The Supreme Court is set to hold a nationwide implementation of the new continuous justice system that seeks to speed up the processing of criminal cases in the pipeline.
The Revised Guidelines for Continuous Trial of Criminal Cases, which was passed last April 25, will be fully effective in September and is expected to secure the constitutional rights of litigants to speedy disposition of their criminal cases, the Philippine Star reported.
The continuous justice system initially underwent pilot testing in 52 first and second level courts in Metro Manila since September 2014.
The new system will trim the usual trial duration from approximately five years to just around three months.
The new guideline will also require trial courts to process criminal cases Monday to Thursday, with morning sessions starting at 8:30 a.m., while afternoon sessions will begin at 2:00 p.m.
Credit: CCIL
