Supreme Court okays guidelines on judicial affidavit rule

MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) has approved the guidelines on judicial affidavits of witnesses aimed at speeding up the hearing and adjudication of cases by reducing the period of presenting evidence in courts.

In a paid advertisement published in yesterday’s issue of The Star, the 14 SC magistrates led by Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno signed the “Judicial Affidavit Rule” contained in Administrative Matter No. 12-8-8-SC. It will take effect on Jan. 1, 2013.

Under the approved rule, Deputy Court Administrator Raul Villanueva said lawyers and prosecutors can directly cross-examine witnesses since their affidavits will be submitted in court before the start of the hearing.

He explained that witnesses no longer have to repeat what they stated in their written testimony, thus shortening the period of the proceedings.

Parties are required to submit affidavits and exhibits not later than five days before the pre-trial or scheduled hearing of a case.

Villanueva was designated as Sereno’s “communicator on judicial reforms.”

He said the rule was adopted upon the recommendation of Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, head of the SC Committee on the Revision of the Rules of Court, and Associate Justice Roberto Abad, head of the Sub-Committee on the Revision of the Rules on Civil Procedure.