The Supreme Court building as viewed from its closed gateway. (INQUIRER FILE PHOTO)
MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court is doing everything it can to address the problems it faces so that the justice system can move faster.
Court Administrator Raul Villanueva made the assurance during a briefing of the House Committee on Justice on Monday on the judiciary processes.
Cavite Fourth District Rep. Elpidio Barzaga had asked if the SC and the Department of Justice (DOJ) were working on allowing the provisional release of people who had been detained longer than the prescribed imprisonment for the offense they were accused of committing.
“I have seen so many persons who are detained, but the period of their detention exceeds the penalty for which the offense was committed. Can the Supreme Court and the DOJ make an arrangement or memorandum of agreement to address this problem?” Barzaga asked.
“Because these people who are currently serving detention for a very long period of time are very poor. They cannot afford to get the services of a lawyer, and normally, they are being detained for so long, much longer than the penalty to be imposed upon them,” he added.
“In so far as these accused are concerned, we have pending cases,” Villanueva said. “Circulars have been issued already in so far as allowing them to be released on recognizance if they have served the minimum of the imposable penalty for the crime that they have committed.”
“Likewise, the Supreme Court issued an administrative order providing for the computation of the bail that may be posted in which may be reduced based on that formula. We’re doing everything to afford all of those who are entitled to bail to post bail so that while their cases are pending, they can enjoy provisional liberty,” he added.
Barzaga also asked Villanueva if SC could compel judges to provide a list of those circulars and bail computations.
“So, I think you can address this problem. How to address it? If there is a circular, and are these circulars being followed? Can you require your judges to give you a listing implementing the circulars?” Barzaga asked.
“Yes, we’re looking into that,” Villanueva replied.
Over the years, people have been complaining about how slow the judiciary was, even in high-profile cases that get media coverage.
In November 2019, then Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar lamented the slow pace of justice for the victims, many of them journalists, of the Maguindanao massacre.
The massacre happened on Nov. 23, 2009, in Ampatuan town, during the filing of candidacies for the May 2010 elections.
An all-women convoy accompanied by 37 journalists was on the way to Commission on Elections provincial office in Shariff Aguak to file the certificate of candidacy (COC) for gubernatorial candidate Esmael Mangudadatu. The convoy was led by Mangudadatu’s wife.
Along the way, the convoy was ambushed, and journalists and members of Mangudadatu’s family were all gunned down.
The case was resolved in December 2019, over 10 years later, with members of the rival Ampatuan clan convicted.
—WITH A REPORT FROM LYKA FARILLON (INQUIRER.net TRAINEE)
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