Use of Videoconferencing in Cases Involving Persons Deprived of Liberty as Authorized under A.M. No. 20-12-01-SC (Re: Guidelines on the Conduct of Videoconferencing)

January 18, 2021

OCA CIRCULAR NO. 06-2021

 

As a policy, Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) committed in national penitentiaries are not allowed to be brought outside said penal institutions to appear or attend proceedings before any court, except by express authority of the Court. 1 Thus, the Supreme Court, in A.M. No. 15-08-07-SC dated 10 November 2015, ruled that when a Judge outside the National Capital Judicial Region (NCJR) requires the attendance or appearance of a national prisoner in a court proceeding, the records of the case may be allowed to be temporarily transferred to the court station where the national penitentiary is located for the conduct of the appropriate proceeding within the premises of the said penal institution.

However, with the issuance of A.M. No. 20-12-01-SC (Re: Guidelines on the Conduct of Videoconferencing), effective 16 January 2021, all Judges who require the attendance or appearance of a PDL detained in a national penitentiary are DIRECTED to avail of the alternative mode of videoconferencing, unless the PDL is authorized by the Supreme Court to be brought to the court to attend in-court hearings.

For strict compliance.

(SGD.) JOSE MIDAS P. MARQUEZCourt Administrator

 

Footnotes

1. A.M. No. 13-11-07-SC dated 19 November 2013.