SC revises rules for justices and judges moonlighting as teachers

(Updated 4:11 p.m.) The Supreme Court has added additional hours to the allowable time for justices, judges, and other court personnel to teach in schools.

From the original eight hours a week as reflected on Circular No. 62-97 of the Office of the Court Administrator, the high court revised the rules to make it 10 hours a week.

This Supreme Court made the revisions following a request by Associate Justice Roberto Abad to revise the restrictions on members of the judiciary who have part-time work in the academe.

In a resolution signed by clerk of court Enriqueta Vidal, the magistrates sitting in full court said “teaching shall be allowed for not more than ten (10) hours a week” while “teaching on regular working days... shall be limited to, at most, two (2) hours a day.”

The SC also reminded teaching members of the judiciary that they are not allowed to hold classes within their works hours in their respective government offices.

“Teaching shall in no case be conducted earlier than 5:30 p.m. on regular working days (Monday through Friday) and 2:30 p.m. on Saturdays,” the high tribunal said.

Justices, judges, and court personnel wishing to teach in schools may apply for permission with their respective approving authority.

The approving authority, however, “may deny the application or allow less than ten (10) hours of teaching a week, depending on the applicant's performance record,” the SC said.

At the end of every year, the approving authorities are required to submit to Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno a report on the applications submitted for the year and the respective status of, or action taken on, each application.

Last May, University of the Philippines law dean Danilo Concepcion asked the high court to allow judiciary members to teach in UP Law, claiming that their faculty has been deprived of additional prominent and distinguished members due to the constitutional prohibition against double compensation in government.

Concepcion said some judges and justices have expressed their desire to teach in UP Law but were worried about violating the constitutional provision against double compensation and double position or employment in government under Article IX (b) Section 8 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution. — Mark Merueñas/KBK, GMA News