Request for Authority to Fill Vacancies in the Lower Courts

May 30, 2022

OCA CIRCULAR NO. 123-2022

 

Please take notice of the following procedure in the submission of the request for filling of vacancies in the first and second level courts pursuant to A.M. No. 21-09-10-SC (Re: Proposed Merit, Selection and Promotion Plan for the Lower Courts [MSPP-LC]), as amended in the Resolution of the Supreme Court En Banc dated March 1, 2022:

1. Request for authority to fill vacant positions in the lower courts shall be submitted by the Presiding Judge/Acting Presiding Judge/Executive Judge, citing the specific reason/s and the date of the occurrence of the said vacancy, to the Deputy Court Administrator/Assistant Court Administrator exercising supervision over them. To provide vital information on the matter, the Office of Administrative Services (OAS), OCA shall regularly provide the Deputy Court Administrators/Assistant Court Administrators with a list of all vacancies in their respective areas.

2. Within twenty four (24) hours from receipt of the request, the concerned Deputy Court Administrator/Assistant Court Administrator shall communicate to the requesting Presiding Judge/Acting Presiding Judge/Executive Judge the action taken thereon, which may be any of the following:

i. The request is approved;

ii. The request is denied; or

iii. The request needs to be further evaluated due to the reason/s disclosed about the vacancy.

Once the request is approved, the concerned Deputy Court Administrator/Assistant Court Administrator should refer the matter to the OAS, OCA, within the same twenty four (24)-hour period for the preparation and transmittal within five (5) days therefrom of the notice to post.

If the request is denied, the concerned Deputy Court Administrator/Assistant Court Administrator should specify the ground for the said decision.

If the request needs further evaluation, the concerned Deputy Court Administrator/Assistant Court Administrator should inform the requesting Presiding Judge/Acting Presiding Judge/Executive Judge of the results thereof within five (5) days therefrom.

3. The concerned Deputy Court Administrator/Assistant Court Administrator shall also furnish the OAS, OCA with a copy of the notice sent to the requesting Presiding Judge/Acting Presiding Judge/Executive Judge when the notice is approved.

4. The OAS, OCA shall submit, every week, the list of positions which have been granted authority to fill by the concerned Deputy Court Administrator/Assistant Court Administrator to the Selection and Promotion Board for the Lower Courts (SPB-LC) or the Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board for the Lower Courts (HRMPSB-LC), based on the notices received by it from the concerned Deputy Court Administrator/Assistant Court Administrator. Further, the Secretariat of the SPB-LC, or its successor, shall include in the agenda of the next meeting of the Board the subject list.

5. The SPB-LC/HRMPSB-LC Secretariat shall submit to the Office of the Chief Justice, on a monthly basis, the list of vacancies which have been granted authority to fill, copy furnished the concerned Deputy Court Administrator/Assistant Court Administrator. CAIHTE

6. The Deputy Court Administrators/Assistant Court Administrators shall monitor the compliance with respect to the submission of application papers for the said vacancies as authorized by them. The OAS, OCA, on the other hand, shall later on regularly provide the Deputy Court Administrators/Assistant Court Administrators with the list of positions with approved appointments.

For immediate compliance.

(SGD.) RAUL B. VILLANUEVACourt Administrator