(Eagle News) — All courts will be physically closed starting March 23, and can only be reached via phone or online.
Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta issued the order in administrative circular 32, due to the “unabated rise of COVID-19 infection, and with the entire country now under a state of calamity, with many cities either on “extreme enhanced community quarantine” or ‘lockdown..in line with the appeal of the government for the general public to stay home..”
In administrative circular 32, the chief justice advised litigants, lawyers, prosecutors, and the public to first contact the courts–from the Supreme Court to the first-level courts—through their hotlines, email address, or Facebook account, if available, “wherein it shall be determined if the matter being raised is urgent.”
“If urgent, only then will the skeleton-staff go to court to receive and act on the said urgent matter,” the chief justice said.
He said all calls and messages shall be entertained from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
“Accordingly, all justices and judges on-duty, together with their skeleton staff, must stay at their respective residences and shall only go to their courts once it has been determined that an urgent matter has to be acted upon. Otherwise, they need not go to their courts,” he said.
