MANILA, Philippines—Supreme Court Chief Justice Reynato Puno said Friday there was "nothing new" in the US State Department’s Human Rights Report which highlighted, among others, alleged corruption in the judiciary, but he said the high court was willing to consider some suggestions to improve the country’s judicial system.

"If there are specific courses of action we can take that we have not yet taken, then by all means we will exhaust (our efforts to implement) these suggestions," Puno said after attending a forum on legal empowerment of the poor at the University of the Philippines College of Law.

He pointed out, however, that the source of the report itself -- the United States -- "is also accused of violation of human rights, and not only human rights but violation of international rights."

He gave the Iraq invasion as an example of the "bad record" of the US "in the matter of infringement of human and international rights."

Though he had not received a copy of the report, he said he had read some parts of it in the newspapers. He said: "I don't perceive really anything new in this report. It's a reiteration of some of the continuing problems of our judicial system."

He acknowledged that "there is no perfect judicial system in the world," but he added that the high court has been implementing "a very comprehensive judicial reform program."

The court, he said, has been acting on the areas of concern mentioned in the report -- like alleged bribery among judges -- and that the program has diminished the problem.

He also pointed out that the bribery scandal which rocked the Court of Appeals last year was "investigated in record time and we punished the justices concerned."

Still, he said he would want a copy of the report to see if there are still areas for improvement. After all, he added, "all criticisms are welcome."

"I hope I can be furnished a report. And of course, if the judiciary, especially the Supreme Court, can further improve the administration of justice in the Philippines, then well and good," said Puno, who is known for reforms he has introduced in the judiciary.

During his talk at the forum organized by the UP Alpha Phi Beta Fraternity and the group Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Asia, Puno also outlined the projects the high court has instituted to "bring justice right at the doorstep of the poor and provide them with fast resolution of their conflicts with the law."

Some of the projects he mentioned include the mobile courts and the free legal assistance given to poor inmates. The high court has also made it mandatory for lawyers to allot 60 hours per year to free legal assistance to the poor.