Courts in Tacloban, Palo, Leyte open during Papal visit

MANILA, Philippines — Courts in Tacloban and Palo, Leyte will remain open on Jan. 17, during the visit of Pope Francis in the area.

In an administrative order issued by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, she has ordered executive judges in Tacloban and judges in the Municipal Trial Court in Palo, Leyte, to maintain a skeletal force during the visit of Pope Francis on January 17.

Pope Francis will be in the country from January 15 to 19 on a state visit. He will be flying to Tacloban City on the 17th to be with victims of Supertyphoon Yolanda.

On the other hand, Sereno issued an order as she declared January 15, 16 and 19 as special non-working holidays in all courts in the National Capital Region.

Covered by the order are the metropolitan trial courts, regional trial courts, Court of Appeals, Supreme Court, Court of Tax Appeals and the Sandiganbayan.

Meanwhile, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez already issued a guideline on the court operations during the Papal visit.

Based on the guideline,the concerned Executive Judges and Clerks of Court of the Offices of the Clerk of Court of the first and second level courts shall be on stand-by or on-call duty during the said days.

“They shall assign two (2) personnel from their respective courts and offices to serve as a skeletal force to process applications for bail and act on other urgent matters,” the guideline states.

The executive judges and clerks of court shall be ready and available to proceed to their offices as the need arises.

The Office of the Court Administrator also required executive judges to assign a judge to be on duty during the holidays.

“The assigned judges shall designate two (2) personnel from their respective branches to serve as a skeletal force to be able to act on petitions for bail and other urgent matters,” the office said.

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