COURT employes of the Pasay City regional
trial court yesterday vowed to stage a "silent protest" every
Monday by wearing black t-shirts due to the non-release of
benefits due them under the Judiciary Development Fund (JDF).
"We will continue our silent protest until
the benefits due us are released," said Rusty Ragasa, president
of the Pasay City Employes Association, some 300 of whom staged
a protest during the flag-raising ceremony last Monday.
Aside from the JDF, the court employes are
also asking for the release of a P5,000 annual allowance under
the Special Allowance for the Judiciary.
Presidential Decree 1949 which created the
JDF provides that 80 percent of the fund shall be distributed as
cost of living allowance (COLA) to judiciary members and
personnel and 20 percent for office equipment and court
facilities. The disposition of the fund rests solely with the
Chief Justice.
Courts charge legal fees that go to the
national treasury and any increase in the fees goes to the JDF
to augment the judiciary’s budget.
Court employes said that among the three
levels of bench: municipal and regional trial courts, the
appellate court and the SC, the biggest earners for the fund
were the lower courts. Ragasa said employes of the Supreme Court
have already received theirs but they in Pasay are still waiting
for their share which they have been doing since the time of
former Chief Justice Hilario Davide.
The issue was among the complaints raised during the failed
attempt to impeach Davide before the Lower House two years ago.
– Ashzel Hachero
