PNoy, SC asked to fill vacancies in MTCC

CEBU, Philippines - Following the decision of the Supreme Court to dismiss four judges of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities, the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu Chapter asked the president and the Supreme Court to immediately fill up the vacuum caused by the decision.

In a released statement, Atty. Mae Elaine Bathan, president of the IBP-Cebu City Chapter, said they are strongly appealing to Pres. Noynoy Aquino, the SC and the Judicial and Bar Council to expedite the filling of vacancies in the courts so as not to impair the administration of justice.

“It is imperative on the part of the Judicial and Bar Council and President Noynoy Aquino to act immediately and fill in the vacancies otherwise the gains of the SC in cleansing the judiciary to restore the people’s faith in it will be temporary because of the clogging of the cases by the vacancies,” she said.

In a text message sent to The FREEMAN, Atty. Erwin Heyrosa, president of the IBP-Cebu Province Chapter, also said that while they respect the decision of the SC, the aggrieved judges still have remedies available under the law to appeal the said ruling.

MTCC judges Anatalio Necessario of Branch 2, Gil Acosta of Branch 3, Rosabella Tormis of Branch 4 and Edgemelo Rosales of Branch 8 were recently ordered dismissed by the SC for alleged anomalies in solemnizing civil marriages.

This was the second dismissal order served against Tormis, last month she was also ordered dismissed for failing to act on cases within the mandatory period. (FREEMAN)