LIVE: Chief Justice Peralta holds press conference

MANILA, Philippines — Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta, for the second time this year, holds a virtual press conference on Friday morning.

The Chief Justice Meets the Press event is themed “SC: Rising Above the Pandemic.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the SC has released circulars to help decongest the cramped jails in the country. It has also adopted teleconferenced hearings amid the enforcement of health protocol.

The SC Public Information Office said the press conference also marks Peralta’s first year as chief justice. Peralta is expected to answer questions from reporters covering the Justice beat.

The Judiciary has been criticized following the case of jailed activist Reina Mae Nasino, whose three month-old daughter passed away while she was in government custody. Petitions for her temporary release, including to see her dying baby daughter, were either rejected or unheeded by the courts. 

Fides Lim, spokesperson of advocacy group Kapatid, has called on Peralta to be a "more active, humane" court.

The SC is also pressed to act on the 37 petitions challenging the much feared anti-terrorism law, with the recent release of its Implementing Rules and Regulations.

Peralta also sits as the chairperson of the SC Manila Bay Advisory Committee, and he had recently asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to submit a report on the effects of dolomite on humans following the controversial "Manila Bay sands" project.

Watch the press conference LIVE starting 9:00 a.m. on Friday, October 23.