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Wednesday, October 15, 2003
Judges to tackle hike in benefits
By Avelyn Z. Agudon
JUDGES in the country will tackle the non-enactment of Senate Bill 2018 calling for a 25 percent increase in their allowances next week in Manila.
Executive Judge Pepito Gellada of the local Regional Trial Court told Sun.Star they would discuss their move during the Philippine Judges Association National Convention and Election of the RTC Judges Oct. 23-25 at the Century Park Hotel in Manila.
Gellada reiterated they adopted a wait-and-see attitude over the mass leave of their colleagues in Manila and in some parts of Negros Occidental because they are still waiting for PJA's decision.
He further said during the convention, PJA will take an official stand whether to push through with a synchronized protest or may opt to conduct a protest action during lunchbreak.
In Manila, judges and court employees scored Senator John Osmeña who wanted to return the bill to the bicameral conference committee to make some changes that would conform to the law.
But Senate President Franklin Drilon earlier assured the judges a speedy approval of the bill authored by Sen. Francis Pangilinan.
Members of the judiciary are also demanding for an increase in the judiciary's share of the national budget, as they noted that in the proposed P865 billion national budget for 2004, the judiciary got only P7.8 million or a measly 0.9 percent.
Once the law is fully implemented, an RTC judge will get a monthly pay of P50,666 while the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court will have a monthly pay of P92,400.
Some judges of the RTC and Municipal Trial Courts in Negros Occidental earlier went on a mass leave to dramatize their protest.
Judges who joined the mass leave are from the cities of Kabankalan, Escalante, Silay, Bago, Sipalay, Cadiz, Talisay and La Carlota and towns of Calatrava, La Castellana, Hinoba-an, Cauayan, Hinigaran, Pontevedra, Ilog, Candoni, E.B. Magalona and Binalbagan.
(October 15, 2003 issue)
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