Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh urged the persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) of the Cebu City Jail Female Dormitory (CCJ-FD) not to lose hope during a facility visit last May 10, 2024, together with Associate Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez, Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva, and Supreme Court Spokesperson Atty. Camille Sue Mae L. Ting.Justice Singh co-chairs the Committee on Gender Responsiveness in the Judiciary (CGRJ) with Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting and Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez. Justice Singh conducted the visit to the CCJ-FD to check on the conditions of the PDLs, the jail’s facilities, and to primarily aid the creation and formulation of the Manual and Protocol for Handling of Cases of Women in Conflict with the Law.In her message, Justice Singh expressed her sympathy and understanding for the PDLs and the difficulty to afford bail. She shared that under the new Rules on Criminal Proedure, judges will be required to appreciate the circumstances of the accused in determining the need to confine the accused. “[N]apakalaki pong pagkukulang ng ating mga pinatutupad na alituntunin, na yung mga nabibilang sa inyo na pwede sana magpiyansa, hindi makapagpiyansa kasi wala tayong kakayanan. Dahil po dito, nakipagusap po si Chief Justice [Alexander G.] Gesmundo kay Secretary of Justice [Jesus Crispin C.] Remulla ng [Department of Justice], at binabaan po ni Secretary Remulla [ang kailangang bayaran]. Ngayon po, pag indigent, hanggang sa sampung [libong piso] para lang makalaya yung pwede namang makalaya, para habang kayo ay linilitis pa, innocent pa kayo, hindi pa kayo kailangan mapiit. Kaya lang kahit yung sampung libo hindi kaya, xxx walang pagkukunan. Kaya po ang Korte Suprema ay gumagawa po ng mga bagong rules, xxx yung aming Rules on Criminal Procedure, kung saan kasama po natin si Justice Midas Marquez. Doon po sa mga bagong patakaran na iyon, xxx kapag kayo po ay may kaso, tapos kayo po ay dapat magpiyansa pero wala kayong pangpiyansa, ang aming mga judges kailangan tignan ang mga factors, kung kayo po ba ay first offender, xxx ano ba ang nature ng iyong kasalanan, xxx yung edad niyo, are you a pregnant woman, xxx are you a mother na meron kayong mga batang anak na inyo pang inaalagaan xxx o kayo ba ang breadwinner sa pamilya ninyo[.] Xxx Yung mga bagay na yan ay titignan po ng mga judges namin, at pagka marami po ang factors na yon, imbis na ikulong po kayo habang linilitis ang inyong kaso, pwede po kayong pakawalan under other safeguards (It is a big discrepancy in our rules that those of you who should be allowed to be granted bail cannot do so because of the inability to pay. Because of this, Chief Justice [Alexander G.] Gesmundo spoke with Secretary of Justice [Jesus Crispin C.] Remulla to have the required bail lowered. Now, if the accused is indigent and they can be granted bail, bail should only be at ten thousand pesos, so that while your case is being tried, while you are still innocent, you do not have to be jailed. However, ten thousand is still too much, xxx for those with no resources. This is why the Supreme Court is creating new rules, xxx our Rules on Criminal Procedure, together with Justice Midas Marquez. In these new rules, xxx if you have a case, and you can be granted bail but you lack the resources to afford it, our judges will be required to look at the factors, such as if you are a first offender, xxx the nature of your case, xxx your age, are you pregnant, xxx are you a mother who is still taking care of young children, xxx or are you the breadwinner of your family[.] These factors will be looked into by our judges, and if such factors are present, instead of confining you while your case is being tried, you can be set free under other safeguards),�?Justice Singh proudly shared.

Justice Singh also highlighted that persons convicted of heinous crimes can now avail of Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) in serving their sentences, in light of the Supreme Court En Banc’s recent ruling in G.R. No. 249027 and G.R. No. 249155 (Guinto et al., v. Department of Justice; Inmates of New Bilibid Prison, et al. v. Department of Justice). Such ruling was penned by Justice Singh.  

“Para naman po doon sa mga hindi maganda po yung narating ng ating mga kaso at tayo po ay naconvict, tapos natalo po ang ating apela, xxx at tayo ay magsisilbi na doon sa ating correctional [institute]: huwag din pong mawalan ng pag-asa, dahil mayroon po kaming recent decision, yun pong Guinto, kung saan sinabi po namin na sa ating Good Conduct Time Allowance, kahit po yung mga heinous offenses, xxx pwede kayo mag GCTA. Kahit po yung repeat offenders, xxx pwede pa rin po magavail ng GCTA. Kasi po ang sabi natin diyan, kaya nga po tayo ay tao, tayo ay magkakamli, hindi tayo perpekto, hindi tayo diyos. At pag nagkamali, dapat may pagkakataon pa, kasi wala namang perpekto sa atin. Xxx Kaya po sinabi namin sa sa Guinto, kahit heinous offenses, kahit recidivist, pwede pong makaavail ng GCTA, kaya magbait po tayo (For those whose cases did not turn out as well and you are convicted, and your appeals are denied and you have to serve time at our correctional [institutes]: do not lose hope, because we have a recent decision, Guinto, where we pronounced that in our Good Conduct Time Allowance, even those found guilty of heinous offenses, xxx can avail of GCTA. Even repeat offenders, xxx can avail of GCTA. Because we are only people, we are bound to make mistakes, we are not perfect nor are we gods. When we do make mistakes, you should still have the opportunity to change, because none of us are perfect. This is why we pronounced in the case of Guinto, even if you are found guilty of a heinous ?offense, even if you are recidivist, you can avail of GCTA, so let�??�s do our best,�?Justice Singh said to the CCJ-FD residents.

Justice Singh further encouraged the PDLs to participate in the jail’s various programs which can be credited for GCTA. “Yung mga bagay na pwede nating gawin [na pwedeng macredit bilang GCTA], yung mga programa ng jail authorities, gawin po natin. Mayroon pong mga reading program, mentoring program, coaching program, sumali po tayo (The activities that we can do [that can be credited as GCTA], such as the programs of the jail authorities, let us participate in them. There are reading programs, mentoring programs, coaching programs, let us join them),�?Justice Singh exhorted.

Justice Singh also commended the cultural dance prepared by the PDLs and recommended that the same be given GCTA credits. “Iyon din pong dance kanina, thank you sa inyo, napagkaganda ng inyong sayaw. Yun po sana binibigyan natin ng GCTA [credits] iyon dahil that is a very constructive way of spending their time (For the dance earlier, thank you for the beautiful performance. We should also credit that as GCTA because that is a very constructive way of spending their time).�?/p>After delivering her message, Justice Singh, together with Justice Marquez, Court Administrator Villanueva, and Supreme Court Spokesperson Atty. Ting, toured the facility and took note of the living conditions of the PDLs. Throughout the tour, Justice Singh made continuous inquiries regarding the Cebu City Jail’s procedures and protocol on handling their female PDLs, especially the minors, the elderly, and the pregnant women.Also present were Dean Jose Glenn C. Capanas, Dean of the University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance, and Atty. Mary Grace H. Casano, Executive Director for Legal Aid of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City Chapter.

Last April 18, 2024, Justice Singh also conducted a visit to the Correctional Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City. While primarily for the CGRJ and its Technical Working Groups to Develop the Manual and Protocol for Handling of Cases of Women in Conflict with the Law, these jail visits are also conducted in furtherance of the Supreme Court’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovation 2022-2027 which targets three major outcomes: Efficiency, Innovation, and Access. (Courtesy of the Office of Associate Justice Singh) 

All roads led to Cebu City for the 2024 Asia and the Pacific Regional Conference of the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) and 2024 National Convention of the Philippine Women Judges Association (PWJA).

The opening of the three-day event on May 8, 2024 was highlighted by the signing of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on judicial cooperation between the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, approved by the Court En Banc on April 3, 2024.

With the theme “WOMEN LEAD: Transforming Asia-Pacific and Changing the World,�?the IAWJ and PWJA brought together esteemed women judges all over the Asia-Pacific Region to discuss future initiatives to make justice more accessible to all, particularly women and children, and exhibit first-hand the international collaboration between the Supreme Court of the Philippines and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia as an example and inspiration to neighbors in the region.Signed by Philippine Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo and Chief Justice William Alstergren AO of the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia, who joined online, the MOU focuses on enhancing the access to the family courts of the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society, including women and children, developing women’s leadership opportunities in the family courts, and capacity-building initiatives on trafficking in persons and online sexual abuse and exploitation of children.

The focus areas are in line with the Court’s blueprint of action for judicial reform, the Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027 (SPJI), especially the SPJI’s guiding principle on equal? and inclusive justice and target outcome of Access. These are likewise consistent with Australia’s ongoing thrust to promote gender equality, disability, and social Inclusion or GEDSI.

In his message, Chief Justice Gesmundo described the MOU as “the latest addition to a long history of cooperation between our two governments and our judiciaries, a partnership that is borne not only of mutual pursuits and advocacies, but likewise anchored on mutual respect and support.�?/p>The MOU is an initiative under the Fostering Advancement of Inclusive Rights-based (FAIR) Justice Program of the Australian Government, pursuant to the Strategic Partnership between Australia and the Republic of the Philippines.Under the MOU, both Chief Justices shall endeavor to meet annually to advance the relationship between the parties, acknowledging that the implementation of projects and activities may involve a combination of Australian and Philippine expertise, in coordination with other justice sector agencies, the central socio-economic planning agency, and other relevant agencies as required or warranted.

Chief Justice Gesmundo added that the MOU “will usher in another chapter of cooperation as we continuously strive to improve our service to our people. In particular, our programs to upgrade the capacity of our Family Courts, from the judges to the prosecutors and public attorneys, up to the social workers and law enforcement agents, will be a critical part of this cooperation.�?/p>

Supreme Court Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, who is also the current PWJA President and IAWJ Vice-President, has high hopes for the MOU with its aim “of honing the skills of Family Court judges to become better equipped at protecting women, children, and families involved in intricate legal disputes.�?/p>

Chief Justice Gesmundo also delivered the keynote message at the IAWJ Conference and PWJA Convention, where he shared SPJI initiatives such as the adoption of the first-ever organic Guidelines on the Use of Gender-Fair Language in the Judiciary and Gender-Fair Courtroom Etiquette; the Study on Gender Mobility and Representation in the Philippine Judiciary, which looked at gender-disaggregated data over nearly 15 years to examine patterns of appointments across all court levels and identify barriers to women’s representation; and the Study on Feminism in Philippine Jurisprudence, which catalogued and reviewed 15 years�?worth of Supreme Court decisions across key issue areas to critically evaluate judicial reasoning and identify areas that need ??deeper understanding and correction to ove??rcome biases, inequalities, and discrimination.

At present, the Court is monitoring women’s correctional facilities to gather valuable input in crafting the first ever Manual for Handling Women in Conflict with the Law.

Day 1 of the 2024 Asia and the Pacific Regional Conference of the IAWJ and 2024 National Convention of the PWJA was filled with knowledge sharing and exchange of ideas from legal experts both in the local and international judicial scene.The welcome remarks were delivered by Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh, who is also the PWJA Executive Vice President and an IAWJ Regional Director, and New Zealand District Court Judge Nicola Mathers, also an IAWJ Asia and the Pacific Region Regional Director.

Justice Singh said that the work that the Philippine Judiciary has made “will have lasting impact for the feminist cause. Through our steadfast commitment to fairness, justice, and equal rights, the judiciary stands poised to establish significant precedents and influence societal perspectives on gender equality.”�?/p>

Justice Lazaro-Javier, on the other hand, shared her belief that “that through greater cross-border collaborations, we are able to gain insights into the effective practices of each nation and are able to uplift each other towards attaining gender equality. Together, we shall rise for there is nothing stronger than a group of women bonded by the same cause.�?/p>Other speakers at the event were Australian Ambassador to the Philippines HE Hae Kyong (HK) Yu PSM, FCPA; Federal Court of Australia Chief Justice Debra Sue Mortimer (online); IAWJ Executive Director Ms. Christie R. Jones; Court of Appeals Associate Justices and PWJA Vice-Presidents Tita Marilyn Payoyo-Villordon and Ma. Belen Ringpis-Liban; Federal Court of Malaysia Justice Dato�?Zabariah binti Mohd Yusof, acting as representative of Chief Justice Tun Tengku Maimun binti Tuan Mat; and World Bank Group Senior Vice President and Group General Counsel Christopher Stephens.There was also a discussion on “Initiatives of Women Judges towards Gender Parity at All Levels of the Judiciary�?with Judge Maria Zoraida Zabat-Tuazon as moderator and speakers Justice Suntariya Muanpawong of the Supreme Court of Thailand; Justice B.V. Nagarathna of the Supreme Court of India; CA Associate Justice Angelene Mary W. Quimpo-Sale; and Justice Niava Mata Tuatagaloa of the Supreme Court of Samoa.

Another discussion was held on “Rehabilitation and Social Reintegration of Women Prisoners and Offenders, and Alternatives to Imprisonment for Women Offenders,�?with New Zealand District Court Judge Mathers as moderator, and speakers Pasig City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Judge Ana Teresa T. Cornejo-Tomacruz; Commission on Human Rights-Philippines Commissioner Faydah M. Dumarpa; Australia’s Griffith University Senior Lecturer Dr. Samantha Jeffries; Thailand Institute of Justice Executive Director Dr. Phiset Sa-Ardyen; and Dhaka, Bangladesh Additional District Judge Lubna Zahan. (Courtesy of the Supreme Court Public Information Office)