All courts to physically reopen–SC

The Supreme Court ordered the physical opening of all courts in Metro Manila and other areas under the general community quarantine (GCQ) beginning today, August 19.

In an Administrative Circular No. 45-2020, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta also said the Court En Banc and its three divisions will start holding sessions in-court starting Wednesday.

That is, except under exceptional circumstances where sessions may be conducted through videoconferencing with prior approval from the chief magistrate, after consultations with the respective division chairpersons and first division working chairperson.

“The Offices of the Chief Justice and Associate Justices shall operate in accordance with the respective discretions of the Chief Justice and Associate Justices,” the circular stated.

"All other offices and services of the Court shall be physically opened and may operate with a skeleton staff of not less than fifty percent (50%)," it added.

"The Chiefs of the different Offices and Services, who shall be in-court, shall ensure that every court personnel is assigned certain tasks to effectively and efficiently implement their respective offices’ mandates even if they are working from home,” the order said.

Peralta said all hearings in both criminal and civil cases pending before trial courts will have to be fully conducted in court, except when a person deprived of liberty (PDL) is involved, or under exceptional circumstances where fully-remote videoconferencing hearings may be conducted with prior approval from the Office of the Court Administrator.

The circular also said directed trial courts to maintain a not less than 50 percent skeleton-staff.

On the other hand, night courts and Saturday courts would remain suspended until further notice.

The courts may still be reached through their respective hotline numbers, email addresses and/or Facebook accounts as posted on the website of the Supreme Court.

Hearings at the Court of Appeals, Sandiganbayan, and Court of Tax Appeals will be fully conducted in-court except under exceptional circumstances, where at least one Justice may join remotely through videoconferencing with prior approval from the Presiding Justice, and subsequent submission of a weekly report to the Office of the Chief Justice, the circular said.

They may continue to receive petitions and pleadings electronically.

Peralta also directed the physical opening of all offices and services in the CA, CTA and Sandiganbayan with skeleton-staff of not less than 50 percent.

“The Chiefs of the different Offices and Services, who shall be in-court, shall ensure that every court personnel is assigned certain tasks to effectively and efficiently implement their respective offices’ mandates even if they are working from home,” Peralta said.