Makati, Valenzuela judges, staff to go on self-quarantine

The judges and personnel of courts in Makati and Valenzuela will go on self-quarantine for two weeks after it was found that some employees could be COVID-19 cases or had contact with COVID-19 patients.

In Makati, all regional trial courts (RTC), metropolitan trial courts (MeTC), and Offices of the Clerks of Court will be physically closed from June 25 to July 8 after a court employee tested positive for COVID-19 through rapid testing and another has been reported as a person under investigation, according to a court memorandum.

READ: Joint Memorandum issued by the Executive Judges of Makati City on the quarantine period for all judges and personnel of the Makati City Courts and OCCs from June 25 until July 8, 2020. pic.twitter.com/VwExGb2uLh

— Supreme Court Public Information Office (PIO) (@SCPh_PIO) June 25, 2020

The first employee also has relatives working in the Makati courts, the RTC Executive Judge Elmo Alameda and MeTC Executive Judge Jackie Crisologo Saguisag said.

Both employees are scheduled to undergo swab testing in the next few days, they said. The concerned courts were advised to conduct contact tracing.

In Valenzuela, the RTC-Bulwagang Pangkatarungan will be on temporary lockdown starting June 25 until July 9 if the person who had been in contact with a COVID-19 patient will test positive for the virus.

READ: Memo issued by the Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court of Valenzuela City on the temporary lockdown of the RTC-Bulwagang Pangkatarungan from June 25 until July 9, 2020. However, if the confirmatory test is negative, in-court transactions will resume immediately. pic.twitter.com/bgbttD3AgU

— Supreme Court Public Information Office (PIO) (@SCPh_PIO) June 25, 2020

If the swab test turns out negative, however, "in-court proceedings and other transactions will resume immediately," according to a memorandum issued by Executive Judge Maria Nena Santos.

In both cities, court authorities said operations will continue,  videoconference hearings may be held, and transactions such as the filing of pleadings may be done electronically during the self-quarantine period.

On the other hand, in Taguig, two court personnel who had direct contact with a COVID-19 patient have tested negative. The concerned MeTCs, Branches 74 and 115, will continue their 14-day quarantine ending on July 1.

READ: Two court personnel of Taguig City test NEGATIVE for COVID according to a Memo issued by the Executive Judge of the Metropolitan Trial Court of Taguig City; quarantine period of Branches 74 and 115 to end on July 1, 2020 pic.twitter.com/rfm2H3p8JQ

— Supreme Court Public Information Office (PIO) (@SCPh_PIO) June 25, 2020

— NIcole- Anne C. Lagrimas/RSJ, GMA News