2-yr. deadline to resolve SC cases backed

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines has backed measures the Supreme Court would implement to resolve within two years, from date of submission for decision, all cases filed before it.

“The Integrated Bar of the Philippines welcomes the public commitment of Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo that the Supreme Court will observe the constitutional deadline of twenty-four months within which it should decide cases submitted for resolution,” IBP President Domingo Egon Cayosa said in a statement.

Gesmundo vowed to focus on the case decongestion program and a technology-driven judiciary to resolve cases pending before the SC, including those languishing its dockets for many years.

On case decongestion, Gesmundo said that he and his colleagues have agreed to prioritize the resolution of aging cases in the next 24 months.

“My fellow justices and I have resolved to decide all petitions, cases, or matters that have been filed before the Supreme Court after April 5, 2021 strictly within the said 24-month period from date of submission pursuant to Section 15 (1), Article VIII of the 1987 Constitution, and to strictly observe requirements for the proper exercise of its power of judicial review,” the chief magistrate added.

Cayosa said: “We strongly support the significant shift for timely disposition of cases brought to the highest court of the land.”

“The proactive announcement from the head of the Judiciary will inspire and rally the trial and other appellate courts which are subjected to shorter constitutional deadlines.

Adherence to set deadlines by all is one way of achieving justice bilis (fast justice),” the IBP official said.

To support the expeditious resolution of cases, Gesmundo said the SC has approved several amendments to its Internal Rules.

Among these amendments are as follows: prescribing a period of one month within which the members of the Court should submit reflection, comments, or suggestions, and a period of two weeks to resolve thereafter; shortening the period for distribution to the other members of the Court of the Member-in-Charge’s report on a case prior to its scheduled agenda date to at least three working days; and imposing a limit on the nature of administrative cases that can be elevated to the Court en banc (full court).

Gesmundo also said the SC is already considering the hiring of more law clerks for the offices of the justices to help eliminate aging cases or those already beyond the 24-month period to resolve.