The Supreme Court has allowed the resumption of the raffling off of cases through videoconferencing in lower courts in Metro Manila and other areas in the country remaining under enhanced community quarantine.
In a circular issued on Friday, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez noted that the earlier suspension of the raffling off of cases ordered on April 3 “has resulted in the accumulation of “unraffled” off cases, which, if raffled off and acted upon in due course, may result in the expeditious termination of cases and consequent release of persons deprived of liberty.”
Marquez noted that all court stations nationwide have been provided with the software application Philippine Judiciary 365, which includes a videoconferencing program.
The raffling off of cases, to be hosted by court clerks using the program, will be conducted at 2 p.m. every Monday and/or Thursday depending on the volume of cases filed.
The executive judges in the lower courts will personally conduct the raffle after the clerk reads the title of each case.
Two stenographers will independently record the raffle proceedings, transcribe the minutes within 24 hours and circulate them to the members of the raffle committee within three days for corrections and approval.