SC creates body to study decentralization of court admin functions

In a move that effectively revoked a controversial order from Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, the Supreme Court en banc has created a nine-man committee to determine if there is a need to decentralize the court's administrative functions. In a three-page en banc resolution, the high court said it decided to create the body after discussing the matter during two en banc sessions in November and December last year. "The court hereby resolves to create a decentralization needs assessment committee to study and determine the necessity of decentralizing administrative functions appurtenant to the exercise of the Supreme Court's power of supervision over lower courts; the function  to be devolved; the implementation of the devolution of functions; and the efficient and effective performance of the devolved functions," the high court said. Late last year, Sereno had been criticized for coming up with Administrative Order 175-2012, which revives the Regional Court Administration Office-7 (RCAO-7) in Cebu City. The order was meant to decentralize the Manila-based Office of the Court Administrator under Midas Marquez but was implemented without the required approval of the en banc. Under Sereno's controversial order, RCAO-7 was being revived with Program Management head Faith Econg acting as its officer in charge. Associate Justice Teresita Leonardo-De Castro, in a letter-memorandum addressed to Sereno, urged her to revoke AO 175-2012. De Castro emphasized only the court en banc is constitutionally authorized to decide on administrative matters like the reopening of the RCAO-7, and with assistance of the Office of the Court Administrator. "AO 175-2012... has transgressed the constitutional authority of the Court en banc and the statutory authority of the OCA," said De Castro in her letter. De Castro, a more senior justice than Sereno, said the en banc in a full court session last November 27 tackled the plan to reopen the RCAO-7 but did not reach a decision because several justices opposed the idea. She added they were under the impression that Sereno, as she had expressed during the session, would make necessary amendments based on the other justices' concerns. De Castro said before RCAO-7 gets reopened, further study and assessment should first be made to determine why the judicial office "failed" when it was originally established. On December 11, 2012, the high court en banc agreed with De Castro and said it was in favor of decentralizing the court's administrative functions but noted that further studies should be conducted first. At the time, it was not clear if the en banc's decision to conduct further study on decentralization would have effectively revoked Sereno's controversial administrative order. But in its latest decision, the court en banc, in a resolution signed by Sereno herself, this time particularly noted that the creation of the needs assessment body "supersedes all prior resolutions, administrative orders, and issuances on the covered matter and shall take effect upon its promulgation." The court en banc gave the committee two months within which to submit its report and recommendations. Assigned chairperson of the assessment body is Associate Justice Jose Portugal Perez. Its members include Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez; Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva; Deputy Court Administrator Jenny Lind Delorino; Assistant Court Administrator Thelma Bahia; chief of the Financial Management Office-Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) Lilian Barribal-Co; OCA Office of Administrative Services chief Caridad Pabello; OCA Office on Halls of Justice chief Regina Adoracion Filomena Ignacio; and Judge Geraldine Faith Econg, judicial reform program administrator of the Program Management Office. — BM, GMA News