The Supreme Court (SC) assured its “active campaign for the full attainment of peace in Mindanao” during the visit of its justices, led by Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, in Marawi City on Thursday, Sept. 8.
The justices visited Marawi City to award the historical markers to two Mindanao State University (MSU) campuses – MSU-Iligan Institute of Technology and MSU General Santos – as testing sites of the first digitized and regionalized 2020-2021 Bar examinations.
A press statement issued by the SC’s public information office (PIO) stated that in his message during the awarding ceremony, Chief Justice Gesmundo said “the Judiciary has begun to actively help the Bangsamoro people achieve their dream of peace.”
Gesmundo also noted that the awarding ceremony “marked the very first time that almost half of the members of the Supreme Court visited Marawi City.”
With Gesmundo were Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, and Associate Justices Mario V. Lopez, Samuel H. Gaerlan, Japar B. Dimaampao, Jhosep Y. Lopez, and Jose Midas P. Marquez.
Justice Dimaampao, who hails from Marawi City, “underscored the importance of attaining understanding, unity, harmony, and peace in the Bangsamoro region.”
He said that “with the Supreme Court now giving importance to the Shari’ah legal system, this might truly be achieved.”
He noted that the SC has included in its Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations (JPJI) 2022-2027 projects and reforms in the country’s Shari’ah Legal System.
The SPJI is the institutional blueprint of the SC’s plans and programs for the “delivery of responsive and real-time justice.”
Dimaampao also said the first ever National Shari’ah Summit will be held in Cagayan De Oro City in February 2023.
“Indeed, we are lucky to have a Chief Justice in the person of Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo whose heart is close to the Bangsamoro People,” he also said.
The 2020/2021 Bar examinations were held last Feb. 4 and 6 in 29 testing sites nationwide. Justice Leonen was the chairperson of the bar examinations committee.
A total of 8,241 of the 11,402 who took and completed the tests passed the examinations.
Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa is the chairperson of the 2022 online and regionalized Bar examinations which will be administered by the SC on Nov. 9, 13, 16, and 20.
Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando, on the other hand, will be the chairperson of the 2023 Bar examinations committee.