By Charissa Luci-Atienza
Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund "LRay" Villafuerte is proposing to allocate an initial P50 million funding for the creation of the Philippine Marshal Service that would protect and defend the justices, judges, court officials, and personnel.
Deputy Speaker and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte
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The House leader filed House Bill No. 5528 seeking to "adequately" protect the safety and independence of the members of the judiciary, and to put an end to the act of violence and senseless killing of judges.
"Patterned after the United States Marshal Service, this bill provides that the officials and personnel of the Philippine Marshal Service shall possess suitable and adequate firearms for the proper safety and protection of the justices, judges, court officials, and personnel," he said.
Villafuerte noted that the "increasing" number of attacks against judges in the country in the recent years.
"According to the Philippine Judges Association, five judges have been killed since 2017--totaling to 31 active judges killed since 1999. Of the 31 judges, 90 percent were regional trial court judges and only 10 percent of the killings were solved," he said.
Under HB 5528 , he said the judicial marshals will also be given the power to make arrests, searches and seizures, and to issue subpoenas for the appearance of any person for investigation.
"Under the proposed measure, it will also be the function of the Philippine Marshal Service to ensure that the court trials and hearings proceed orderly, and to assist in the execution and implementation of court orders," the House leader said.
"They shall also be responsible in conducting investigation concerning allegations of irregularities, including graft and corruption, committed by justices, judges, court officials, and personnel, " Villafuerte said.
HB 5528 provides that the Philippine Marshal Service shall be headed by the Chief Marshal who shall have the same rank, privileges, and compensation of a Court of Appeals Associate Justice.
There shall be three Deputy Marshals who shall be assigned in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. They shall have the same rank, privileges and compensation of a Regional Trial Court Judge.
Officials of the Philippine Marshal Service must be lawyers and must have been at least a full Colonel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) or the Philippine National Police (PNP), or an Assistant Director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), according to the bill.
The Supreme Court en banc shall appoint them. They shall serve until they reach the age of 65, unless they become incapacitated to discharge the duties of their office or are removed for just cause by a vote of not less than eight justices of the High Court, HB 5528 provides.
Under the bill, the SC is tasked to determine and define the powers, duties, and responsibilities of the officials and personnel of the Philippine Marshal Service.
The measure provides the initial sum of P50 million for the salaries, wages and other expenses of personnel; and purchase of necessary supplies, materials and equipment. It shall be sourced from the National Treasury.
The appropriations for the succeeding fiscal years shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act (GAA), it said.
Deputy Speaker and Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel earlier filed a similar bill. Also. Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso, chairman of the House Committe on Justice, filed a resolution, urging colleagues to look into the possibility of creating judicial marshals to address the spate of killings of judges.