"The country’s judicial system is in “chronic crisis” and “unable to serve the vast majority of citizens,” Sen. Francis Pangilinan said yesterday.
In his talk at a forum at the De La Salle University in Manila, Pangilinan explained that close to 30 percent of the country’s courts have no judges while 40 percent of prosecution positions in the Department of Justice are vacant.
No criminal case can be heard without the presence of the public prosecutor, which arguably mean 40 percent cases are not being heard or are being heard so slowly, he said.
He said it takes some five years at the minimum for a case in the first level courts to be adjudicated.
“Tell me: Can a poor afford a lawyer for five years? Conviction rates (for) corruption cases in the country is estimated at less than 30 percent, compared to 80 percent in Hong Kong and close to 90 percent in Japan,” Pangilinan said.
x x x."
“Tell me: Can a poor afford a lawyer for five years? Conviction rates (for) corruption cases in the country is estimated at less than 30 percent, compared to 80 percent in Hong Kong and close to 90 percent in Japan,” Pangilinan said.
x x x."
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