DAVAO CITY — In the exigency of service and to avoid delays in the disposition of cases, court hearings in Digos City will be held inside the ‘Justice on Wheels’ bus starting today, November 13.
This, as the Digos City Building Office has yet to give clearance to re-occupy the Hall of Justice building after the 6.5 magnitude earthquake hit some parts of Southern Mindanao on October 16 and 29.
Regional Trial Court Branch 18 presiding judge Judge Marivic T. Daray told NewsLine.ph, “Starting today, we will hold hearings inside the Justice on Wheels bus as we need to continue working and conduct hearings to avoid delays in disposition of cases.”
Daray said the bus is stationed beside the Almendras Hall of Justice grounds, Digos City. Another bus is expected to arrive today, November 13, to augment the required courtrooms.
Early on, the Courts in Digos City already held temporary office outside the Hall of Justice. Hence, the following Courts have also held temporary offices under the trees in an open space: Regional Trial Court Branches 18, 19 and 61 for Davao del Sur and RTC 20 for Davao Occidental; Municipal Trial Courts in Cities and the Provincial Prosecutor for Davao del Sur.
According to the Building inspectors, cracks were noted inside the Hall of Justice building in Digos City after a series of earthquakes hit Southern Mindanao since October 16, 2019.
Hence, the Office of the Court Administrator (OCAD) through Deputy Court Administrator Leo Madrazo, submitted its initial report before the Supreme Court about the unsafe structures. Madrazo has requested that the ‘bus on wheels’ be temporarily used as courthouses.-Editha Z. Caduaya
