Jomar Canlas
Manila Times

IN giving more support and protection for battered wo­men and children, the Supreme Court gave due course for the prayer exempting battered women and children from payment of increased filing fees.

The local government of Quezon City made the said request after their passage of Resolution SP 3756, Series of 2007 exempting battered wo­men from payment of docket fees hike.

Eugenio Y. Jurilla, city secretary of Quezon City, sent the letter to the Court and the copy of their resolution was attached.

The plea was made to the Court since the requirement of exorbitant court fees defeats the good intention of Republic Act 9262, the Law on Violence of Against Women and Children.

A one-page resolution was immediately issued by the Court en banc taking note of the prayer made by the City Council which shall be subjected to future deliberations and justices’ consideration.

The increase of the docket fees for litigants was implemented during the tenure of then Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. to augment the expenditures for the judiciary.

The Supreme Court ordered all lower courts in the country to fully implement the exemption from payment of docket and other fees of all Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) litigants and clients.

The Court made its immediate response to the letter of Persida Rueda-Acosta, PAO chief, dated April 24, 2007, in view of the implementation of Republic Act 9406, the Act Reorganizing and Strengthening the Public Attorney’s Office.

The said amendment to the PAO charter must be disseminated to all courts nationwide by mandating the Office of the Court Administrator, the Office of the Clerk of Court and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. The PAO specifically cited Section 16-D of the said law for the exemption from fees and costs of the suit.