Judge Peras
More work should mean more compensation.
With this in mind, Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Soliver Peras wrote Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama requesting for the allowance previously allotted to RTC branch 21 presiding judge Eric Menchavez who has retired.
Last February 17, the Supreme Court issued a memorandum circular assigning Peras as acting presiding judge of RTC branch 21 which is a special court handling drug cases.
“As Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Cebu City, the administrative work is just awesome including the application of search warrants coming from the 11 police stations of Cebu City Police Office and other PNP intelligence units of CCPO and within the province of Cebu,” Peras said in his letter.
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“It is, therefore, my humble request that the allowance previously given to Judge Eric Menchavez, as presiding judge of RTC Branch 21, Cebu City, now retired, by continued and given to me as acting presiding judge,” he added.
RTC judges receive around P35,000 allowance from City Hall every month and another P12,000 from the Provincial government.
Peras said he directed his staff to inquire from the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) if he’s entitled to the allowance but was allegedly told by city accountant Mark Salomon that the allowances were earmarked for a specific judge and not allocated per branch.
“The allowance allotted to every RTC branch had been budgeted for one year and was given in consideration of the job he is dispensing in that branch and should be given to whoever is assigned as Presiding Judge or in case of vacancy to the judge assigned as Acting Presiding Judge thereto, and just be continuing the duty of the previous one,” Peras explained.
Currently, RTC branch 21 has almost 800 pending drug cases. Peras said majority of the cases come from Cebu City.
REVIEW
Sought for comment on the issue, Mayor Rama said he has no problem with granting the allowance but has referred the request to the City Legal Office for review.
“If there’s merit, why not? Doble man sad kaha ang trabaho (If the work is also double)?” he said.
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City Legal Officer Jerone Castillo said they will review if it will be considered as double compensation and if there are prohibitions in the law on it.
Peras’ request comes two weeks after Justice Secretary Leila De Lima said in a speech during the 15th Integrated Bar of the Philippines’ National Convention that she will prohibit public prosecutors from receiving allowances from local government units so they remain independent.
The Department of Justice though has no jurisdiction over judges who are members of the judiciary.