Trillanes asks colleagues: Give SC more power to improve
administration of justice

Senator Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV filed a bill to give the Supreme Court the power to permanently reassign judges of Regional, Metropolitan, Municipal and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts to other stations on the same court level.

Trillanes said that: "Under the present law, for a judge to be transferred to a court of the same level in a neighboring town or city, a new nomination from the Judicial and Bar Council and a new appointment by the President shall have to be secured for such transfer to ensue, as if the judge is being appointed for the first time."

"This tedious process has resulted to prolonged vacancies in trial courts, which further resulted to clogged dockets and huge number of case backlogs," Trillanes elaborated.

Under Senate Bill No. 1732, the bill proposing to amend the Judiciary Administration Act of 1980, the Supreme Court may temporarily or permanently reassign a regional trial judge to any regional trial court in the country; or a metropolitan trial judge to any metropolitan trial judge to any branch of metropolitan trial court, municipal trial court, or municipal circuit trial court in the Philippines. If the transfer will exceed six (6) months or is permanent in nature, the consent of the affected judge shall be required.

Trillanes further explained that the proposal is also a way to insulate our courts from political interference and pressure, thereby strengthening their independence and decreasing the chances of corruption.

"It is hoped that with this remedial piece of legislation, the Supreme Court can finally exercise its constitutional mandate of administrative supervision over all its courts and personnel, which in turn can result to case decongestion and the efficient delivery of justice in the country," Trillanes added.