Lot ownership affects Palace of Justice rehab

CEBU, Philippines – The rehabilitation of the palace of justice building in Cebu City will have to be deferred until the provincial government donates the lot to the Supreme Court.

The high court's Judicial Reform Program Administrator Geraldine Faith Econg said they have already set aside P20 million to rehabilitate the Marcelo B. Fernan Hall of Justice. However, the project could not be implemented until the lot where the palace of justice building stands is donated.

Econg, who used to be judge of the Regional Trial Court in Cebu City, said she had already talked with Capitol consultant Rory Jon Sepulveda about the lot donation. Econg said she was told to personally discuss the matter with Governor Gwendolyn Garcia.

The lot was previously donated by then Governor Emilio "Lito" Osmeña to the Department of Justice. The DOJ reportedly turned over the property to the Supreme Court but did not have the deed of donation.

Meanwhile, Econg reported that the small claims project of the Supreme Court has helped declog the court dockets.

According to Econg, since the effectivity of the program in March wherein 82 Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTC), 212 Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCC), 376 Municipal Trial Courts (MTC) and 467 Municipal Circuit Trial Courts (MCTC) have been allowed to hear small claims nationwide, they have already disposed at least 100,000 cases.

She said that in 2009 there were 600,000 cases involving small claims but as of June 2010 the docket has reduced to 500,000.

Under the high court's small claims project, ordinary Filipinos are empowered to litigate on their own money claims of P10,000 or less by providing them an inexpensive, informal and simple procedure.

The campaign is supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), through the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI). (FREEMAN)