Cebu City Hall of Justice limits visitors amid COVID-19 threat

The Cebu City Hall of Justice that is located at the Qimonda IT Center at the North Reclamation Area. CDN Digital File Photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The Cebu City Regional Trial Court has advised the public to limit their visits to courts in the light of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) threat.

In an advisory, Cebu City RTC Executive Judge Macaundas Hadjirasul urged lawyers to waive the presence of their clients in the proceeding to limit the density of people staying in the 22 RTCs and 8 Municipal Trial Courts in Cities (MTCCs) that is located at the Qimonda IT Center at the North Reclamation Area.

The waiving of the accused or complainants’ presence, however, is not applicable for arraignment, pre-trial, when required by a judge to appear for identification and testimony, and during promulgations.

“During hearings and all other proceedings, only the counsels and those whose presence is essential shall be allowed entry in the Hall of Justice,” the court guidelines read.

The court official also advised the public to avoid personal visits in the Hall of Justice “as much as possible.”

Detainees who need to be brought to the courtrooms in the Hall of Justice should also be placed in a designated holding area first and be brought to the courtrooms in batches.

Only six people are allowed to take the elevator at the same time in going to the courts.

Those arrested persons who are due for presentation in court shall also be limited to their designated holding area at the back of the Hall of Justice. The accompanying police officer will only need to bring the certificate of detention, mugshots, and the complaint to the courts.

Court personnel will be sent to the holding area for verification and for issuance of commitment orders and approval of a bail bond.

Marriage ceremonies in the court are not exempted from the anti-COVID-19 guidelines.

Effective immediately, the to-be-weds are only allowed to bring at most two witnesses and their parents.

All those who will be entering the Hall of Justice, according to the court guidelines, shall also be subjected to temperature checks and those that register above normal body temperatures will not be allowed entry.

“If her/his presence is essential, the security personnel shall inform the concerned court of her/his exclusion so that she/he may be excused,” the guidelines added.

To control the volume of persons within the Hall of Justice, everyone is required to leave immediately after their transaction in the courthouse is finished. / dcb