Authorized courts can now hear even non-urgent matters via videoconferencing — Supreme Court

All courts authorized by the Supreme Court (SC) to hold hearings through videoconferencing can now hear even non-urgent matters, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said Thursday.

In an administrative circular, Peralta said the authorized courts can hear through videoconferencing "all matters pending before them, in both criminal and civil cases, whether newly-filed or pending, and regardless of the stage of trial."

Such hearings shall be upon joint motion of the parties or upon orders of the court, Peralta said.

Court stations in several areas nationwide were initially allowed to pilot test videoconference hearings only on urgent matters in criminal cases involving detainees.

The authorized courts may conduct in-court hearings "under exceptional circumstances," while those who are not authorized to hold videoconference hearings may hold in-court hearings only on urgent matters and with limited staff and strict observance of safety protocols.

Peralta issued the circular days after President Rodrigo Duterte announced new quarantine arrangements for several areas amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Metro Manila, Laguna, and Cebu City, which continue to be considered "high-risk" in the spread of COVID-19, will be placed under a modified ECQ from May 16 to 31

In areas under modified ECQ, Peralta said courts will remain physically closed until May 31 and may be reached only by phone or through email or Facebook. The raffle of cases in these areas shall be done either electronically or through videoconferencing.

Night courts and Saturday courts in modified ECQ areas are suspended until May 31.

The filing of petitions and other pleadings that are due up to May 31 is extended for 30 calendar days counted from June 1, but they may be filed electronically within the original deadline "if preferred and able." Deadlines for court actions are also extended for 30 calendar days counted from June 1.

Civil weddings may be solemnized as long as the parties, witnesses and guests are limited to five people and the health standards are observed during the ceremony.

Meanwhile, all initiatory pleadings in civil and criminal cases, including criminal complaints, informations, and applications for bail, may still be filed electronically before the courts.

In the SC, chiefs of offices are to develop a work-from-home setup for May 18 to 29 but they and their skeletal staff may be required by Peralta to report to the court during this period. Personnel of the offices of the associate justices may also be required to report for work by their respective justices from May 16 to 31.

The decision-writing period of the SC is extended until May 31, but the tribunal may hold special en banc and division sessions "anytime it may deem fit" either in person or through videoconferencing.

The Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and Court of Tax Appeals shall continue to receive and decide cases and hold regular hearings through videoconferencing.

Chiefs of offices in the appellate courts should also come up with a work-from-home arrangement for May 18 to 29, but they and their skeletal staff may similarly be required to report to their respective courts during this period.