MANILA, Philippines — Premises of trial courts in areas under Alert Level 2, including Metro Manila, will reopen to the public but videoconferencing hearings in some cases may still continue.
The Supreme Court’s Office of the Court Administrator on Monday issued a circular following the easing of protocols under Alert Level 2 in the National Capital Region and six other areas.
Court and judicial offices in areas under Alert Level 2 shall be physically open with 75-100% of workforce manning stations from February 2 to 15.
Videoconferencing hearings may continue in cases where in-court appearances are not required. During in-court hearings, only lawyers, parties and witnesses will be allowed inside.
Trial courts in the National Capital Judicial Region shall be open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., while other areas under the same alert level shall operate from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Pleadings, motions and other court submissions may be filed or served by registered mail through duly accredited private couriers or through e-mail.
With the transition to Alert Level 2, the OCA lifted the suspension on the period of filing of pleadings.
Supreme Court, higher courts
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo also ordered Memorandum Order 13-2022 that directed all employees of the high court to report on-site from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., starting February 2 until further orders.
Offices however will have one-half of their total workforce reporting on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday shift, and the other 50% on Thursday, Friday and Saturday shift.
Staff reporting on-site must first undergo antigen testing before proceeding to their offices, Gesmundo added.
The Court of Appeals will have the same work operation schedule, and employees must only report on-site three times a week. The shifts shall be determined by the chiefs of divisions and offices.
The Court of Tax Appeals and the Sandiganbayan shall also operate from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a skeleton staff of not more than 50%.
Alert Level 3
Court and judicial offices under the more stringent protocols in Alert Level 3 shall also be physically open but will operate under a reduced in-court capacity of 50-75%.
Videoconferencing trials shall be maximized for courts in these areas, and in-court proceedings shall have limited participants to only include lawyers, parties and witnesses.
The OCA also lifted the suspension of the period of filing and service of pleadings during this period.
The Palace on Sunday placed Metro Manila and seven other areas under Alert Level 2, while dozen other localities are under the more stringent protocols under Alert Level 3.
When the national government's coronavirus rolled out its new alert system, it explained that Alert Level 2 will be hoisted in areas where case transmission is low and decreasing, healthcare utilization is low, or cases are low but increasing, or cases are low and decreasing but bed utilization and ICU utilization is increasing.