The House Committee on Justice passed, as amended and subject to style and corresponding committee report thereof, on Wednesday, Feb. 8, a proposed measure providing hazard pay for court judges because of the “high risk” nature of their work that put them and their family members in harm’s way.
House Bill (HB) No. 1836 - “Granting hazard pay to RTC judges and appropriating funds therefor” - by Davao de Oro 2nd District Rep. Ruwel Peter Gonzaga received support from his fellow lawmakers, as well as from the Office of the Court Administrator, the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and the Philippine Judges Association (PJA).
They, however, asked that Municipal Trial Court (MTC) and first-level judges, and not just Regional Trial Court (RTC) judges, be included in the bill.
“During the 18th Congress, all of the first-level courts were included, so I would agree and affirm there is really a need to include (them) all,” Gonzaga replied.
The bill’s explanatory note “seeks to grant a tax-exempt hazard pay to Regional Trial Court (RTC) judges equivalent to twenty-five percent (25) of their basic monthly salary during their incumbency.”
“The guarantee of adequate salaries and the granting of hazard pay to RTC judges is but a small measure aimed not only to protect the judges’ personal independence but also meant as a recognition on their contribution to nation building”, the explanatory note furthered.
Batangas 2nd district Rep. Gerville Luistro was the first to raise the issue of the inclusion of MTC judges in the proposed measure because they are likewise “exposed to the same peril as RTC judges.”
While PJA President Danilo Cruz moved for the approval of the bill, Judge Byron San Pedro lamented how judges are classified as “high risk due to the nature of their work and demand full imposition of high insurance premium for their coverage.”
“These senseless killings and attacks sow fear among our administrators of justice,” he said, noting the “chilling effect in the discharge of our functions.”
Judge Jaime Santiago cited a report by Amnesty International about how “Philippine judges are among those at risk of assassination because of the very nature of our job.”
“You know when judges decide a case one will cry. That disgruntled litigant may use or cause the assassination of judges”, he said.
Santiago shared a report that said 36 judges, including eight MTC judges, have been killed since 1991.
He also noted how even retired or dismissed judges “are not spared” from the killings.
“So, ‘yung (the) everyday life of judges, talaga (really) we encounter mga (many) threats, so we really pray itong (this) house bill for hazard pay of judges will be approved,” he stressed.
Raul Villanueva from the Office of the Court Administrator, on the other hand, raised the issue of how the judiciary can afford the hazard pay.
He said this item in their budget is not enough to provide hazard pay.
Under Section 3 of HB 1836, the amount necessary for the implementation of the bill would be charged against the available appropriations of the judiciary under the current General Appropriations Act (GAA). Afterward, it would be included in the annual GAA.