THE threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic did not stop judges of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Cebu City from disposing of 4,612 cases between January and September of 2020, which is 6.5 percent more compared to the 4,330 cases disposed in the same period last year.
Outgoing RTC Cebu City Executive Judge Macaundas Hadjirasul made the announcement on his Facebook page on Monday, Oct. 19, 2020. On the same post, he announced that his two-year term ended effectively on Oct. 15.
He will be replaced by RTC Branch 15 Judge Marlon Jay Moneva.
“Let’s welcome and extend our full support to him... Thank you very much for all the cooperation and understanding which were extended to us in the past two years, especially the last seven months. It’s been a great honor to serve,” Hadjirasul said.
In a separate interview, Moneva said he hopes the construction of the South Road Properties Judiciary Complex will start during his term.
“Right now, we are trying to get the release of the title of the land. As soon as the title is released from the Registry of Deeds, then we can actually start the groundwork for the actual building,” he said.
The Cebu City Hall of Justice currently occupies the third and fourth floors of the Qimonda IT Center on Don Sergio Osmeña Blvd. at the North Reclamation Center.
Meanwhile, Moneva assured that justice will continue to be dispensed despite the health crisis.
He also congratulated Hadjirasul for his “very successful term” as executive judge of RTC Cebu City.
Hadjirasul said of the 563 Cebu City Hall of Justice personnel, only four have contracted Covid-19. They have since recovered, he said.
Hadjirasul’s term as executive judge began on Oct. 1, 2018. He said he’ll still be the presiding judge of RTC Branch 8. (WBS)