PUERTO PRINCESA CITY, Palawan (PIA) — The establishment of the first Green Justice Zone in Puerto Princesa will help facilitate the prosecution of environmental cases and provide a system for environmental justice in Palawan, says PCSD.
Jovic Fabello, spokesperson of Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) said that it is the long-awaited answer to the concerns of the province in environmental cases and assured that the council will extend support in prosecution and evidence gathering.
“Maganda itong nangyari with the Department of Justice—matagal na namin hinihiling iyan sa kanila na bigyan-toon naman ang environmental crimes– Maganda ito dahil tingin natin Palawan would be one of the examples ng magandang pamamalakad tungo sa pagdi-determine kung sino ang mga nag-i-illegal trade sa wildlife,” he said.
The Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSSC) will lead the launch of the Justice Zone in Puerto Princesa on November 12, which will be the first site as a Green Justice Zone to focus on environmental issues. It is the 12th Justice Zone, following the establishment in the cities of Quezon, Cebu, Davao, Angeles, Bacolod, Naga, Calamba, Balanga, Baguio, Zamboanga, and Tagaytay.
In July, Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh joined key stakeholders in Palawan and the PCSD to deliberate on vital measures in environmental protection efforts. One of the topics discussed was exploring the idea of conducting assessments of how environmental cases have been decided.
PCSD Spokesperson Jovic Fabello discusses the possible contribution of the council to the Green Justice Zone in Palawan. (Photo from PCSD/Robin Sabuero)
Fabello believed that the ongoing development of the Palawan Environmental Enforcement Network (PalawEEN) would help to gather evidence to win environmental cases in court. The network is envisioned to provide immediate response from the nearest enforcement unit in the area of activity.
PCSD acknowledged that there must still be effort and training needed on case buildup and evidence handling in the province. The establishment of the Justice Zone focused on environmental crimes aligned with the intention of the Speedy Trial Act of 1998 or RA 8493.
“Kasi kadalasan ang batting average natin sa mga nafa-file natin sa court is 50-50 lang kasi evidence ay wala na. Hindi tayo marunong ng transfer of evidence from one enforcement agency to another, minsan don nagkakaproblema–Siguro mali-lessen na natin yong mga pagkakamali natin in terms of evidence handling, evidence keeping, and case buildup.
The launching will be attended by Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla, Interior and Local Government Secretary Benjamin C. Abalos, Jr., and Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Filomena Singh, chairperson of the JSSC Technical Working Group on Processes and Capacity Building, will also witness the launching together with Palawan Governor Dennis Socrates and Puerto Princesa City Mayor Lucilo Bayron.
Justice Singh previously explained that Justice Zones are areas or localities where several inter-agency coordinative reforms are present based on pre-identified elements.
The Supreme Court hopes to increase the public’s trust in the legal system and citizens’ awareness of how it functions through Justice Zones. It also hopes to enable civil society organizations to assist in improving the justice system in particular localities.
The launch of Justice Zones is under the Justice Sector Reform Programme: Governance in Justice (GOJUST), funded by the European Union in partnership with the Philippine Government. It reported 84 interventions and decisions identified by the Justice Zones that address cross-cutting problems and issues as one of their impacts. (RG/PIA Mimaropa – Palawan)
*Banner photo from Palawan News website
