Alvarez reiterates proposal to abolish Court of Appeals
House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez reiterated his proposal to abolish the Court of Appeals. Facebook/Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez
MANILA, Philippines — House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez on Tuesday renewed his suggestion to abolish the Court of Appeals to improve the judicial system in the country and hasten resolution of cases.
Alvarez lamented that cases in courts take too long to resolve at the trial court level alone. He cited that final decisions on cases take years as these are being brought to the Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court.
“For the sake of our people, let us consider simplifying the process. I propose that the Court of Appeals, unless it can speedily resolve cases brought to it and, in other words, unless it can be shown that it facilitates rather than delays the speedy disposition of justice, be abolished,” Alvarez said in a release.
“Let us also work on removing the delaying tactics afforded by the present system to lawyers who abuse the benevolence of the courts,” he added.
Alvarez suggested that the number of trial courts should be expanded in proportion to the size of the population. He also proposed investment in the specialization of trial courts to resolve particular cases and speed up the dispensation of justice.
“This will facilitate the speedy disposition of cases. No more back and forth for witnesses who need to travel from out of town. No more witnesses who, because of old age, are already dead by the time they are called to testify. No more pieces of evidence lost with the passage of the years. This is the way forward in the attainment of justice and the rule of law in our country,” Alvarez said.
The House speaker said the Duterte’s administration’s push for a shift to a federal system of government “requires structural changes not just in the Executive and Legislative branches of government but also in the Judiciary.”
Last June, Alvarez also threatened to abolish the appellate court after three of its magistrates ordered the release of the six Ilocos Norte provincial officials detained by lawmakers for contempt.
Former Court of Appeals Presiding Justice Andres Reyes Jr. previously said Congress created the appellate court in 1935. He said it could legislate to abolish the Court of Appeals but added that "there is a clause that you should not violate the security of tenure of justices." — Rosette Adel
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