SC turns over “courtbus” to Bohol

By: JUNE S. BLANCO

BOHOL became the second recipient of only three World Bank-funded “courtbuses” nationwide with the turnover of one Friday by Chief Justice Artemio Panganiban in rites held at the Hall of Justice at the New Capitol Site in Tagbilaran City. The bus forms part of the Supreme Court's Wheels on Justice Project – one of the many reforms it intends to put in place. On top of the bus, Panganiban also hinted that Bohol may get a stationary courthouse next year after Gov. Erico Aumentado posed the challenge.

The governor said in spite of the ennobling act of establishing Regional Trial Courts in Loay, Carmen and Talibon towns to bring justice nearer to the people, the litigants find it more expensive instead. “Good” lawyers are based in the city. Providing the lawyer with a comfortable ride to bring them to the towns and the bigger appearance fees charged because then, he would have to cancel all other appointments in other salas at the Hall of Justice make engaging his services beyond reach especially for the accused.Panganiban said he understands the situation because he was a practicing lawyer too.

Justice on wheels

With Panganiban was, among others, Associate Justice Adolfo Azcuna, chair of the Supreme Court Committee on Justice on Wheels. Azcuna said the mobile court fulfills a long-standing promise. The brand new custom-built fully airconditioned bus has a courthouse and a mediation room. Trial of lesser cases can be held in the mobile court. Provided the families are willing, minor family or neighbor disputes can be settled amicably in the mediation room. Little crimes especially those involving youth may also be given immediate attention. The bus can bring the judge, the prosecutor, defense lawyer, interpreter, stenographer and others to the rural and even remote areas and near to the litigants. The mobile court is patterned after the Guatemala experience. Panganiban said that country is ahead of the Philippines by five years in implementing this reform project. Azcuna was part of the team that went to Guatemala to observe the implementation. The chief justice said in its second year of reforms implementation, he has dispatched the mobile buses. The third will be delivered to Agusan del Sur next month. The mobile courthouse has been successful in Manila City that has no courthouse, he said. Several minors who must not be criminally liable for their acts were released. Others detained for periods longer than their maximum penalty just because no judge was available to sign their release orders were finally freed.

Another building

To the governor's challenge of making available P3 million in local funds as counterpart to a P6-million building to be constructed near the present one, Panganiban said when he says he is accepting the challenge, he will. For her part, Senior Procurement Specialist Cecilia Vales who is the Judicial Reforms Project Task Team Leader of the World Bank, representing Country Director Joachim Von Amsberg suggested that the governor effect the preparation of a feasibility study for the building this early. Vales and Panganiban said this will put Bohol in the priority list when Phase II of the program will be implemented next year. Implemented this year are the courthouses for Angeles City in Pampanga for Luzon , Lapu-Lapu City in Cebu for the Visayas and Cagayan de Oro City in Misamis Oriental for Mindanao .

l