[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 78-2007, August 16, 2007 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 78-2007, August 16, 2007 ]

[ OCA CIRCULAR NO. 78-2007, August 16, 2007 ]

TO:

ALL JUSTICES OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, SANDIGANBAYAN AND THE COURT OF TAX APPEALS, AND JUDGES OF THE FIRST AND SECOND LEVEL COURTS

SUBJECT:

INTERM PROCEDURE FOR ADDRESSING AND HANDLING THREATS AGAINST JUSTICE AND JUDGES

The Supreme Court, through its Committee on Security (Committee) has undertaken the Judicial Security Project to address the recent spate of killings and other acts of violence against trial court judges, and the matter of judicial security in general.

In coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and with the assistance of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Rule of Law Effectiveness (ROLE) Project, the Committee has been drafting the Court Security and Emergency Procedure Manuals for the Supreme Court and the entire Judiciary. The matter of instituting protocols or procedures for addressing and handling threats to the safety of Justices and Judges is included in these Manuals.

Pending the final submission and approval of said Manuals, the Committee has resolved to adopt an interim procedure to address these aforementioned threats. The Committee has resolved to designate Deputy Court Administrator Reuben P. Dela Cruz and Atty. Allan C. Contado of the NBI as the contact persons in the event a Justice or a Judge is confronted with such threats. Atty. Contado is the NBI's Liaison Officer to the Supreme Court for the Task Force for Judiciary Protection.

Their contact details are:

Hon. Reuben P. Dela Cruz Deputy Court Administrator 3/F Old Main Building Supreme Court Padre Faura St., Ermita, Manila (02) 5257143; 0918-9635491 Atty. Allan C. Contado Chief, Anti-Graft Division and Liaison Officer, Task Force on Judiciary Protection National Bureau of Investigation Taft Avenue, Manila (02) 5238231 local 3424 and 3467; 0917-9777442; 0919-5887817

Please be guided accordingly.

16 August 2007. Untitled Document

CHRISTOPHER O. LOCK

Court Administrator