Chief Justice Puno vows to start reforms in 3 months
By Kristine L. Alave, Irene Sino Cruz
Visayas Bureau
First Posted 04:03:00 07/02/2008
Filed Under: Judiciary (system of justice), Justice & Rights
MANILA, Philippines—Chief Justice Reynato Puno Tuesday vowed to start implementing measures that would give the poor better access to the justice system in “two or three months.”
Speaking before participants of the summit aimed at giving the poor and the marginalized sectors a better shot at defending their rights, Puno said the tribunal would immediately work on the recommendations of the participants.
“We will not lose even a fraction of time before aggregating the ideas proposed in this forum and putting the ‘doables’ into our rule books,” he said.
“There will be results just as there were results in the summit last year on seeking the remedies to the extra-judicial killings and forced disappearances,” Puno said.
In Cebu City, representatives of marginalized sectors welcomed the efforts of the Supreme Court to allow them to air their concerns but expressed doubts that their access to justice would improve.
“This (forum) is just part of a grand plan to douse water on the growing discontentment of the marginalized sector,” said Wennie Badayos, chair of the Alliance of Workers in Cebu.
He noted that the marginalized sectors had lost their trust in the country’s justice system amid delays in resolving their cases and other concerns.
However, Badayos said it was possible that Puno’s efforts would improve the poor’s access to the justice system.
Elizabeth Bucane, who heads a farmers group based in San Dionisio town in Iloilo province, said most of the marginalized farmers had doubts over the justice system.
Bucane noted that justice remained inaccessible at the barangay (village) level.
She, nevertheless, said that she was still hoping that the efforts of the Supreme Court would bear fruit.
|
