SC, IBP conduct stakeholders dialogue at Waterfront today

THE Supreme Court, in cooperation with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP), will conduct a public consultation or stakeholders dialogue for Mindanao on the proposed revision of the Revised Rules of Civil Procedure in Davao City today.

The dialogue will be held at the Grand Aguila Ballroom of Waterfront Insular Hotel, starting at 8 a.m.

Lawyer Carlos Isagani Zarate, IBP-Davao City head for publicity committee and former president, in a phone interview, said the proposed revisions of the Revised Rules of Civil Procedure are designed to declog court dockets.

He added that this is in line with the SC’s vision of making the justice system accessible to each and every Filipino citizen.

“One of the significant changes is the mandatory availment of a dispute resolution, a process of resolving disputes between parties that is a precondition for filing of complaint in court,” Zarate said.

Zarate added that a person involved in a case could not file complaint unless they would able to comply the requirements under the revised rules.

The SC along the representative of the Philippine Judicial Academy (PJA), University of the Philippines Law Center (UPLC), and the IBP held the same public consultation in Cebu City on May 28. Another leg will be held in Makati City on June 3.

The SC said that after it carefully evaluated and incorporated all the inputs from these dialogues, it will publish the first draft of the Revised Rules of Civil Procedure for public comment.

According to the SC, the consultations will provide the opportunity for the stakeholders to raise their issues and concerns with the first draft, and to provide additional comments and suggestions in preparation

for the second draft due to be presented during the national con next month.

IBP for Eastern Mindanao governor lawyer Israelito P. Torreon, in a separate phone interview, encouraged all the officers of the IBP, judges, and lawyers to join the consultation and aired their comments and suggestions.

Torreon said they are expecting around 200 participants from Mindanao that will join on the consultation. ICT