14 inmates freed in ‘Justice on Wheels’ program in Bataan

BALANGA CITY, Bataan - The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday conducted in Bataan its “Justice on Wheels" program with judges resolving 38 cases and freeing from the district jail 14 inmates who were detained from two to seven years. Associate Justice Jose Perez, Court Administrator Jose Midas Marquez and deputy Administrator Raul Villanueva represented the Supreme Court during the launching. Two big buses were turned into court rooms - one for Regional Trial Court cases and the other for Municipal Trial Court cases. From the 38 cases heard during the program, 32 cases were dismissed and six cases promulgated by RTC and MTC judges. The SC also conducted a dental-medical mission and gave free legal aid at the Bataan jail. Not for show Perez said the project of the High Tribunal is a sort of empowerment to the people to have access to justice. “Hindi lang ito palabas o cosmetic," he said. Marquez explained that the “Justice on Wheels" program has been making the rounds in provinces and cities throughout the country for two years now. “Nakita namin na maraming kasong nakabimbin sa mga hukuman kaya tumutulong ang Supreme Court upang agad malutas ang mga kaso," the SC spokesman said. Marquez said the program helped free more than 5,000 inmates. Lawyer Dante Ilaya of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (Bataan chapter) said the lack of prosecutors causes the backlog in court cases. “Nagmamadali ang Supreme Court na malutas ang mga nakabimbing kaso sa mga hukuman kaya inilunsad ang 'Enhanced Justice on Wheels,'" Ilaya said. Bataan Gov. Enrique Garcia and his two sons, Balanga City Mayor Jose Enrique Garcia III and Second District Rep. Albert Garcia attended the half-day event with judges, court personnel, barangay and municipal officials and other guests. Governor Garcia and his two sons thanked the Supreme Court for conducting the "Justice on Wheels" program in Bataan. “Magandang programa ito na inilalapit ng Korte Suprema ang justice system sa mga mamamayan at dahil dito magkakaroon ng kumpiyansa ang mga tao na pumaloob sa sistema nanangangahulugan ng katiwasayan ng pamayanan," Congressman Garcia said. The governor, on the other hand, said the provincial government will buy a bus to be converted into a court room for the “Justice on Wheels" program. Perez remarked, “From now on, hindi ito tatawaging Supreme Court project lamang kundi ‘Supreme Court-Bataan’ program na." - VVP, GMA News