The Supreme Court building is viewed from its closed gateway. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo welcomes the signing into law of Republic Act 11691 or the Judiciary Marshals Act saying the new law “will protect and safeguard the country’s court system.”
Under RA11691, the Office of the Judiciary Marshals will be created. Its primary responsibility is the security, safety, and protection of the members, officials, personnel, and property of the judiciary including the integrity of the courts and its proceedings.
The new law “will be a great help not only to the Supreme Court but to the entire Judiciary as well in ensuring an efficient and effective delivery of justice.”
The Office of the Judiciary Marshals will be a battallion-size independent armed unit.
Then, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta has been pitching for the creation of this office when he assumed his post to protect members and officers of the judiciary
The country has more than 2,600 courts nationwide. From 1999 to 2017, there are already 31 active judges killed. From 2016 to 2021, there are five judges and one associate justice of the Court of Appeals killed.
“Indeed, the creation of RA 11691 will not only secure, protect, and safeguard the Judiciary but will also boost the morale of its members, officials, and personnel at this time when there is concern of the threats to judges and killings of lawyers,” Gesmundo said.
Last February, Gesmundo met with officials from the US Embassy and sought the assistance of the US government in the operationalization of the Office of the Judiciary Marshals especially in estalishing the judiciary marshals academy.
The Supreme Court is hoping to pattern the country’s Office of the Judiciary Marshals to that of the US.
According to its website, the U.S. Marshals Service was the first federal law enforcement agency in the put up in 1789 and is the enforcement arm of the federal courts, involved in virtually every federal law enforcement initiative.
The duties of the U.S. Marshals Service include protecting the federal judiciary, apprehending federal fugitives, managing and selling seized assets acquired by criminals through illegal activities, housing and transporting federal prisoners and operating the Witness Security Program. The marshals also provide assistance in locating and apprehending their most violent fugitives.
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