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Tuesday, November 04, 2003
Court workers sing, dance for transparency
By Ronilo Ladrido Pamonag
ILOILO -- Even court employees are divided over the investigation initiated by Congress in the disbursement of the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF).
Instead of chanting protest lines, court employees at the Ramon Q. Avanceņa Hall of Justice in Iloilo City sang old-time favorites and danced to boogey tunes as they demanded transparency in the disbursement of the controversial Judiciary Development Fund (JDF).
Wearing red shirts or red armbands, the court employees called for a salary increase and transparency in the disbursement of the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF).
The alleged misuse of the JDF prompted Reps. Felix William Fuentebella, of Camarines Sur, and Gilberto Teodoro, of Tarlac, to file an impeachment complaint against Davide. More than 80 congressmen endorsed the complaint.
All courts were practically empty Monday as about 200 rank-and-file employees, wearing red arm bands, gathered at the Hall of Justice's lobby together to call for an accounting on their 80 percent share in the JDF.
The mass leave will last until Wednesday.
Nigel Jalea, clerk III of Regional Trial Court Branch 34, clarified that they do not support nor oppose the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Hilario Davide.
All they want, he said, is adherence to the provisions of the JDF which provide for a ratio of 80 percent for the benefits of all court personnel and 20 percent for office equipment and supplies.
There were two streamers - one hanging on a pillar while the other on the metal gates near the main entrance - stating that the court employees support the judiciary, but they also want transparency.
Minimal effect
Lawyer Amelita Del Rosario-Benedicto, president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter, told reporters the employees' mass leave has a minimal effect on the administration of justice.
The delay is but temporary, she said.
Benedicto called on the Ilonggos maintain trust in the country's judicial system despite the controversy which has rocked the Supreme Court.
I hope the litigants can understand, she said.
Benedicto also said that the three-day mass leave will not affect cases, which are already submitted for decision. Only the trial, which is but part of the administration of justice, is affected temporarily.
The judges are also working, she added.
In Bacolod, questioning why only the judges were granted salary increase, close to 900 members of the Coalition of Trial Court Employees started their four-day mass leave Monday resulting to a halt in court hearings in various trial courts in Negros Occidental, including Bacolod City.
Despite the stoppage of court hearings, court proceedings, including the filing of cases, issuance of warrants of arrest and acceptance of bail bond for the provisional liberty of the accused continued with the presence of the judges in their respective salas.
The court employees also demanded for a "true and full disclosure of accounts in the disbursement of the Judiciary Development Fund."
Clad in red shirts and arm bands, the employees converged at the Hall of Justice and conducted a protest action after their weekly flag ceremony.
They then marched along the Provincial Capitol Lagoon with various messages, some of which read: "Injustice at the Hall of Justice", "Kami ya wala (We have none of the increase)," "Paano Kami (How about us?)" and "To the Supreme Court the truth will set you free."
Meanwhile, Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Pepito Gellada said he will just order these court employees to explain their action as soon as they return to work.
He noted that with their protest action, the court employees caused the postponement of court hearings.
Gellada said though he just received the cases filed by the City Prosecutor's Office and will turn them over to the Clerk of Courts as soon as normal court sessions are back.
He added the court employees did not listen to them when they urged them not to continue with their planned protest action.
Municipal Trial Court in Cities Executive Judge Lorna Demonteverde, on the other hand, said court hearings were also affected because of the employees' mass leave.
Demonteverde said they have decided to postpone all the hearings next week but normal court proceedings continued.
Ally
The court employees, on the other hand, found an ally by Senator Rodolfo Biazon who assured them that he will look into their complaints.
Rainero Tolentino, president of CORTE, said Biazon advised him to send their position paper to his office so that appropriate action could be taken.
"He assured me that he will personally look into our cause," Tolentino said.
Tolentino said other court associations, specifically in Cebu, Iloilo, Aklan and Bicol Region also went on mass leave while their counterparts in Manila will start their protest action Wednesday.
Tolentino also said that judges in some of trial courts in the province yesterday joined them.
"They are sympathetic to our cause and they are supporting us," Tolentino said.
He added they will not stop until the Bicamiral committee will act on what they are demanding.
Right
Gov. Joseph Maraņon said that even though it is the right of the court employees to go on mass leave they should have also considered that they are serving the public.
"I think they also have an obligation to consider because people could not avail (themselves) of the court services," commented Maraņon.
On the other hand, court employees in Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Davao stayed in their respective salas and continued their silent support to the Chief Justice.
In Baguio City, court employees were wearing white to express their call for the immediate resolution of the present standoff.With reports from Avelyn Agudon of Sun.Star Bacolod and Sun.Star Baguio |
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