Reconstituting the Committee on Security

May 11, 2007

SUPREME COURT MEMORANDUM ORDER NO. 18-07

RECONSTITUTING THE COMMITTEE ON SECURITY

WHEREAS, the Court, through the Committee on Security has set up a Judicial Security Project (Project) to address the spate of killings and other acts of violence against judges over the past years;

WHEREAS, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Rule of Law Effectiveness (ROLE) Project is one of the development partners of the Supreme Court for the Action Program for Judicial Reform (APJR);

WHEREAS, the USAID/ROLE has provided technical assistance and consultancy services to the Court on judicial security;

WHEREAS, the USAID/ROLE has submitted an Assessment Report on judicial security which contains recommendations relative to improving the security measures in the Judiciary;

WHEREAS, the Court has resolved to pursue the objectives of the Project in light of the recommendations of the said Report and of recent events relating to judicial security;

WHEREAS, as part of and in pursuit of the Project, the Committee together with USAID/ROLE and the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) has embarked on various activities geared towards the objective of protecting our justices, judges, court personnel and premises;

WHEREAS, a reconstitution of this Committee is imperative in order that it can effectively manage and implement the Project, as well as its other activities and undertakings.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Committee is hereby reconstituted to be composed of the following:

Chairperson	Associate Justice Cancio C. Garcia
Co-Chairperson	Associate Justice Presbitero J. Velasco, Jr.
Members	Associate Justice Antonio T. Carpio;
	Court Administrator Christopher O. Lock;
	The President — Philippine Judges Association (PJA);
	The President — Metropolitan and City Judges
	Association of the Philippines (MetCJAP);
	The President — Philippine Trial Judges League (PTJL);
	The Judicial Reform Program Administrator;
	A Representative from the Office of the Chief Justice;
	The Chief, Public Information Office; and
	The Chief Security Officers of the Supreme Court, Court
	of Appeals, Sandiganbayan and Court of Tax Appeals.

FURTHER, the Committee is hereby authorized to constitute a Technical Working Group (TWG) at each court level which will then be tasked to implement the technical components of the Project, as may be delegated thereto by the Committee. SCaITA

PROVIDED FURTHER, that the members of the TWG shall be entitled to the expense allowance as provided for in Administrative Circular 13-99.

This Memorandum Order shall take effect upon its issuance.

May 11, 2007.

(SGD.) REYNATO S. PUNOChief Justice