News Briefs
Judge, court workers doubts paperless court
Is a paperless court possible in the country?
Regional Trial Court Judge Meinrado Paredes of Branch 13 said it may take a long time before the proposal of Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno can happen.
In an interview, Paredes manifested apprehensions on “paperless courts” or avoiding the use of papers in court pleadings, resolutions, and decisions.
“Many judges are computer illiterate,” he said.
Paredes said some veteran lawyers also don’t know how to use computers.
“I’m not saying that it’s impossible. But I think it will take a long time before it will be implemented,” he said.
Chief Justice Sereno earlier said that there is a need to rethink the judiciary’s paper-based system and instead usher in a judicial system which is less paper dependent.
Lawyer Manuel Nollora, clerk of court of RTC Branch 5, said it would be difficult to deal with pleadings using computers.
“We don’t even have ribbons for our printer. The Supreme Court takes time before sending court supplies,” he said.
Some employees have to buy office supplies using their own money./Reporter Ador Vincent S. Mayol
Balili executor says he is clueless that lot was submerged
“I didn’t know the Balili property was submerged in water.”
This was the claim of lawyer Romeo Balili, the executor of the Balili lot estate, as he reiterated his innocence in the controversial lot deal.
In an interview, Balili said he has filed a motion for reconsideration before the Ombudsman in relation to the Capitol’s purchase of 24.7 hectares of beach front property in Naga City, south Cebu worth P98.9 million. The land turned out to be mostly underwater or classified as coastal timberland.
He also asked the Sandiganbayan to suspend its proceedings regarding the case while the anti-graft office has yet to resolve his pleading.
“There is no evidence against me. I’m not part of the negotiation. I’m just an executor. How can I benefit?,” Balili said.
He, however, said that the lots are covered with Transfer Certificate of Titles.
The Office of the Ombudsman charged Cebu Gov. Gwendolyn Garcia with two counts of graft and one count of illegal use of public funds at the Sandiganbayan for the purchase of land in Naga City, which turned out to be mostly under water./Reporter Ador Vincent S. Mayol
Urban poor housing in Mandaue delayed
The local government of Mandaue City is still processing the Community Mortgage Program (CMP) for 6.5 hectares relocation site intended for urban poor settlers facing dislocation.
Urban poor consultant Atty. Francisco Amit said that the bulk of processing requirements delayed them for more than a year now.
“Its not that easy to process the CMP of the 6.5 hectares lot, there are processes that needs to be followed,” Amit said.
Out of 1,225 families who are beneficiaries of the 6.5 hectare there are already 300 houses built in the site. Each household is entitled to 28 square meters of lot.
The 300 houses present in the site, Amit said, will disprove the allegations about the area not habitable.
There are also four deep wells present but no electricity yet since the local government is waiting for the donation of P300,000 from Deputy Speaker, Lorenzo Erin Tañada.
The local government of Mandaue is also waiting for the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which was filed three months ago. An ECC is one of the requirements for building roads within the 6.5 lot./Correspondent Jucell Marie P. Cuyos
