Hearings on urgent cases to continue amid courts' reduced operations from March 16-April 15

Hearings on urgent matters will continue even as the Supreme Court (SC) ordered all Philippine courts to "drastically reduce operations" from March 16 to April 15 amid the rising cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections in the country.

In an administrative circular, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said all courts must maintain the necessary skeletal force to act on urgent matters. He said at least a majority of the justices in collegiate courts and one or two judges in multi-sala stations of the lower courts must be on stand-by to act.

READ: Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta issues Administrative Circular No. 31-2020 addressing all litigants, justices, judges, and personnel of the Judiciary, and members of the Bar regarding the rising cases of COVID-19 Infection: pic.twitter.com/1pKlXcLzWm

— Supreme Court Public Information Office (PIO) (@SCPh_PIO) March 16, 2020
 

All hearings are suspended during this period, except those on urgent matters, including pleadings in relation to bail, the writ of habeas corpus, the promulgation of judgments of acquittals, reliefs for those arrested and detained, and related actions over government measures to address the health emergency, the circular states.

In light of the 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew that many cities and provinces have imposed, all courts will operate only from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. during this period. The operations of night courts are "completely suspended," according to the circular.

The chief justice, upon the recommendation of the judiciary task force on COVID-19 and consultation with the SC en banc, also ordered the following:

• Work is suspended in all courts and their different units, except those "concerned with the resolution of urgent matters and cases, the payments of salaries in the judiciary, the release of the 2019 Bar Examinations, the medical services, and the security of the courts." Peralta said work that can be done at home should proceed.
   
• The filing of court submissions with deadlines from March 15 to April 15 is extended for 30 days counted from April 16. Those who prefer to still file during this period may do so by fax or electronically.
   
• Court actions that are not considered urgent, such as promulgation of decisions in civil cases, execution of judgments, implementation of other writs, solemnization of marriages, etc. are suspended and will be rescheduled. Deadlines for actions with prescribed periods are to be extended for 30 days from April 16.
   
• Justices and judges are "expected" to draft decisions and orders from home.
   
• All official meetings and functions in the judiciary are deferred, except those authorized by Peralta or the COVID-19 task force.
   
• The Judicial and Bar Council's panel interview for candidates for the position of Associate Justice Andres Reyes, Jr., who will retire on May 11, is reset to a later date.
   
• Flag-raising ceremonies are suspended.
   
• Justices, judges, court personnel, lawyers, and litigants should monitor the SC's website and Twitter account for announcements.

"The Constitution and our laws are not suspended, and our courts are not shutting down in times of emergencies," Peralta said in the circular.

"But with the situation still rapidly evolving and an atmosphere of uncertainty pervading, we must all do everything we can, including making drastic adjustments in our operations without sacrificing the need to attend to urgent cases that affect life and liberty, to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and protect the health and safety of our justices, judges, court workers, lawyers and the public we serve," he said.

The Philippines has so far recorded 140 COVID-19 cases, including 12 deaths, according to the Department of Health. —LDF, GMA News