Rights group wary of RP’s 'justice on wheels' program

MANILA, Philippines - A Hong Kong-based rights group is wary of the Supreme Court's "Justice on Wheels" program, saying it is just a temporary relief for a bigger problem involving slow justice. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) said that if the regular courts were functioning efficiently, there would have been no need for the buses converted into mobile courts. "It is indeed disturbing that the failure of the state's justice institutions to function has been allowed to continue. Also, curing a deeply wounded system of justice requires not topical treatment; but the finding of solutions to improve the system that caused the delays and people's loss of faith in the first place," it said in a statement on its website. AHRC's "cautious welcome" for the program stemmed from after justice secretary Raul Gonzalez admitted the value of the mobile courts lie more on their "PR" value, at least for now. The "justice-on-wheels" program, which started hearings last July 9, aims to reduce the number of court cases in order to ease congestion in jails, by holding hearings in jails. On its first day, the courts aboard converted buses managed to resolve 20 cases. "The 'justice-on-wheels' program has, in fact, brought to light the sad realities in the administration of justice there. While the Philippine judiciary makes every effort to become efficient — which is eventually helpful to detainees — the actions they have taken underlines the incapability of the judges and the regular courts to perform speedy hearing of cases. Had these regular courts been functioning effectively, there would have no need at all for mobile courts," AHRC said. It said that while most in the judiciary intend to carry out their duties effectively, they are confronted with practical problems. The AHRC said the program, which since 2004 still only has four mobile courtrooms throughout the country, is barely scratching the surface of what needs to be done. It cited the plight of “Abadilla Five," whose cases remain pending after having spent 12 years in jail, demonstrates that to effectively address the endemic problem of court delays requires a reasonable long term solution. Even if "justice-on-wheels" may have been able resolve cases and decongest the detention centers promptly, it can neither be an alternative nor a replacement to what should been an effective, competent and an independent judiciary, it added. "Therefore, increasing the capabilities and efficiency should likewise be address to solving the practical problem in the administration of justice, as already mentioned earlier. In doing so, not only is it the duty of the judiciary, but that of the Government of the Philippines, who has the utmost obligation to ensure an effective administration of justice," it said. Otherwise, it said the continued slow pace of justice will still embolden state agents to contribute to the upsurge in crimes through extra-judicial killings and abductions. "The people, who have already lost faith in courts, are themselves unwilling or discouraged from seeking legal remedies, especially as some of the security forces and other persons are already taking laws into their hands, thereby rendering the courts useless—for instance, extrajudicial executions of crime suspects. The delay in the prosecution of cases has, in fact, prevented victims or complainants of crimes to file case in court," it said. - GMANews.TV