A Shaky and Crushing Verdict

Of course, the Iloilo Hall of Justice is closed again, except for some very urgent operations. But regular hearings and filing of cases are suspended as of now. It’s the same frustrating story every time the earth shakes: they promised a fix that occupants could not entirely trust, and now we’re the ones locked out and waiting.

Following a recent 6.9 magnitude earthquake in the Visayas, the Supreme Court has once again suspended work to assess the building’s structural integrity. If you think this is prudence, no, it’s more than that. This is a recurring nightmare for Ilonggos and a damning indictment of a P50 million “political solution” that has failed to provide a sense of stable security to the building’s occupants and clients. This cycle of closures reveals a deeper rot: a critical failure in public works accountability that leaves citizens with infrastructure built on shaky foundation and frames.

This story begins over a decade ago. After a 2012 earthquake exposed severe vulnerabilities in the building, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) initially recommended demolition and construction of a new building. However, so-called political will, backed by a PHP 50 million allocation from then-Senate President Franklin Drilon’s pork barrel funds, shifted the plan to retrofitting. The contractor, PertConsult International, made an audacious promise: the reinforced structure could withstand a magnitude-9 earthquake.

Today, with the building closed after tremors from quakes near and far, that promise rings hollow. The current suspension is a verdict on that project’s success, and the verdict is guilty and shaky.

The issue transcends one building in Iloilo. The Philippines is precariously situated on the Pacific Ring of Fire, a reality codified in our laws. The National Building Code of the Philippines (Presidential Decree No. 1096) exists precisely to ensure structures can withstand the country’s seismic realities. Yet, standards are only as strong as their implementation. The Iloilo Hall of Justice sits in a region threatened by the active West Panay Fault, which state seismologists from PHIVOLCS warn is capable of generating a powerful 7.2 magnitude earthquake. Given this known and ever-present danger, the goal of any structural intervention should have been permanent confidence, not a temporary fix that inspires doubt with every significant tremor.

While some may argue that the current closure is simply responsible risk management, that view ignores the history of public funds spent specifically to eliminate this very risk. The closure disrupts the functions of over 20 branches of Regional and Municipal Trial Courts, delaying countless cases and reinforcing the old adage that “justice delayed is justice denied.” This is the true cost of the closure. As Dr. Mahar Lagmay, Executive Director of the University of the Philippines Resilience Institute, has stated in the past on infrastructure, “Disaster preparedness is not just about response, but about ensuring our critical infrastructure is built correctly from the ground up.” We are now paying the price for failing to heed that principle, opting instead for a costly patch-up job that has failed to resolve fears and apprehensions.

The Supreme Court’s order for an independent assessment is a crucial first step, but it must serve as a launchpad, not just a conclusion. This moment presents an opportunity to transform a local crisis into a national policy of resilience. Beyond a technical report, the Court should spearhead the creation of a new, transparent protocol for all judicial infrastructure, starting with a full public audit of the 2012 Iloilo retrofitting to establish a clear “never again” benchmark for public works.

This new protocol must be proactive. It should mandate regular, independent structural audits for all courthouses in high-risk zones and establish a public-facing database tracking their integrity and maintenance records. Accountability must be forward-looking: by setting non-negotiable standards for future projects, we ensure contractors and officials are held to a higher, more durable standard from the start.

There must be a system where the foundations of our courthouses are as strong and unwavering as the justice they are meant to uphold. The stability of our entire judicial system demands it.