Until April 18: Gesmundo orders closure of courts in Santiago City, Quirino, Abra

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo has decided to temporarily close all courts in Santiago City and the provinces of Quirino and Abra.

SC Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez has issued a circular dated April 11 that has been approved by Gesmundo which stated that courts in these areas will be closed until April 18.

Midas explained that the move was made after Santiago City, Quirino and Abra has been placed under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) along with Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal.

Since Gesmundo has already ordered courts in Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna and Rizal closed until April 18, Marquez said this order “shall extend to cover the courts in the City of Santiago, and the provinces of Quirino and Abra.”

In his order dated April 10, Gesmundo said during the period said the courts in these areas “shall continue to operate through videoconferencing as far as applicable.”

“Judges may conduct fully remote videoconferencing hearings on pending cases and other matters, whether urgent or not, regardless of their physical location and without prior permission from the Office of the Court Administrator,” he said.

“The time for filing and service of pleadings and motions during this period is suspended and shall resume seven calandar days counted from the first day of physical reopening of the relevant court,” he added, (AFP)

Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)