Courts in GCQ physically open, but walk-in requests prohibited

MANILA, Philippines — Courts in the areas placed under General Community Quarantine—or where health protocols have been eased—will be physically open but inquiries will be coursed electronically, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said.

Peralta issued Administrative Circular No. 04-2020 on Friday saying that all courts under GCQ will be physically open from May 18 to 29 and will operate on skeleton staff.

No walk-in requests however shall be entertained. Inquiries on cases, including requests for documents and services, may be first coursed through hotline numbers, email addresses and/or Facebook accounts of courts as listed in the SC website.

On May 16, the Philippines except Metro Manila, Laguna and Cebu will be under GCQ where lockdown restrictions have been relaxed and public transportation with limited load factor will be allowed.

The courts will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m, and will accept electronic submissions from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., for transmissions to be acted upon on the same day.

Night and Saturday courts however remain suspended.

Justices, judges and court personnel with medical conditions and are thus vulnerable to COVID-19 may work from home, after securing approval.

Videoconferencing for trials, witness testimony

Courts will receive all petitions and pleadings filed by any party, Peralta also said.

Submissions for civil and criminal cases, including application for bail, may also be filed electronically, directly to the court’s email address as posted on the SC website. Otherwise, these may be filed to the Office of the Clerk of Court that will forward the pleadings to the branch.

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Raffle of cases will also start on May 18. “No raffle through videoconferencing shall be conducted in the court stations in the GCQ areas,” Peralta added.

Courts in GCQ areas shall continue deciding on pending cases, the chief justice said. “The hearings, either in-court or through videoconferencing, of all the matters pending before them, in both criminal and civil cases, whether newly-filed or pending, and regardless of the stage and trial, are now herein authorized,” he added.

Judges from their courtrooms or chambers shall preside hearings through videoconference, except in “exceptional circumstances” where the justice or judge works from home.

Meanwhile, SC will also allow the taking of witness testimony in a place other than the court through videoconferencing “is akin to the taking of deposition under oral examination.”

Civil weddings may also be solemnized in these areas, but parties, witnesses and guests shall not exceed five.

Filing of court submissions that fall due May 31 is also extended for another 30 days.

Courts may also promulgate decisions and orders drafted before or during GCQ period. Service of writs and other court processes within GCQ will also proceed.

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