The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday released an order amending its rules to unclog case dockets and speed up the judicial system.
Under the order dated May 4, the fully court will now act only on administrative cases penalized with more than two years of suspension or a fine of more than P100,000.
It used to hear cases involving a suspension of more than a year or a fine of more than P40,000.
The en banc will also now only act on cases involving the lifting of judges’ or lawyers’ suspension if the suspension period is more than two years.
Meanwhile, court spokesman Brian Keith F. Hosaka released the Judicial Bar and Council’s (JBC) list of shortlisted candidates for the tribunal’s associate Justice position vacated by now-Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo.
The 15 nominees were down to nine, with candidates Amparo M. Cabotaje-Tang, Sedfrey M. Candelaria, Ramon A. Cruz, Japar B. Dimaampao, Geraldine Faith A. Econg, Rafael R. Lagos, Jose Midas P. Marquez, Maria Filomena D. Singh and Raul B. Villanueva still in the running. — Bianca Angelica D. Añago