After two years of implementing the five-year Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations SPJI) that was launched in 2022, the Supreme Court (SC) is set to assess the gains achieved to dispense justice “efficiently, effectively, and timely."
The SC together with various stakeholders and development partners in the country’s justice system are set to meet starting at 9 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 21, at the Rigodon Hall of the Manila Hotel.
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, as chairperson the SC’s Management Committee, will be the keynote speaker.
Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen, will present the gains achieved for the past two years of SPJI. Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa will deliver the welcome remarks.
The SPJI is the SC’s plan of action to address institutional challenges using four guiding principles: the Judiciary’s delivery of justice will be (1) timely and fair, (2) transparent and accountable, (3) equal and inclusive, and (4) technology adaptive. Steered by these guiding principles, the SC said it “targets three major outcomes: Efficiency, Innovation, and Access.”
During the launch of SPJI on Oct. 14, 2022, Chief Justice Gesmundo said: “Today, a century and about a quarter after its establishment, the Supreme Court opens its doors to take its place at the forefront of life as Filipinos know it. Today we remove the shroud that has enveloped our officials and systems in a haze of misperceptions and incomprehension, and present to you in clear and indelible terms what we envision, what we have planned, and what we target to accomplish for our citizenry, and the methodologies we will adopt to achieve our objectives.”
The Chief Justice underscored that the SPJI is the product of the collective efforts of all the 15 SC Justices, who are all equally invested in the SPJI, guaranteeing the SPJI’s continuity.
“Even after I leave in 2026, even when only the four youngest members of the Court remain until 2036, the SPJI will remain relevant,” he said.
During the first year of its implementation, SC justices travelled around the country to get the feedback from judges and court personnel, lawyers, and local government officials and to rally them to support the SPJI.
SPJI had also been presented in various international conferences attended by the SC justices. Its efforts on Gender Equality and Inclusivity were presented to more than 1,100 women judges in Morocco.
Among other fora, the SC also presented the SPJI in Australia, to the United Nations Environmental Program in the World Law Congress, during the Open Government Summit in Estonia, in Bangkok, and during the Judicial Integrity Network ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Judges Conference.
The gains achieved during the first year of SPJI was presented during a meeting with stakeholders, also at the Manila Hotel, on Oct. 16, 2023.
Based on Manila Bulletin’s news stories on SPJI, the SC, among other gains, has accomplished:
-- Adoption of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA) which serves as “bible” for all lawyers and “compass” that would direct them “towards moral and just conduct.” The new Code overhauled the 34-year-old Code of Professional Responsibility (CPR) of lawyers on the approach and attitude by lawyers of their ethical responsibility in the new era of law practice.
-- Consultations with stakeholders on the revision of the Code of Judicial Conduct and the Code of Conduct for Court Personnel.
--Approval of the Rules on Expedited Procedures in the first level courts (municipal and metropolitan trial courts) that increased the threshold amount to P1 million in small claims cases with service of notices through phone calls, SMS and instant messaging software applications.
-- Enhancement of the use of video conferencing in the trial of cases.
-- Consultations on the amendments to the Rules on Civil Procedure and Rules on Criminal Procedure to expedite resolution of cases.
-- Decentralization of the function of the Office of the Court Administrator by creating the Office of Regional Court Managers (ORCMs) to unburden trial court judges of administrative tasks so they can devote more time to adjudication of cases.
-- Approval of the rule that would simplify, reduce legal and procedural hurdles, and facilitate the naturalization as Filipino citizens of refugees and stateless persons. The rule now allows electronic publication of the petition filed by refugees and stateless persons.
It also allows an unaccompanied child to file a petition for naturalization through the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the appropriate Local Social Welfare and Development Office (LSWDO) where the unaccompanied child resides, or the child-caring agency having care and custody of the child.
--Adoption of the Rules on the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 2020 and Related Laws. Under the new rules, law enforcers cannot conduct online surveillance like wiretapping of conversations, intercepting social media accounts, and collecting and reproducing images and photographs of suspected terrorist groups or individuals without an order from the Court of Appeals (CA). Also, suspected members of terrorist groups and individuals who are arrested without judicial warrants cannot be detained for more than 36 hours from the time of arrest without written authority from the Anti-Terrorism Council (ATC).
Before the lapse of the 14-day extension which is counted from the day of arrest, the ATC through the Department of Justice (DOJ) should file before the regional trial court (RTC) a motion for extension of detention of the suspected terrorist for not more than 10 days. The motion should contain the justification for the continued detention of a suspect. If the RTC finds no evidence for further detention, the detained suspected terrorist should be released immediately.
--Adoption of the new Guidelines on Submission of Electronic Copies of Pleadings and Other Court Submissions to facilitate the transition to electronic filing as the primary mode of filing pleadings before the trial courts. Trial court judges will not act on any case or pleading filed before them without transmitting to the courts the electronic copies of the documents.
-- Finalization of the rules on the Unified Legal Aid Service (ULAS) that would provide enhanced access to the country’s justice system of the marginalized and the underprivileged. ULAS is envisioned to provide the mandatory rendition of pro bono (for the public good) legal aid services by covered lawyers to qualified beneficiaries – indigents, members of marginalized sectors with respect to their public interest cases, and non-governmental and non-profit organizations with respect to cases beneficial to indigents and members of marginalized sectors.
Details of the achievements attained by the SC in its SPJI will be given by Senior Associate Justice Leonen during the Manila Hotel meeting. There will be an open forum for participants and members of the media.