ADMINISTRATIVE
CIRCULAR NO. 29
TO:
ALL
METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURT JUDGES, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT JUDGES,
EXECUTIVE
JUDGES OF METROPOLITAN AND MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS WITH MULTIPLE SALAS
AND
SHARI’A CIRCUIT COURT JUDGES.
SUBJECT:
REGULAR DIALOGUES/CONFERENCES ON CONCILIATION OF DISPUTES.
WHEREAS,
the
Katarungang Pambarangay system of dispute settlement has gained
significant
headway towards achieving its avowed objective of amicably settling
disputes
outside the courts and thereby substantially declogging docket
congestions;
WHEREAS,
the
potentials of said system have not been fully realized as partly
manifested
by failure to fully utilized the system as a means of avoiding needless
litigation and the number of conciliation settlements rendered void or
otherwise declared of no force or effect for being contrary to law,
public
policy or morals; and cralaw:red
WHEREAS,
such
shortcomings, errors and infirmities largely attributable to legal
unawareness,
could have been minimized, if not altogether avoided, by prior
consultations
and legal advice.cralaw:red
NOW,
THEREFORE,
it is hereby directed that;
[1]
Starting August
1, 1989, trial judges of lower courts other than the regional trial
courts
and Shari’a district courts shall hold regular dialogues/conferences in
coordination with appropriate government agencies at least once every
two
months to the extent allowed by law with Barangay Captains, the Lupon
Secretary
and the Lupon Members in their respective territorial jurisdiction;
[2] Said
dialogues/conferences
shall be for the following purposes:chanroblesvirtuallawlibrary
a. To
apprise all
members of the Lupon and arbitrators under the Katarungang Pambarangay
Law [P. D. 1508] of the proper interpretation and application of said
law
and its Implementing Rules; and
b. To bring
to the
attention of the participating judges, the legal problems confronting
the
Lupon in effecting the mandate of P. D. 1508 and other related laws so
that the former can suggest practical and lawful ways to remedy the
same.
[3] Towards
this end,
all the aforesaid trial judges and, in case of inferior courts with
multiple
salas, the Executive Judge thereof shall participate in
training/seminars/workshops
to be conducted by the Institute of Judicial Administration in their
area
to assist said judges update their knowledge and expertise of the
Katarungang
Pambarangay Law [P. D. 1508], including techniques of conciliation,
meditation
and arbitration. These training/seminar/workshops shall be an official
time, including the dialogues/conferences/meetings with the Barangay
Captains,
etc.This
Administrative
Circular shall take effect immediately.
Manila,
Philippines.cralaw:red
July 3,
1989.
[Sgd.]
MARCELO
B. FERNANChief
Justice |