SC issues new guidelines on jail visitation, inspection
In line with the Supreme Court's equal access to justice for the program, new guidelines and rules on jail inspection and visitation have been issued.
The SC said that the guidelines would prevent illegal or unnecessary detentions and ensure the protection of the dignity and well-being of detainees.
Under the new guidelines, presiding and executive judges, accompanied by their staff members, are required to personally conduct monthly jail visitations and inspections.
Additionally, presiding judges are required to gather relevant data from such jail visitations and inspections, submit monthly reports indicating any information necessitating immediate action and recommendations for action, and to take immediate action on the conditions unfavorable to the detainees and urgent matters within their competence without the need of the executive judges' intervention.
On the other hand, executive judges are required to inquire into relevant data related to such jail visitations and inspections, ensure that the presiding judges are performing their jail inspection duties, submit compliance reports of judges every quarter, and require jail wardens and heads of detention centers to submit monthly reports on the number of detainees who have pending cases under the courts.
The SC added that failure of the presiding judges and executive judges to personally conduct the jail visitation and/or submit complete and accurate reports "shall cause the withholding of their salaries without prejudice to whatever administrative sanctions the SC may impose on them or criminal action which may be filed against them." (PNA)