House deputy speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Representative Rufus Rodriguez on Saturday, June 12, said the Supreme Court’s (SC) self-imposed deadline of two years to resolve pending cases would result in speedy case disposition and dispensation of justice.
“I laud Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and his colleagues for agreeing on this case resolution timeline. This is in compliance with the Constitution,” he said in a statement.
“As far as I could remember, this is the first time the high court is imposing upon itself to resolve cases within two years from the time they were submitted. This would be part of the legacy of the Gesmundo Court,” Rodriguez pointed out.
Rodriguez said the High Court’s decision should prompt lower courts and prosecutors’ offices as well to expedite the disposition of complaints lodged with them.
“In many instances, cases gather dust in the courts for years due to inaction and lawyers’ delaying tactics, prompting litigants to complain that justice delayed is justice denied. The Supreme Court should put an end to this,” he stressed.
He pointed out that faster dispensation of justice would strengthen the people’s faith and trust in the judicial system.
The Constitution provides that cases that are sent to the Supreme Court for review should be resolved within 24 months from the time they were submitted.
However, the tribunal has interpreted the provision to be directory, instead of mandatory.
Rodriguez said the faster resolution of cases, from the high court to the lower courts, would also lessen suspicions of corruption on the part of some members of the judiciary.
Compliance with the 24-month resolution timeline would likewise deprive critics of a ground to file an impeachment complaint against a member of the Supreme Court, he said. Rodriguez said non-compliance has been cited in previous complaints.