Justice workers entertain clients outside Hall

CEBU, Philippines - A week after the 7.2 magnitude earthquake that hit Cebu Province, courts and other related transactions except hearing of cases go on outside the Marcelo B. Fernan Hall of Justice.

The Prosecutor’s Office, Public Attorney’s Office, the Mediation Center, Court branches and other offices have been entertaining litigants and clients since Monday.

Regional Trial Court executive judge Soliver Peras earlier ordered court workers to report this week.

Considering the condition of the building, Peras decided to have skeletal force in offices.

With the skeletal force, court employees rendered their duty in alternate basis and not all of them report to work every day.

Court personnel are doing works outside the Hall of Justice utilizing parking spaces with tents and tables in placed while others are doing works at Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) office just within the Capitol compound.

Peras said that there are no court hearings in all branches yet until further notice.

Last week, Architect Richard Nicolas of the Supreme Court of the Philippines along with the Cebu City engineers inspected the Hall of Justice.

Nicolas said the fourth floor of the building where branches of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) are located seemed not safe for the public as cracks are visible.

However, the findings are still subject for a thorough investigation of a structural engineer.

Engr. Lilibeth del Mar of the City Engineering’s Office said that after inspection they found out that most of the roof framing were destroyed and should be repaired.— (FREEMAN)