Marquez’s plan as chief justice bet: No more overburdened courts by 2032

MANILA, Philippines – Associate Justice Jose Midas Marquez made a big promise when he faced the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) for his interview as a chief justice candidate. Marquez, who once served as head of the Supreme Court’s (SC) Office of the Court Administrator, said there will be no more overburdened courts six years from now if he is selected as Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo’s successor. “By 2032, we should no longer have [an] overburdened court,” said the aspiring chief justice during his public interview on Monday, October 26. “While a courtroom or a courthouse is a physical representation of justice, the true measure of a court is not its buildings or facilities, but the quality of justice it provides.

Citizens do not come to court because of the structure that houses it; they come because they seek protection of their rights, resolution of disputes, and assurance that the rule of law will prevail,” Marquez added. Marquez is one of the five SC associate justices in the running to become Gesmundo’s successor. The JBC concluded the interviews on Monday and will proceed to deliberations. Afterwards, the council will submit to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. a short list of nominees. Marcos will then appoint the country’s 28th chief justice. Marquez is currently the most junior among the candidates and is holding seat no. 12 at the High Court. If chosen, he will serve as chief justice for 10 years, or until 2036. Plans for the judiciary During the interview, Marquez said the judiciary faces three perennial problems: congestion of court dockets, delay in resolution of cases, and the perception of alleged corruption. “ So to enhance our court processes, court management, pagandahin pa natin ‘yong internet connectivity not only here in NCR (National Capital…