Marcos urges JSCC to streamline, digitalize services to ensure swift legal proceedings

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Wednesday urged the Justice Sector Coordinating Council to pursue streamlining and digitalization of its frontline and back-end services to ensure swift legal proceedings.

“By embracing technology and innovative practices, we can enhance our efficiency, reduce delays, and ensure swift and fair legal proceedings,” Marcos said in a speech read by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin during the National Jail Decongestion Summit held in Manila.

Marcos was unable to attend the summit after testing positive for COVID-19.

The JSCC is composed of the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice, and the Department of the Interior and Local Government

The President welcomed conduct of the event, saying it is in line with his administration’s priority to decongest jails and prison facilities and enhance the effectiveness of the justice system.

“The gathering is most welcome, as it demonstrates the commitment of the entire government to expedite the processing of criminal cases and alleviate the chronic problem of jail congestion,” he said.

“I am, therefore, confident that the discussions in this summit will pave the way for better policies and initiatives that will address the root causes of our problems,” he added.

As of November, data from the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) showed that its prison and penal farms nationwide have a person deprived of liberty (PDL) population of 51,862 exceeding their capacity of 12,272.

The New Bilibid Prison, meanwhile, houses 29,811 PDLs as of October despite having a capacity of only 6,435 - a congestion rate of 358%.

For SC Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, the efficiency and efficacy of any criminal justice system should not be measured by how many are prosecuted but by how many are rehabilitated. 

“The law may be harsh but it must, at all times, remain humane. The law must punish but punishment can only be humane if it is reformative. The conditions in our jails and detention facilities, as they stand today, are conducive to neither,” Gesmundo said.

“Today we take a significant step together towards correcting this—towards ensuring better jail management, the humane safekeeping of PDLs, and the speedy delivery of responsive justice, especially for those whose lives and liberty depend upon it,” he added.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla, whose message was read by Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez, said the summit illustrates the DOJ’s commitment to transformative change.

“While it is true that the DOJ, through our corrections cluster, bears the arduous task of balancing the interests of peace and order with reformation and reintegration of former PDLs into society, the reality is that our justice system remains to be a network of interconnected pillars,” he said.

“Thus, this conference will be a venue to make the most of the synergy among these pillars of justice, acknowledging their interdependence while facilitating a holistic approach towards reform,” Remulla added.

Training

Meanwhile, Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HK Yu said the Australian government also reformed its correction system. 

“In August this year, I had the privilege of actually going and seeing the new jail in Marawi City. And I have to say, I was extremely impressed by the facilities and the standard to which it wants to operate,” Yu said.

“So the Australian government will be rolling out training programs for the guards and the management of the prison, drawn from our own experience to share that with you,” she added.

Yu warned that without a good reform program, those detained may come out “just as extreme.” 

“If we do not get this right, those terrorists who are stuck in jail could potentially come out just as extreme. And, in fact, in worse-case scenarios, even radicalize others. And in an overcrowded prison and jail, it is very difficult to achieve rehabilitation,” she said.

Meanwhile, Ambassador and Head of the European Union Delegation to the Philippines Luc Veron said that through a program, they support the training of persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) as legal researchers. 

He said the EU also supports the digitalization of the single carpeta system.

“And by the end of this year, next year, the project would have completed 40,000 carpetas. Much more needs to be done and this is only the beginning,” Veron said.

“What I find so encouraging is that the principles of justice and law enforcement sectors in this room are pushing for change together. Together pushing for change. And we can see results despite the complexities and capacity constraint,” he added. 

He assured that the EU is a partner of the country in carrying the reforms forward.

The Summit will take place from Wednesday, December 6, to Thursday, December 7.–AOL, GMA Integrated News