Roxas City Hall of Justice limits occupancy after quakes

By Felipe V. Celino

Occupancy at the Roxas City Hall of Justice has been temporarily limited following the discovery of structural cracks after a series of recent earthquakes.

Regional Trial Court Executive Judge Lorencito Diaz issued Memorandum Order No. 33-2025, which took effect on October 20 and mandates a work-from-home setup and the use of video conferencing for all personnel.

The order covers employees of the City and Provincial Prosecutors’ Office, Public Attorney’s Office, Parole and Probation Office, and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Capiz Chapter.

During the suspension, courts will remain available on an on-call basis for urgent judicial actions such as bail applications, release orders, habeas corpus petitions, and marriage solemnizations.

Judges were encouraged to conduct videoconference hearings for time-sensitive proceedings such as arraignments and pre-trials to avoid case backlogs.

Executive and presiding judges were also instructed to identify alternative venues for in-person hearings and coordinate with regional court managers for implementation.