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Bacolod City, Philippines Friday, October 12, 2012
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SC chief assures
judges of benefits
Calls for reduction of .6M case backlog
BY CARLA GOMEZ

Supreme Court Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno yesterday told the country’s 2,000 judges that the national government has assured her that that there will be no diminution of their salaries and benefits.

She also announced that the monthly Special Allowance for Judges will remain a part of their compensation, which was met with loud applause from the judges gathered at the Philippine Judges Association midterm convention at the L’Fisher Hotel in Bacolod City.

The judges receive an SAJ of about P30,000 a month.

In her one hour and 23-minute keynote speech, Sereno assured the judges that she will continue to fight for their material welfare.

She told representatives of the executive branch of government that the last thing the country needs now is a demoralized judiciary, and if they want to see the continuation of the heroism of the judges, then they must   recognize their needs and space under the sun.

With this, there will be no need for negotiation of a memorandum of understanding, nor rallies or a walkout, she said.

                                      BACKLOGS

Sereno, at the same time, stressed the need for the judges to reduce the courts’ 600,000-case backlog that cannot be tolerated. Performance targets will have to be set to drastically reduce the backlogs, she said.

“If we chose the right strategies and methods, we will succeed,” she said, noting that reforms will not be hampered by constant changes in leadership as she will be in office for the next 18 years.

There will be no surprises, there will be predictability in the way the judiciary is run, she said. “I wish to bring stability in your professional life,” Sereno told the judges.

Under her watch, the judiciary will present a template for modernization, efficiency and good governance, she said.

Aside from reducing the judge’s workload through better systems and enhancing their information technology tools, she said each one of them will be given co-terminus legal assistants.

That will mean the hiring of 2,000 more court personnel, she said.

Sereno also assured that judges will be promoted, based on a merit-based system where politics will be minimized and good work will be recognized.

Administrative cases against judges will proceed in a time-bound fashion, she also said.

                                        SEMI-RECLUSE

Sereno said she lives a life of moderation based on faith, and will continue to strive to be a good example to all of those in the judiciary.

She wants the judges to see her continuing drive to demonstrate excellence and integrity everyday of her life, she said.

“I must not give you any reason to doubt my intentions, or to suspect I have any hidden agenda. I have committed myself to a life of moderation and modesty,” she said, adding that that goes for members of her family, too.

Sereno said she has also asked families of judges sworn into office to make the same commitments.

She has adopted a life of a semi-recluse in order to cut herself off from any unnecessary social and financial entanglements, “so that you will never doubt that I have every intention for be fair and to be impartial,” Sereno said.

She said that in every community she goes to, she asked for prayers for the judges and court personnel, stressing that she believes in “a God who delivers, who saves, who strengthens, who guides.”

She called on the judges to stay united and continue to pray for each other to enable the judiciary to move forward with integrity in the service of the people.

Their task is to extend God’s work for justice, she said.

She also lauded the work of the PJA headed by Bacolod RTC Judge Franklin Demonteverde, and thanked Negros Occidental Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. and Bacolod Vice Mayor Jude Thaddeus Sayson, who were present at the affair, for their support for the judiciary.*CPG

 

 

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