The Supreme Court (SC) has issued the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) that will implement the Judiciary Marshals Act which provides security, safety, and protection to members, officials, personnel, and property of all courts in the country.
Under Republic Act No. 11691 enacted in 2022, the Office of the Judiciary Marshals (OJM) will also provide security and protection to the integrity of proceedings in all courts.
The OJM operates under the direct control and supervision of the SC and is empowered to investigate threats, conduct lawful arrests and seizures, and assist in the enforcement of writs and court processes.
Also, the OJM is empowered to investigate crimes committed against members of the judiciary, as well as allegations of graft and corruption within the judicial system.
It can issue subpoenas, apply for search warrants, administer oaths, and access public records from other government agencies while adhering to the provisions of the Data Privacy Act, the SC’s Public Information Office (SC-PIO) said in its briefer.
It said the IRR will be effective 15 days after publication in the Official Gazette or in two newspapers of general circulation.
“The operationalization of the Office of the Judiciary Marshals is a key component of the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027, specifically under the target outcome of Efficiency,” it also said.
Judiciary Marshals will be deployed to secure court premises, including halls of justice, courthouses, and official judiciary events such as conferences, seminars, and meetings, it added.
The OJM will be headed by a chief marshal who will be assisted by three deputy marshals for Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
It will be composed of four offices -- Judicial Security and Operations Division, Investigation and Intelligence Division, Legal Division, and Digital Forensic Service.
The SC-PIO said the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) will provide additional supervisory support to the OJM to ensure coordination and adherence to SC’s directives.
When RA 11691 was enacted in 2022, Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo said that the law “will be a great help not only to the Supreme Court but to the entire Judiciary as well in ensuring an efficient and effective delivery of justice.”
“Indeed, the creation of RA 11691 will not only secure, protect, and safeguard the Judiciary but will also boost the morale of its members, officials, and personnel at this time when there is the concern of the threats to judges and killings of lawyers,” Gesmundo said.
“’To threaten our judges and our lawyers is no less than an assault on the Judiciary. To assault the Judiciary is to shake the very bedrock on which the rule of law stands,” he stressed.