Strict Compliance with Administrative Circular No. 1-2000

October 13, 2000

SUPREME COURT ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 9-00

STRICT COMPLIANCE WITH ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 1-2000

On 17 February 2000, the Chief Justice issued Administrative Circular No. 1-2000 directing all trial judges to faithfully observe or implement the last paragraph of Article 29 of the Revised Penal Code, as amended, and enjoining them to:

(1) Conduct an accurate inventory of all criminal cases in their courts, indicating therein for each case (a) the crime charged; (b) the possible maximum imprisonment; (c) the dates of the filing of the information or complaint; (d) whether the accused is bonded or detained; (e) if accused is detained, the place of detention an the date when the detention has commenced; (f) the date of the arraignment; and (g) the current status of the case;

(2) Direct the wardens of jails or detention centers where the accused in the aforementioned cases are detained to submit status reports indicating thereon (1) whether the accused is serving his sentence or under preventive imprisonment; (2) if accused is serving his sentence: the title of the case, the date of the promulgation of judgment and the date when he has started to serve his sentence; and (3) if merely under preventive imprisonment: the title of the case, the crime for which he is being detained, and the date of his commitment for preventive imprisonment; and

(3) Order the release from detention of any accused who is already entitled to such release under the last paragraph of Article 29 of the Revised Penal Code, or who has already served his sentence, as the case may be, unless the release is unwarranted by reason of any lawful ground or cause.

This required Inventory should have been submitted to the Office of the Chief Justice not later than 15 April 2000.

So far, only very few judges have complied with the Circular. Some of them were able to do so only after obtaining extensions of time within which to submit the inventory.

The Judges who failed and continue to fail to comply with Administrative Circular No. 1-2000 are hereby given until 30 November 2000 within which to do so.

Failure to comply with this directive may constitute a ground for disciplinary action.

The Court Administrator, in coordination with the Deputy Court Administrators and Assistant Court Administrators who are assigned to the different Judicial Regions, shall strictly implement this Administrative Circular which shall take effect upon its issuance. They should report to the Office of the Chief Justice that this Administrative Circular has been disseminated to all the Judges not later than 25 October 2000.

Issued this 13th day of October 2000.

 

(SGD.) HILARIO G. DAVIDE, JR.Chief Justice