SC’s COVID cases at 61 but it’s work as usual at courts

Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta during the testimonial ceremony at the Supreme Court. PHOTO/SC PIO

MANILA, Philippines—The number of active COVID-19 cases in the Supreme Court has now reached 61, but it is work as usual at the courts.

Atty. Brian Keith Hosaka, Public Information Chief and Spokesperson, announced that the courts would remain open, but on a reduced scale.

“The Court en banc already issued a resolution yesterday, March 23, 2021, drastically reducing the personnel in the Supreme Court from March 24 to 26,” Hosana said.

However, Hosaka said that from March 24 to April 16, the number of staff from all courts within the bubble—National Capital Region, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal—was reduced.

“A drastically reduced personnel would mean a skeleton force sufficient in number to attend to urgent matters preferable via teleconferencing. Discretion is given to the different heads of office to determine this,” Hosaka said.

“We only adjusted the number of employees physically reporting in order to make sure that we continue being accessible to the people,” Hosaka said.

The high court has suspended the oral arguments on the petitions against the Anti-Terrorism Act and rescheduled it for April 6, after the lapse of the two-week bubble imposed by the government.

Nonetheless, amid the bubble, the final flag ceremony for retiring Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta took place last Monday. It was attended by 33 people. Then, on Wednesday, a testimonial for the Chief Justice pushed through. It was livestreamed on YouTube.