Until May 14: Gesmundo extends closure of courts in ECQ, MECQ areas

Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo has decided to keep physically closed all courts in areas under the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and modified ECQ (MECQ).

“Considering that the National Capital Region, the provinces of Abra, Bulacan, Cavite, Laguna, Quirino, and Rizal, and Santiago City, Isabela, continue to be under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) until 14 May 2021, all first and second level courts, and appelate collegiate courts, and their judicial offices in the said areas shall continue to be physically closed until 14 May 2021,” read the Gesmundo’s administrative circular dated April 30.

“The said courts and judicial offices in other areas under localized Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) and MECQ shall likewise be physically closed for the duration of such ECQ or MECQ,” he added.

Previously, Gesmundo issued an administrative circular dated April 14 that ordered the physical closure of courts in areas under ECQ and MECQ until April 30.

In his April 30 administrative circular, Gesmundo said courts in these areas “shall continue to operate during this period through fully remote videoconferencing hearings on pending cases and all other matters, whether urgent or not, regardless of their physical location and without prior permission from the Office of the Court Administrator.”

With this, the chief justice said essential offices “shall maintain skeleton staff to enable them to address all urgent matters and concerns.”

“The time for filing and service of pleadings and motions during this period in these areas is suspended and shall resume after seven calendar days counted from the first day of the physical opening of the relevant court,” he added.

On the other hand, Gesmundo said courts in areas under general community quarantine (GCQ) and modified GCQ (MGCQ) “shall be physically opened during this period with a workforce of at least twenty-five percent, to be determined by the Executive justices and the Presiding using their sound discretion with respect to their courts, and the Executive Justices and Executive Judges with respect to the judicial offices.

“Justices and Judges may conduct videoconferencing from home, provided they will be within their respective judicial territorial region, and with notice of the Office of the Court Administrator with respect to Judges of the first and second level courts,” he added.

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