QC Hall of Justice to be closed until testing, containment measures completed

MANILA, Philippines — The Quezon City’s Hall of Justice (HOJ) will remain closed until at the earliest, July 17, as containment measures continued to be conducted in the building premises.

QC Regional Trial Court Acting Executive Judge Ferdinand Baluon and Metropolitan Trial Court Executive Judge Don Ace Mariano Alagar issued a joint memorandum to extend the lockdown in the buildings’ premises first imposed by Mayor Joy Belmonte.

QC’s Hall of Justice “shall remain closed until July 17 or until the City Epidemiological and Disease Surveillance Unit completes the appropriate testing and containment measures,” the joint memorandum read.

QC Hall of Justice (Main and Annex) shall remain closed starting July 11 to 17, 2020 or until CESU completes testing and containment measures. READ the Joint Memo issued by the Executive Judges of QC pic.twitter.com/hCRim4JWLz

— Supreme Court Public Information Office (PIO) (@SCPh_PIO) July 14, 2020

In a letter dated July 7, Belmonte ordered the seven-day closure of HOJ after four court officers and employees tested positive for COVID-19.

Belmonte also announced last week that she contracted the coronavirus and would be undergoing quarantine, but assured that she would continue her duties as local chief executive of the city.

During the lockdown period, only judges, clerks of courts, branch clerk of courts, and heads of offices may enter the premises for securing their offices and records. Other employees shall only be allowed to enter with permission, and under authority, of court officers “only for extremely urgent matters”

QC courts housed in the buildings will continue video conferencing for trials, while drafting of orders, resolutions and decisions may be drafted from their own homes, the executive judges said.

Other courts closure                

Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 205 had also been ordered temporarily closed until July 15 after a court employee tested positive for COVID-19.

The employee was last in the premises of the court on July 1, according to the memorandum written by Executive Judge Antonietta Medina.

Those who have had interaction with the patient during the swab testing done on July 6 are ordered to undergo home quarantine until July 20.

Muntinlupa Hall of Justice will also impose “no mask, no entry” and “no scheduled hearing, no entry” policies.

Manila Executive Judge Virgilio Macaraig also ordered the physical closure of Manila RTC Branch 31 from July 13 to July 26  after one court staff tested positive for COVID-19.

“Court hearings may be conducted through video conferencing and pleadings, motions, orders, judgments and notices may be filed electronically during the period of self-quarantine,” Macaraig said in her memo. — Kristine Joy Patag