'Green Justice Zone' set in Palawan to address legal issues on environment protection, natural resource management -- SC
The Supreme Court (SC), the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) are set to launch in November the country’s 12th justice zone in Puerto Princesa City in Palawan.
The Puerto Princesa City justice zone is envisioned as the first ever “Green Justice Zone” which will be “the premiere showcase of national-local government collaboration for efficient and effective delivery of justice in environmental protection and natural resource management,” the SC said.
A justice zone is where judges, prosecutors, law enforcers and representatives of local government units (LGUs) meet on common interests, coordination, and information sharing.
It is a venue “where key programs relating to the delivery of justice are in place to maximize coordination among the different agency actors to address the perennial issue of delay and the greater problem of accountability,” Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo had earlier said.
The SC, DOJ, and DILG are the prime movers of the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) which sets up justice zones. The JSCC was created in 2010.
The 11 justice zones are in Tagaytay City, Quezon City, Cebu City, Davao City, Angeles City, Bacolod City, Naga City, Calamba City, Balanga City, Baguio City, and Zamboanga City.
The Tagaytay City justice zone was designed to be a “specialty justice zone” that focuses on economic development and tourism.
Representatives of the JSCC have met with officials of Puerto Princesa City and Palawan in the setting of a justice zone.
SC Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh led JSCC officials in setting up the ground work for the justice zone in Puerto Princesa City.
The SC said that Justice Singh, head of the JSCC Technical Working Group on Processes and Capacity Building, had fruitful dialogues with Palawan Governor and Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Chair Victorino Dennis M. Socrates and Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo R. Bayron in the launch of the justice zone on Nov. 10.
Sandiganbayan Associate Justice Michael Frederick L. Musngi and Court of Appeals Associate Justice Jaime Fortunato A. Caringal also attended the dialogue with the local executives of Palawan.