Munti gets five new judges

The Supreme Court has appointed five new judges to the Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court (MRTC) to address the backlog of pending cases.

A statement from the city government identified the judges as Pedro Sabundayo, Juanita Guerrero, Myrna Verano, Patria de Leon, and Philip Aguinaldo.

The MTC has only two RTC courts, presided by MRTC Executive Judge Norma Perello and Judge Alberto Lerma.

Perello presides over a heinous crime court while Lerma handles civil and other criminal cases.

But the statement quoted Perella as saying that "what the RTC really needs are Municipal Trial Court judges because they have (a) heavier calendar, meaning more cases handled, compared to the RTC."

Muntinlupa has only one MTC judge and an associate court to assist it.

Perello said that the MTC has 25,000 pending cases mostly composed of violations of city ordinances, squatting, bouncing checks, and other petty cases.

She further stated that all RTC cases "should be heard each month and should not be postponed beyond 30 days particularly those involving detention cases."

Perello also requested for land where a new courthouse could be erected.

The two RTCs are currently housed at the city hall while the new RTC judges will hold court at a new building rented by the city government and at the New Bilibid Prisons. – Nikko Dizon