(UPDATED) A DAVAO City councilor announced that the Justice Zone Ordinance is ready for implementation.
Councilor Lorenzo Villafuerte told SunStar Davao on Tuesday, March 18, 2025, that the City Legal Office has completed its review, and Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte signed the ordinance in December 2024.
The ordinance has an initial budget of P3.5 million, which Villafuerte expects to be included in next year’s allocation. Once institutionalized, the Justice Zone Council can request additional funding and personnel as needed.
“It’s a real problem. Dili man pod fault sa Regional Trial Court since sa kadako sa Davao Region and pila lang courts na available diri karon nadungagan man so I hope ma-minus-minus gamay (It’s not the fault of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), considering how large the Davao Region is and how few courts we have. With the recent additions, I hope we’ll see a decrease in the backlog of cases), ” he said.
Villafuerte said that the Davao City Justice Zone is governed by a council comprising RTC judges, prosecutors, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the Philippine National Police (PNP), and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). The council meets every two months to address issues in the city’s justice system.
He also raised concerns over the heavy caseload in the RTC, where each judge handles approximately 1,500 cases annually, leading to delays in case resolution.
Other challenges include overcrowded courts and jail facilities, as well as limited rehabilitation programs for Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL).
Approved on August 20, the ordinance aims to establish a framework for swift and fair justice by enhancing coordination between agencies. One of its key features is the strengthening of the barangay justice system, which serves as the first line of conflict resolution. RGP