Mayor Ronnel Rivera said they are considering acquiring a customized bus that will be transformed into a mobile court of the EJOW program, which was finally launched in the city last Thursday.
“We’re looking at making it (EJOW) a part of our barangayan program,” the mayor said in an interview over TV Patrol Soccsksargen.
“Barangayan” is a special program of the city government where it brings its various services down to the barangays.
These include medical and dental care, land title processing, PhilHealth insurance registration, utility bill payments, free legal consultation, business permit processing and licensing and employment assistance through the public employment and services office.
During the expedited hearings conducted by EJOW’s mobile court at city jail or reformatory center compound in Purok Lanton, Barangay Apopong here, at least 63 inmates were ordered freed following the resolution of their cases.
Rivera said they are initially arranging with Regional Trial Court Branch 35 Executive Judge Oscar Noel for the regular conduct of the EJOW in the area.
“We’ve requested them to hold it on a quarterly basis,” the mayor said.
Aside from the mobile court hearings, which was dubbed “Judgment Day,” the city jail’s nearly 1,100 inmates were treated to a free medical and dental mission through the city government’s mobile hospital.
The Philippine Judicial Academy also conducted an orientation for officials of the city’s 26 barangays regarding the operations of the Lupong Tagapamayapa or barangay justice system.
Lawyer Arnel Zapatos, city administrator, said the local government earlier coordinated with the Supreme Court for the launching of the EJOW in the city.
He said the move is part of the city government’s efforts to help decongest the city of “overstaying” detainees and de-clog local courts of pending cases.
