Extension of Filing of Pleadings and Other Case Requirements and Cancellation of Scheduled Hearings during the Period of Community Quarantine

June 9, 2020

CSC MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 011-20

 

Pursuant to CSC Resolution No. 2000572 dated 03 June 2020, the Commission resolves to adopt the following guidelines Extending the Filing of Pleadings and Other Case Requirements and Cancellation of Scheduled Hearings during the Period of Community Quarantine:

1) ALL SCHEDULED HEARINGS in the CSC Central Office (CO), Diliman, Quezon City, and in CSC Regional Offices (ROs) I, II, III, IV, V, CAR, and NCR, all located in Luzon, and those scheduled by other CSC Regional Offices under a declared Community Quarantine, are cancelled from 17 March 2020 to 31 May 2020 unless the situation allows it as declared by the appropriate authorities. The parties will be duly notified of the resetting.

2) The DEADLINES FALLING WITHIN THE ABOVEMENTIONED PERIOD FOR FILING OF PLEADINGS AND MOTIONS, INCLUDING DEADLINES FOR THE FILING OF PETITIONS FOR REVIEW OR APPEAL TO THE CSC PROPER OR TO ANY OF THE CSC REGIONAL OFFICES, are EXTENDED for a period of THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS counted from 31 May 2020 unless the situation allows it as declared by the appropriate authorities.

3) The DEADLINES FOR OTHER CASE REQUIREMENTS (e.g., filing fees, certificate of non-forum shopping, etc.) in compliance to Orders issued by the CSC Central Office and CSC Regional Offices in connection with appeals/petitions/complaints filed by the litigants PRIOR TO OR WITHIN THE ABOVEMENTIONED PERIOD, are EXTENDED for a period of THIRTY (30) CALENDAR DAYS counted from 31 May 2020 unless the situation allows it as declared by the appropriate authorities.

4) Despite the foregoing, pleadings that are not required by law or the 2017 Rules on Administrative Cases in the Civil Service (2017 RACCS) 1 to be under oath such as reply, rejoinder, motion to change venue, motion for reconsideration, motion for execution and any other motion filed after the initiatory pleading 2 may be filed with the Office for Legal Affairs, CSC PROPER, through electronic mail provided the conditions 3 found in CSC Resolution No. 1601481 dated December 28, 2016 (Electronic Filing of Pleadings) as circularized in CSC Memorandum Circular No. 09, s. 2017 dated March 27, 2017 are complied with.

5) Filing fees may be paid through postal money order (PMO) provided that the Philippine Postal Corporation (PHLPost) has already provided for alternative work arrangement and other support mechanisms for its workers, such as skeleton workforce, 4 who will accept the payment.

6) The foregoing guidelines shall be subject to change/s in case of any further issuance/s by the Office of the President or the IATF or any appropriate authority/department pertaining to the national emergency brought by COVID-19.

For your guidance.

(SGD.) ALICIA DELA ROSA-BALAChairperson

 

Footnotes

1. CSC Resolution No. 1701077 dated July 3, 2017.

2. Except motion to dismiss since it is considered a prohibited pleading pursuant to Section 25, Rule 5, 2017 RACCS.

3. 1) That the email addresses of the parties including the counsel have entered in the records of the case or proceeding prior to the filing of the pleading; and 2) That the pleading shall be filed in portable document format (PDF) which shall show the signature of the party and proof of service to the other party. It is understood that pdf is a computer file format for the transmission of a multimedia document that is not intended to be edited further and appears unaltered in most computer environments.

4. As provided in CSC Resolution No. 2000540 dated May 7, 2020 (Revised Interim Guidelines for Alternative Work Arrangements and Support Mechanisms for Workers in the Government During the Period of State of National Emergency Due to COVID-19 Pandemic) as circularized in CSC Memorandum Circular No. 10, s. 2020 dated May 7, 2020.