QUEZON CITY, Philippines – Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Velasco lauded President Rodrigo Duterte for signing into law the Judges-at-Large Act of 2019.
Principally authored by Velasco at the House of Representatives, the law would pave the way for the appointment of judges-at-large in trial courts where the disposition of cases is slow.
The Judges-at-Large Act of 2019 which was signed by the President on Aug. 30 provides for the appointment of 100 regional trial judges-at-large, and 50 municipal trial judges-at-large.
Under the novel law, the Supreme Court can assign the judges-at-large to any regional and municipal trial court as acting or assisting judges to any regional and municipal trial court as a means to decongest salas of pending cases.
“This law was basically aimed at addressing the worsening docket load in the judiciary,” Velasco, son of retired Supreme Court Justice Presbiterio Velasco, said.
Velasco said that he was happy that his proposal, which seeks to build trust and confidence in the judicial system, is now a law.
Velasco said, since his father is a former Supreme Court justice, he knew firsthand that Philippine courts should be provided with innovative remedial measures that will speed up the judicial mill.
Velasco, at the same time, thanked and congratulated all his counterpart legislators in the Senate and his fellow representatives who pushed and supported the passage of Judges-At-Large proposal. – Marinduquenews.com
