A neophyte lawmaker and lawyer lauded the judiciary for “adapting quickly in the face of challenges arising from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic to ensure that the administration of justice continues.”
This as Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta said that the Supreme Court resolved 825 cases since quarantine measures were imposed in March.
“The judiciary was worthy of emulation given that it embraced technology in order to continue its operations.”
Peralta added that trial courts across the country conducted 67,481 hearings involving 45,336 persons deprived of liberty through video conferencing. The hearings led to the release of 60,532 PDLs as of August 21.
“We thank the judicial branch for refusing to be held hostage by the difficult circumstances we are now in. Habang gumagalaw ang mga korte natin may pag-asa na magpapatuloy ang reporma at hustisya,” Rizal 2nd District Rep. Fidel Nograles said.
The Harvard-trained lawyer said that the judiciary was worthy of emulation given that it embraced technology in order to continue its operations.
Nograles, a legal aid advocate, also expressed his gratitude to the Supreme Court for working double-time to decongest the country’s overcrowded jails.
“Dahil sa agarang aksyon ng SC, kasama na ang mga trial court natin, naiwasan natin ang pagsabog ng COVID-19 sa ating mga kulungan,” he said.
The solon was among those who called for the decongestion of prisons through the release of vulnerable inmates to prevent a mass infection, which he said would have made the current health crisis unmanageable.
Nograles also vowed to ramp up efforts that would enable more PDLs to avail of legal services online.
Nograles also vowed to ramp up efforts that would enable more PDLs to avail of legal services online.
Lakbay Hustisya Foundation, a legal aid trust fund that he founded, has an “e-dalaw” initiative in cooperation with the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology that allows inmates to consult with their lawyers online through computers that they have donated to jails nationwide.
The foundation has so far donated 40 computers to remote and highly congested jails.
“Patuloy po tayong naghahanap ng paraan para madagdagan pa ang mga computer na ibibigay sa mga kulungan natin nang mas marami pa sa mga kababayan nating PDL ang makinabang.”