Article by:
Benjamin Pulta
MANILA – The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday announced the extension of deadlines for all court papers due in January following the surge in Covid-19 cases that have halted or paralyzed operations in several institutions.
Circular 01-2022, dated January 10 and signed by Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo, stated that the filing periods of any and all pleadings and other court submissions due this month “are hereby extended until Feb. 1, 2022", citing the alarming number of Covid-19 infections and the lingering effects of Typhoon Odette.
Some “Odette”-hit areas in the Visayas are still without electricity and water supply.
The extension was requested by the Board of Governors of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.
The circular has been disseminated to all judges, justices, court personnel, lawyers, litigants, and court users.
The SC is also implementing reduced on-site work capacity starting this week. Only one third of SC's work force will physically report on Mondays and Tuesdays, another third on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and the remaining third on Fridays and Saturdays.
When not at the office, the work-from-home arrangement will be implemented.
However, personnel of the Office of the Bar Chair and Office of the Bar Confidant involved in the Bar Examination on January 23 and 25 and personnel of the Judicial Records Office involved in e-filing are still required to report on-site.
On Monday, 33,169 new Covid-19 cases were reported. (PNA)
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