MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court has extended for three days after April 5 the deadlines for filing pleadings and court submissions falling between March 29 to 31.
This covers Metro Manila, Rizal, Bulacan, Cavite and Laguna which were placed under enhanced community quarantine from March 29 to April 4, an administrative circular dated Sunday and signed by acting Chief Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe stated.
Lawyers or litigants may still file their pleadings and court submissions “on urgent matters” between March 29 to 31.
READ: ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 14 – 2021
RE: EXTENSION OF FILING PERIODS FOR PLEADINGS/COURT SUBMISSIONS FOR COURTS IN THE NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION AND NEARBY PROVINCES PLACED UNDER ENHANCED COMMUNITY QUARANTINE FROM MARCH 29 TO APRIL 4, 2021 pic.twitter.com/ivxFVkEhAy
— Philippine Supreme Court Public Information Office (@SCPh_PIO) March 28, 2021
However, they must first communicate with the proper court via its hotline our email address and “confirm that the matter being raised is indeed urgent.”
“If the matter is deemed urgent, only then will the court receive the pleading/court submission and act on such urgent matter,” the circular read.
Court actions that are not urgent like “promulgations of judgments in civil cases, services of summons, auction sales in extrajudicial foreclosures, solemnizations of marriages” scheduled between March 29 to 31 are “suspended and shall be rescheduled.”