MANILA, Philippines — Courts across the country will “drastically” reduce operations for a month after stringent measures were implemented in several cities and provinces to contain or prevent local transmission of the new coronavirus.
The Supreme Court on Monday issued Administrative Circular 31-2020, announcing that all courts nationwide will scale down operations beginning Monday, March 16 until April 14.
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Courts across the country will only operate from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and night courts will be completely suspended during this period.
A skeletal workforce will report to work at all courts with judges on call to act on urgent matters.
The Supreme Court emphasized that hearings may push through on urgent matters, such as but not limited to:
- Petitions, motions and pleadings in relation to bail and habeas corpus
- Promulgation of judgments of acquittals
- Reliefs for those who may be arrested and detained during this period
- Other related actions that may be filed in relation to measures imposed at the local or national level to address the declared health emergency
“All courts which are not considered urgent, such as but not limited to promulgations of decisions in civil cases, executions of judgments, implementation of other writs, services of summons, auction sales in extrajudicial foreclosures, solemnizations of marriages, etc. scheduled during this period are likewise suspended and shall be rescheduled,” the administrative circular read.
The courts and offices concerned with the resolution of urgent matters and cases, payment of salaries in the judiciary, release of the 2019 Bar Examinations, medical services and security of the courts will remain open.
The Supreme Court also said that the filing of petitions and appeals, complaints, motions, pleadings and other court submission is extended for 30 days.
“The Constitution and our laws are not suspended and our courts are not shutting down in times of emergencies,” Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said.
He added: “But with the situation still rapidly evolving and an atmosphere of uncertainty pervading, we must all do everything we can, including making drastic adjustments in our operations without sacrificing the need to attend to urgent cases that affect life and liberty, to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protect the health and safety of our justices, judges, court workers, lawyers and the public we serve.” — Gaea Katreena Cabico