All Parañaque City courts, Regional Trial Courts (RTC), and Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTC), including its office, were physically closed on Monday (July 27) to give way for the containment and disinfection activities of the city government.
The Supreme Court Public Information Office tweeted that executive judges MeTC Noemi Balitaan (RTC) and Marina Buenagua (MeTC) issued a joint memorandum stating that all branches in the said offices will be physically closed for containment and disinfection activities that the city government is conducting, not only in the legislative building, but also the entire City Hall premises.
All courts will continue to conduct hearings through video conferencing and act on urgent matters through hotlines and official email addresses.
Mar Jimenez, the city government public information chief, said in an interview that they have implemented strict measures for entry into City Hall, especially when bringing inmates to attend court hearings.
Jimenez said two offices in the city hall, the City Treasurers Office and the Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO), were closed several times for containment and disinfection activities because their lounge and lobbies were being used as a passageway to bring inmates to attend court hearings.
He said to avoid the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) at the City Hall building, the second floor where the parking area is located is now used as a walkway to bring inmates to court hearings.