Drilon vows to pass judges’ pay hike bill

The Senate has resolved the impasse over the bill that rationalizes the salaries of judges, justices and court personnel, Senate President Franklin Drilon said yesterday.

Drilon also said he expects Senate Bill No. 2018 to be ratified on Monday during regular session.

He said the Senate is expected to submit the ratified version of the bill to Malacañang for approval before the end of October.

Drilon said Sen. Francisco Pangilinan met with Sen. John Osmeña Monday night and, during that meeting, Osmeña conditionally agreed to withdraw his objections to certain provisions of the bill.

Osmeña said that two related measures amending the utilization of the Judicial Development Fund (JDF) and ensuring the independence of the judiciary should be considered separately by the Senate.

"Indeed, this compromise will pave the way for the much-needed reforms in the judiciary and will reassure our justices and judges that Congress has acted promptly to uplift their interest and welfare," Drilon said.

SB 2018, authored by Drilon during the 11th Congress, grants judges a special allowance equivalent to their basic monthly salary, thus doubling their pay.

It also grants a 100 percent increase in the pay of justices and judges in the form of a special allowance to be spread over four years.

The increase in the special allowance will also be included in the computation of the retirement packages for judges and justices.

The Bicameral Conference Committee earlier approved SB 2018, but its ratification by the Senate was delayed due to questions raised by Osmeña and Sen. Edgardo Angara regarding where the funds for the wage increase will be sourced.

Drilon said the Senate will consider as a separate measure a bill filed by Osmeña mandating that the JDF should be used only to augment the allowances of judiciary personnel and pay for maintenance costs of existing offices and equipment.

This will prohibit the Supreme Court from using the JDF for capital outlay for infrastructure expenses.

Another bill filed by Osmeña would prohibit judges from receiving allowances and other monetary compensation from local government officials.

Osmeña said this would ensure the independence of the judiciary, because allowances given to judges by local government officials are "coercive and corruptive influences on the judges, since they are discretionary and not mandatory."

Over a hundred judges went on mass leave Monday last week and marched to the Senate to protest the long delay in the approval of their salary bill. This prompted President Arroyo to urge the Senate and the judges to "act in a statesmanlike manner" in resolving the problem."