Judge says they will fix system soon

FOR 15 minutes, Concepcion Mapa waited for court security personnel and criminology interns to find her senior citizen’s identification (ID).

Mapa was itching to leave the Chief Justice Fernan Memorial Hall of Justice in Cebu City after attending a court hearing.

When her ID was found, the 66-year-old resident of Barangay Capitol Site resident smiled.

She said she needed the ID to claim her financial assistance from the Cebu City Government.

She said she understands the security measure put up by the court, a week after Canadian national John Pope shot Dr. Reynold Rafols and lawyer Jubian Achas to death.

The foreigner also shot and injured Assistant Cebu City Prosecutor Maria Theresa Casiño.

“This is okay,” she said in Cebuano.

At past 10 a.m., several court visitors were not able to leave the building because it took time for security personnel to find their IDs.

“We asked for the public’s understanding,” said Regional Trial Court Branch 8 Judge Macaundas Hadjirasul.

Hadjirasul, head of the court’s security group, said yesterday was the first time they gave out 500 visitors’ IDs. He said they will eventually fix the system.

He said he and Regional Trial Court Branch 17 Judge Silvestre Maamo Jr. bought the IDS.

No more queues

The long queue that was experienced by several visitors last Monday did not happen again yesterday morning.

The visitors were no longer required by the guards to write their names if they had IDs.

When asked if the persons with disabilities (PWDs) and lawyers will be allowed to pass through the back door, Hadjirasul said they will wait for a formal request about it.

The judge said the back door is for court employees, prosecutors and judges.

He said the detainees, who have court hearings, will pass at the two doors beside the main entrance door.

Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-Cebu City chapter president Earl Bonachita said frisking is the best way to stop weapons from finding their way inside.

For 75-year-old Elsa Jumao-as, she said she favors the strictness of the court’s security personnel. She also spent some time in finding her ID.

“Para di na ni mahimong palace of injustice,” she said.