(Eagle News)–Several offices of the Manila Metropolitan Trial Court will be on lockdown starting today, June 19.
A memorandum issued by Manila MeTC executive Judge Carissa Anne Manook-Frondozo said branches 29, 30, 13 and 5 located at the Manila City Hall; the Office of the Clerk of Court; and branches 1,2,3,4,6,8, 10, 15, 19, 20, 22, 23, 25, 27 and 28 at the Parkview Plaza Building shall be closed until June 29.
The decision to place the MeTC branches located at Manila City Hall on lockdown was made after the reported exposure of two Manila Regional Trial Court personnel to their COVID-19-positive close relatives.
The Manila RTC executive judge earlier ordered all RTC judges and court personnel to undergo a quarantine until June 30 as a result.
“After considering that the MeTC Manila branches located at the Manila City Hall share a common public restroom and use the same entrance for ingress and egress to the said building with the RTC Manila employees, the undersigned executive judge believes that there might have been exposure,” Manook-Frondozo said.
The decision to place on lockdown the Manila MeTC branches and the Office of the Clerk of Court at the Parkview Plaza Building, on the other hand, was made after one security guard on duty tested positive for COVID-19 after undergoing a rapid test.
He has been subjected to swab testing, and the results will be available in three to five days.
All affected MeTC employees were ordered to subject themselves to a quarantine until June 29.
Affected branches, the MeTC executive judge said, may adopt the procedures enacted during the enhanced community quarantine during the lockdown, as approved by the Supreme Court Office of the Court Administrator.
These include videoconferencing hearings and the acceptance of pleadings filed electronically.
“This office reiterates its directive for everyone to observe applicable health measures and to maintain sanitation protocols at all times,” Manook-Frondozo said.
