Robin sa Hudikatura: Bilisan ang Pagresolba ng Kaso at Pagtalaga ng Huwes, Isalin sa Filipino ang Talaan ng Korte

Gamitin ang pambansang wika sa pagkomunikasyon sa mga bilanggo para maintindihan nila ang kanilang kaso, tugunan ang pagsikip ng mga bilangguan, at hanapan ng paraan para mapabilis ang paghatol sa kanilang mga kaso.

Ito ang mga panawagan ni Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla nitong Lunes sa hudikatura para panindigan ang karapatan ng mga Pilipinong nabilanggo, lalo na ang mga mahihirap.

"Nakakaawa talaga ang bilanggo natin, minsan nakatingin na lang sila sa langit at humihingi ng milagro talaga. Pero nasa inyong kamay, pagtutulungan namin siguro dito na ma-implement ano man ang kailangan. Para na rin nating tulong sa kanila yan," ani Padilla sa pagdinig ng Senate Committee on Finance sa budget ng hudikatura para sa 2023.

Ani Padilla, na nakulong sa New Bilibid Prison ng higit tatlong taon, isa sa mga natuklasan niyang problema ng mga bilanggo ay hindi nila naintindihan ang pinagdaanan nilang kaso. Ipinunto niya na halos 80 porsyento ng mga nakakulong ay hindi naintindihan kung paano sila nasentensyahan at paano sila makalabas.

Bagama't may interpreter sa korte, marami rin sa bilanggo ang nahihiyang magtanong, ani Padilla.

Ito ang isa sa mga dahilan kung bakit ihinain niya ang Senate Bill 228 kung saan dapat isalin sa wikang Filipino ang mga opisyal na dokumento ng pamahalaan ng Pilipinas para maintindihan ito ng pangkaraniwang Pilipino.

Tugon ni Court Administrator Raul Villanueva na maaari itong isaalang-alang ng Korte Suprema para sa strategic plan nito para sa "judicial innovation," kasama ang lengwahe na gagamitin maliban sa Ingles.

"Umasa kayo ang ating Korte Suprema sa ilalim ni Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo at lahat na associate justice, nakikinig sila. That's the reason for that strategic plan, (to give) access to justice extended to those who really need it," ani Villanueva.

Nanawagan din si Padilla na hanapan ng paraan para hindi maantala ang paghatol sa kaso, dahil isa itong paraan para matugunan ang overcrowding sa mga kulungan. Aniya, ito ang pinakamagandang solusyon para ma-decongest ang kulungan, lalo ang mga drug cases.

"Pasensya na, ako ang kanilang spokesman kasi galing ako sa loob," ani Padilla, na naghain ng Senate Bill 235 na isinusulong ang regionalization ng Bilibid at ibang penal farms sa bansa.

Sa Senate Bill 235 kung saan ang lahat na itatayong penal farm ay may "standard and uniform design" para sa kulungan at pati reformation at administrative facilities, isinulong din ni Padilla ang karapatan ng bilanggo na mabisita ng kanilang pamilya.

Samantala, nanawagan si Padilla na gawan ng paraan ang pagkaroon ng tamang bilang ng huwes na hahawak sa mga kaso, para hindi magkaroon ng backlog ang mga korte.

Aniya, sa Rule of Law Index ng World Justice Project, ang delay sa pagresolba ng kasong kriminal at sibil sa Pilipinas noong 2021 ay naging pinakamalaking balakid sa civil at criminal justice - ang Pilipinas ay may pang-101 sa 139 bansa sa pagkaroon ng efficient, accessible and affordable civil justice system; at pang-120 sa 139 sa criminal justice.

Dagdag ni Padilla, may nakapanayam siyang taga-Regional Trial Court na nagsabing marami silang hinahawak na kaso dahil maraming unfilled post para sa huwes. Iminungkahi niya na ipaalam ito sa Office of the President para magawan ng paraan para maiayos ang proseso ng pag-appoint ng huwes.

"Sabi nga nila, justice delayed is justice denied. Pasensya na kayo dati akong akusado kaya medyo ako sensitive," aniya.

Robin to Judiciary: Speed Up Resolution of Cases and Appointment of Judges, Ensure Court Records are Translated to Filipino

Use our national language in official communications with inmates so they understand the procedures in the cases they face. Address the overcrowding of prisons. And find ways to speed up the dispensation of justice.

These are the calls made by Sen. Robinhood "Robin" C. Padilla to the judiciary on Monday, to uphold the rights of Filipinos - especially the poor ones - who are deprived of liberty due to civil or criminal cases they are facing.

"Nakakaawa talaga ang bilanggo natin, minsan nakatingin na lang sila sa langit at humihingi ng milagro talaga. Pero nasa inyong kamay, pagtutulungan namin siguro dito na ma-implement ano man ang kailangan. Para na rin nating tulong sa kanila yan (Our inmates are in a pitiful state. Sometimes they just look up to the heavens for a miracle. The ball is in your hands. Let's help each other to implement what are needed to help them)," Padilla said at the hearing of the Senate Committee on Finance for the budget of the judiciary for 2023.

According to Padilla, who spent more than three years in the New Bilibid Prison, one of the problems of inmates is that they do not understand the nature of the cases against them. He said almost 80 percent of inmates do not understand why they were sentenced, and when they would be free.

While the court usually provides an interpreter, Padilla noted many inmates are too shy to ask them.

He said this is one reason he filed Senate Bill 228, which mandates that official government documents be translated into Filipino so ordinary Filipinos will understand them.

Court Administrator Raul Villanueva replied that the Supreme Court may consider the use of languages other than English as part of its strategic plan for "judicial innovation."

"Umasa kayo ang ating Korte Suprema sa ilalim ni Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo at lahat na associate justice, nakikinig sila. That's the reason for that strategic plan, (to give) access to justice extended to those who really need it (Rest assured that our Supreme Court under Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo and all associate justices are listening. That's the reason for this strategic plan to give access to those who really need it)," said Villanueva.

Also, Padilla called on the judiciary to find ways to address delays in the dispensation of cases, saying this would be a major factor to stop the overcrowding of jails.

"Pasensya na, ako ang kanilang spokesman kasi galing ako sa loob (I consider myself the spokesman of the inmates because I've spent time in jail)," said Padilla, who filed Senate Bill 235 seeking the regionalization of Bilibid and other penal farms nationwide.

Under Senate Bill 235 that mandates a "standard and uniform design" for jails including reformation and administrative facilities, Padilla also pushed for the rights of inmates to be visited by their families.

Meanwhile, Padilla called on the judiciary to ensure enough judges will handle cases in various courts, so there would be no backlog of cases.

He cited figures from the Rule of Law Index of the World Justice Project showing delays in the resolution of civil and criminal cases in 2021 became the biggest stumbling block to civil and criminal justice.

The figures showed the Philippines ranked 101st out of 139 countries in ensuring an efficient, accessible and affordable civil justice system; at ranked 120th of 139 countries on criminal justice.

Padilla also recalled interviewing a staff of a Regional Trial Court who said they were burdened with many cases because of many unfilled posts for judges. He said this should be brought to the attention of the Office of the President so it can ensure the proper appointment of judges.

"Sabi nga nila, justice delayed is justice denied. Pasensya na kayo dati akong akusado kaya medyo ako sensitive (As they say, justice delayed is justice denied. I have been an accused so I am sensitive to the plight of the accused)," Padilla said.