Courts in Alert Level 1 areas resume full on-site capacity; night courts reopen
MANILA, Philippines — Courts in areas placed under Alert Level 1, including the Supreme Court in Manila, shall resume full on-site capacity starting March 1.
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo on Monday issued Memorandum No 29-2022 ordering the full on-site working capacity in the SC offices, services, divisions and units starting March 1, until further orders.
This comes as Metro Manila and 38 areas in the country transition to Alert Level 1 from March 1 to 15.
Gesmundo’s order however exempted offices with identified to have limited space for full on-site capacity. These offices shall have 80% of their workforce reporting physically.
The health of those reporting to the office shall be thoroughly checked upon entering the SC premises, and they shall be monitored from time to time, he added.
Court of Appeals
The appeals court in Manila will also operate on a full on-site capacity starting March 1, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
"All court officials and employees shall undergo antigen testing once a month," the office order from Presiding Justice Remedios Salazar-Fajardo read.
For unvaccinated employees, protocols shall be strictly observed.
Raffles and hearings shall be conducted on-site, unless prior approval is secured for videoconferencing.
Court of Tax Appeals
Presiding Justice Roman Del Rosario said in a separate memorandum that the CTA shall be physically open to all users from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays.
Work from home arrangements are discontinued and all officials shall report to their offices five times a week.
"CTA premises shall be subject to periodic disinfection as recommended by the Chief Judicial Staff Officer, General Services Division and Chief of Office, Office of Administrative and Finance Services, subject to approval by the Presiding Justice," del Rosario added.
Sandiganbayan
The anti-graft court shall also be operating with full on-site capacity starting March 1.
All hearings at the Sandiganbayan will also be held fully in-court, although with limited attendees. "Only parties, their counsels, witnesses, and other persons duly authorized by the court shall be allowed inside the court room," Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang said.
Trial courts
The Office of the Court Administrator also directed that all courts and judicial offices in areas under Alert Level 1 shall be fully operational with 100% on-site staff reporting physically.
"For judges without court space or facilities of their own, but [who] already have their own personnel, maintain a skeleton workforce of at least 75%," Deputy Court Administrator Raul Bautista Villanueva said.
Night courts, which have been suspended since the pandemic started in March 2020, shall also resume operations.
Bautista also said that Executive Judges may conduct jail visits.
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