Supreme Court OKs guidelines for Sandiganbayan remote hearings

The Supreme Court (SC) has approved guidelines for Sandiganbayan remote hearings as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to pose risks for court users.

In a resolution dated July 14 but released on Thursday, the court en banc approved with revisions the "Interim Guidelines for Sandiganbayan Remote Hearings," which will take effect 10 days after the approved version is published in the two courts' websites.

READ: A.M. No. 20-06-05-SB,
RE: Request for Approval of the Guidelines for Sandiganbayan Remote Hearings pic.twitter.com/VhPXw69ZNH

— Philippine Supreme Court Public Information Office (@SCPh_PIO) August 6, 2020

An earlier administrative circular authorized the Sandiganbayan to conduct regular hearings through videoconference.

The SC also said allowing detainees to testify through videoconferencing will eliminate health risks while maintaining their rights to be present and to confront witnesses against them, and to ensure that proceedings in criminal cases will continue.

The SC added that remote hearings and guidelines for these are necessary considering the difficulty of presenting evidence in in-court hearings and to prevent delay in proceedings.

The tribunal earlier allowed more than a thousand courts across the country to hold hearings through videoconferencing during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

The SC approved last year the guidelines on the use of videoconferencing technology for the remote appearance and testimonies of detainees facing charges. It was first tested in Davao. — Nicole-Anne C. Lagrimas/RSJ, GMA News