Philippines
National
SC, DOJ, DILG renew vows to further improve PH's justice system
SC, DOJ, DILG renew vows to further improve PH's justice system
The Supreme Court (SC) and two other government agencies have renewed efforts to address long-standing challenges in the justice system like delays in investigation and prosecution of cases, low conviction rates, congested court dockets, and overcrowded detention facilities.
Officials of the SC, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), and other stakeholders in the justice system gathered last Wednesday, June 4, in Pasig City for their National Justice Zone summit.
The summit, organized by the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) through the European Union’s Governance in Justice Programme II (EU GOJUST II), assessed the success so far achieved.
The SC, DOJ and DILG are the prime movers of the JSCC which sets up justice zones (JZs) where judges, prosecutors, law enforcers and representatives of local government units (LGUs) meet on common interests, coordination, and information sharing.
A JZ is a venue “where key programs relating to the delivery of justice are in place to maximize coordination among the different agency actors to address the perennial issue of delay and the greater problem of accountability,” Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo had earlier said.
The JSCC was set up in 2010 and it started establishing JZs in 2014.
There are now 16 JZs nationwide with six of them designated as Specialty Zones focusing on specific issues such as environmental protection (Puerto Princesa City JZ), economic development (Tagaytay City JZ), human trafficking (Zamboanga City JZ), child sexual abuse or exploitation materials (CSAEM) and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC) [the Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City and Ozamiz City JZs.
The other JZs are in Quezon City, Cebu City, Davao City, Angeles City, Bacolod City, Naga City, Calamba City, Balanga City, Baguio City, and Dagupan City.
Chief Justice Gesmundo told the summit participants: “Instead of pointing fingers, we in the JSCC said, let’s sit down and hammer a path forward, together, as one sector, not as separate agencies, and let’s use open communication, frank collaboration, and principled cooperation with full respect for our respective constitutional independence.”
Thus, the now-famous ‘whole of government approach’ was born,” he shared.
A press statement released by the SC’s Office of the Spokesperson stated that Gesmundo also highlighted the Justice Zones’ success in various projects such as the reformation and reintegration centers for drug offenders in Davao City; stronger anti-human-trafficking efforts in Zamboanga City; legal aid caravans in Cebu City; campaign against gender-based violence in Baguio City; school awareness drives on child protection in Iligan City; initiatives to help children in conflict with the law in Calamba City; barangay workshops on child safety in Ozamiz City; and digital transparency boards in Naga City.
Sharing his vision for JSCC’s future, Gesmundo said: “Imagine a tomorrow when the whole country will be a Justice Zone, where justice delivery is accessible to every man, woman, and child 24/7, where the processes and systems are so transparent that the ordinary person and the general public easily understand them, and where justice sector actors and agencies can be held accountable for any misfeasance or malfeasance done. That would be the day when we can say ‘our work here is done.’”
Also speakers during the summit were DILG Undersecretary for External, Legal and Legislative Affairs Romeo P. Benitez and DOJ Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez, representing DILG Secretary Juanito Victor C. Remulla, Jr. and DOJ Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, respectively. EU GOJUST II Team Leader Christian Eldon welcomed the participants.
Court of Appeals (CA) Associate Justice Jaime Fortunato A. Caringal delivered a message on behalf of Justice Singh and gave a talk on court decongestion. CA Associate Justice Wilhelmina J. Wagan delivered the closing remarks.
Also present were Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva, SC Judicial Reform Program Administrator lawyer Laura C.H. Del Rosario, SC Spokesperson lawyer Camille Sue Mae L. Ting, SC Chief Communications Officer lawyer Michael Jobert I. Navallo, and Deputy Chief Justice Staff Head lawyer Antonio Caesar R. Manila.
They were joined by Balanga City Mayor Francis Anthony Garcia, United Nations Office for Project Services Senior Program Officer Joy Jakosalem-Balane, EU Programme Manager Alicia Louro-Peña, and representatives from the country’s JZs.