The Supreme Court has recorded 37 COVID-19 cases as of Friday, March 19, and it has raised concerns among employees, an informed source told Rappler.

The Supreme Court has scaled down to a 50%-workforce in light of the increase in cases, but it has not locked down unlike its neighbor, the Department of Justice (DOJ), which has implemented a total work-from-home setup for now.

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has put the DOJ headquarters in Padre Faura, Manila – right beside the Supreme Court – on total lockdown at least until Tuesday, March 23, due to 45 active cases in the department. Guevarra said he’s “getting alarmed” and added the lockdown may have to be extended.

The advisory from the Supreme Court on Friday, March 19, are two scheduled in-person events: 1) A farewell flag-raising ceremony for Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta on March 22 and 2) The resumption of the anti-terror law oral arguments on March 23.

On Saturday, March 20, the High Court announced that the traditional “last flag ceremony” of the Chief Justice will take place “under very strict health protocols.”

Despite the recent surge in COVID-19 cases – 7,103 new positive cases all in a day on Friday, March 19 – there is a grand plan to give the retiring Peralta arrival honors with the Philippine National Police (PNP) marching band, a well-informed source confirmed. This is similar to the ceremonies given to retired chief justice Lucas Bersamin.

The Department of Health’s announced 7,103 new cases mark the highest single-day tally since the pandemic began.

The SC’s Public Information Office (PIO) has not yet replied to queries whether this plan is a go for Monday. The advisory says media is not allowed to enter the Supreme Court compound, but that it will be livestreamed by the PIO.

As of Saturday, March 20, there are also talks of a farewell lunch for the Chief Justice, according to one judiciary source, which is customary for any retiring justice pre-pandemic.

At least one justice had previously tested positive for COVID-19, various sources confirmed. This put the rest of the justices on self-quarantine and resulted in the cancellation of the anti-terror law oral arguments for two successive weeks.

Before the oral arguments started, there was a proposal to hold the pre-hearing virtually, but it proceeded in-person.

Infections have resulted in various government offices closing down temporarily or having staff work remotely. Lax health protocols that infect more government employees will foreseeably affect government services, causing some of these employees to raise concerns.

In May 2020, the Supreme Court resorted to a virtual retirement ceremony for former justice Andres Reyes Jr. By September that year, it reverted to an in-person ceremony for former justice Jose Reyes Jr. – Rappler.com