Sereno seeks automation of court systems after CDO fire

MANILA, Philippines – Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno called Monday, February 2, for the full automation of court systems nationwide following a fire that gutted the Cagayan de Oro City Hall of Justice building, killing a court utility worker and a security guard.

Sereno said an automation of court systems would ensure court records, including evidence, are not destroyed should a similar event occur. Sereno also noted that court records were destroyed in Tacloban when Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) struck in November 2013. (READ: After Yolanda: Gov’t agencies pick up the pieces)

“The judiciary now has two clusters of trial courts whose records are being reconstructed piece by piece because of wholesale destruction, in Tacloban and in Cagayan de Oro cities. Many pieces of evidence are completely lost,” Sereno said in a statement on the High Court’s Twitter account.

Sereno added, “This fact makes more urgent the need to fully automate the court systems nationwide.”

(2/2) The CJ’s statement (p. 2) on the fire that hit the Cagayan de Oro Hall of Justice, which killed two persons. pic.twitter.com/M8LuFGVKTN

— SC PIO (Official) (@SCPh_PIO) February 1, 2015

Sereno said the SC would ask Congress to fund the digitization project, though she did not note how much it would cost.

“This is a deeper step in automation than our present plans and funds allow. It also makes it imperative that a more secure and scientific system of preserving evidence be devised,” she said.

Supporting Cagayan de Oro

Three high-ranking SC officials – Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, Deputy Court Administrator Jenny Lind Aldecoa-Delorino, and Sereno’s chief of staff Honey Oliveros – arrived in Cagayan de Oro City Monday to meet with the judges and court employees.

The 3 are expected to inspect the site where the courts will temporarily hold office and hearings and to offer instructions to all relevant court employees, litigants, and counsel.

Sereno also vowed to assist the family of utility worker Jepry Uban and building security guard Benjamin Buna, both of whom perished in the fire.

Sereno asked the Regional Trial Court judges in Cagayan de Oro to continue their work despite the tragedy. She also appealed to those with pending court cases to be patient.

“I ask the judges in Cagayan de Oro to remain steadfast, firm, and undeterred in our common goal and shared vision of ensuring that justice is done and that rights are protected. For the parties and counsels, I ask for patience while the courts cannot yet operate. I also ask for your support for the steps that need to be taken after we have relocated our courts. Kindly be ready to share your files so that reconstruction of judicial records can proceed speedily,” Sereno said.

E-courts

The digitization of court records is just one of the projects being done by the SC to better deliver justice and address the delay in the resolution of cases nationwide.

Earlier, the SC said it established more electronic courts or e-courts using electronic processes. From 61 e-courts, there are now 273 e-courts available.

Sereno said e-courts not only help in the resolving cases quickly, but also make the courts less prone to corruption, providing for random electronic sampling and raffling of cases.

The automation of the court systems nationwide is part of the SC’s Enterprise Information Systems Plan, that aims to digitize judicial processes to speed up case litigation. – Rappler.com