(Photo courtesy of the Office of the Court Administrator Facebook)
MANILA – Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo on Tuesday presided over a virtual town hall meeting for court officials and employees and assured the Supreme Court’s (SC) support amid pandemic-related concerns.
Gesmundo was at the SC Division Hearing Room with the rest participating online via videoconference using the Philippine Judiciary 365 platform.
It was the first time the SC magistrates met with all 2,000 judges and some court personnel collegially and online using the said platform.
“We assure you that the Court en banc will study the issues that you raised,” Gesmundo said, adding the SC “will pass and approve appropriate issuances in due time”.
Senior Associate Justice Estela Perlas-Bernabe affirmed the SC’s request for inclusion in the vaccination priority group A4 has been granted by the National Task Force Against Covid-19 (NTF).
The Court, on April 5, 2021, wrote the NTF for the inclusion of judiciary employees under A4.
Bernabe said that according to the NTF, vaccination for category A4 will start in May. Judiciary employees were advised to register with their local government units.
Among those who participated in the town hall meeting were officers and members of the Philippine Judges Association, Philippine Trial Judges League, Inc., Philippine Women Judges Association, Metropolitan and City Judges Association of the Philippines, and the Philippine Association of Court Employees.
Meanwhile, SC spokesperson Brian Keith Hosaka will retain his post as public information chief.
Gesmundo was the third chief justice after Lucas Bersamin and Diosdado Peralta to keep Hosaka, also a lawyer.
Hosaka’s post was previously held by lawyers Ismael Khan under Hilario Davide Jr., now Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez, and Theodore Te. (PNA)
