Cebu City judges to hold hearing in jails

Justice cannot wait.

Judges in Cebu City have recently decided to resume court hearings more than a month after the Oct. 15 earthquake that rendered the Cebu Palace of Justice structurally unsafe.

Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Soliver Peras said hearings for detention prisoners will be conducted on a rotation basis inside the jail facilities.

Court proceedings for other cases shall also go on in tents at the parking lot of the Palace of Justice.

Peras said they have yet to seek clearance from the Supreme Court but court proceedings may likely start in the first week of December.

“We’re now sending notices to the parties so we can start hearing cases. While some judges will conduct hearings inside the jail, others have to do it in tents. If there’s a so-called ‘justice on wheels,’ we also have a ‘justice on tents’,” he told Cebu Daily News yesterday.

Peras appealed for available tents which they will use as temporary courtroom for all 22 RTCs in Cebu City.

One branch — RTC branch 16 — has already set up an improvised courtroom using tents and tarpaulins at the parking area.

“We need additional tents,” said Peras who thought of requesting the Cebu provincial government to likewise close the road at the back of the Palace of Justice for traffic.

Peras said they have not heard a word yet from the Supreme Court as to where they shall transfer after the Palace of Justice was deemed “unfit for occupancy” due to the structural damage caused by the 7.2-magnitude earthquake last Oct. 15.

Judges are considering as its temporary courthouse the Quimonda I.T. Center located along Don Sergio Osmeña at the North Reclamation Area in Cebu City.

But no contract between the judiciary and the building owners has been made as of now.

Peras said judges and court employees have to go to the jail facilities to hear cases of detention prisoners.

At the Cebu City Jail, he said there is only one improvised courtroom while the Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation Center has about two to three vacant rooms.

At the Maghaway Jail in Talisay City, there is one improvised courtroom but Cebu City judges may conduct hearings on three vacant courtrooms at the Talisay City Hall of Justice.

RTC Judge Meinrado Paredes said they have no choice but to resume hearing cases so that justice will be served.