total of 46 selected judges from the second-level and first-level courts will be oriented on threats assessment, crime prevention, facts regarding firearms, and personal security measures, among others.

The three-day training is a joint project of the SC-Committee on Security, the Philippine Judicial Academy, and the Office of the Court Administrator, in coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

Officials of the Judiciary led by retired Court of Appeals Associate Justice Delilah Magtolis, chief of the Academic Affairs Office of PJA, SC administrator and spokesperson Jose Midas Marquez, Presiding Judge of Manila Metropolitan Trial Court Branch 12 Jaime Santiago, Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao and NBI assistant director Medardo de Lemos will be attending the seminar.

The training will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the East Asia Royale Hotel, General Santos City on Dec. 6 and 7 and at Camp Fermin G. Lira Jr. Firing Range, also in General Santos on Dec. 8.