By Rey Panaligan Chief Justice Diosdado M. Peralta has ordered the suspension of work in all courts in the National Capital Judicial Region (NCJR) on Monday, January 13. Monday’s work suspension also covers the Supreme Court, Court of Appeals, the Sandiganbayan, and the Court of Tax Appeals. The SC’s public information office (PIO) said work was suspended in the NCJR “in view of the raising of the alert status of Taal Volcano to Alert Level 4 (hazardous eruption imminent) and the massive ash fall now affecting various parts of Metro Manila.” The PIO also said the Chief Justice directed the presiding justices and executive judges “to ensure that Halls of Justice, court facilities and equipment, including court records, are secure, and all urgent matters requiring court action are attended to.” Peralta had earlier given executive judges in areas affected by the eruption of Taal Volcano in Batangas the discretion to suspend work on Monday, January 13. Peralta said the executive judges should “exercise prudence and sound discretion” in suspending work “to give both court personnel and litigants ample time to take necessary precaution and ensure safety.” The Chief Justice also said: “Should the executive judges suspend work, they are also advised to secure the halls of justice, court facilities and equipment, including court records.” The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) raised Alert Level 4 which means that “hazardous explosive eruption is possible within hours to days.” In its 7:30 p.m. bulletin, Phivolcs said “eruptive activity at Taal Volcano Main Crater intensified as continuous eruption generated a tall 10-15-kilometer steam-laden tephra column with frequent volcanic lightning that rained wet ash fall on the general north as far as Quezon City.”