[ SC CIRCULAR NO. 70 -95, December 27, 1995 ]

[ SC CIRCULAR NO. 70 -95, December 27, 1995 ]

[ SC CIRCULAR NO. 70 -95, December 27, 1995 ]

OFFICE OF THE COURT ADMINISTRATOR

TO :

ALL RTC EXECUTIVE JUDGES

SUBJECT:

ORGANIZATION OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE

A memorandum of Agreement was signed on July 19, 1995 among DOJ Secretary Guingona, the undersigned as Court Administrator, DILG Undersecretary Aguirre for DILG Atty. Ongcangco for IBP, and Judge Mariano Umalu for the PJA, for the organization of the National Council on the Administration of Justice.

Its principal functions are the coordination for effective implementation, the recommendations of the Peace and Order Summit and formulation of strategies to speed up and improve the quality of criminal justice system. This Memorandum of Agreement was signed in the presence of President Fidel V. Ramos and members of the Supreme Court headed by the Chief Justice.

The Council in the meeting of July 27, 1995, agreed to organize local committees of the National Council and the Executive Judges of the RTC in the provincial capital as the chairman of the local chapter. The function of the local group is purely coordinative.

It is noted that an executive judge is required to provide leadership and coordinate management of the court in his area including coordination of the development and implementation of court operational improvement programs (Adm. Order No. 6, June 30, 1995, par. II and par. IV, subpar. 9).

Adm. Order No. 6 of June 30, 1975, mandates executive judges to insure that adequate court facilities are provided for, in coordination with the proper local government officials and to improve judicial services and facilitate the administration of justice, in coordination with court related government agencies and the Chapters of the Integrated Bar within his area of administrative supervision.

Likewise, executive judges are encouraged to have constant dialogue with the IBP, Adm. Circular No. 1 dated January 28, 1988, directs executive judges to conduct dialogues and conferences with officers of the Integrated Bar.

Executive judges are thus authorized to chair the local counterpart in the National Council of the Administration of Justice provided this body shall perform purely coornative functions without any administrative tasks and the activities of the executive judge shall be under the direct supervision of the Office of the Court Adminstrator.

December __ 27 __, 1995.

(SGD.) ERNANI CRUZ PANO

Court Administrator