MANILA, Philippines?The search for justice in the Philippines could lead to public markets?in a court that sits on top of one.

A Supreme Court official, defending the P27-billion proposed judiciary budget for next year, said the sad state of Philippine courts is one of the biggest factors for the slow grind of justice in the country.

Midas Marquez, Supreme Court administrator, said at a hearing of the House appropriations committee that the number of cases continues to pile up every year because of lack of courts.

At the end of last year, he said at least 618 cases are pending at 2,200 regional and municipal trial courts nationwide. In many cases, he added, courts handle 4,000 cases at a time when the acceptable ratio should be just 500 cases per court.

Squatter courts

?We also have court houses on top of police stations and supermarkets, which to my view is not befitting a regular court house,? he told the committee chaired by Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya.

This elicited remarks from other congressmen.

?With the data being presented here, then we can?t find a solution to the saying, ?Justice delayed is justice denied,?? said Rep. Salvador Escudero III.

Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez called attention to the ?collapsing? Hall of Justice building in his province, saying recent rules barred the use of pork barrel for building new courts or repairing existing ones.

Marquez agreed with Rodriguez that the Hall of Justice building in Cagayan de Oro badly needed renovation.

Slashed budget

?The walls of the Cagayan de Oro Hall of Justice are only up because of the termites,? said Rodriguez. At least P100 million was needed to repair it.

The judiciary is asking for a P27-billion budget next year, but the Department of Budget and Management slashed the amount to P14 billion.