Judiciary Reform – 2001
2001
In 2001, Republic Act 9054, also called the Extended ARMM Law, is passed by the Congress of the Philippines. The bill contained a section on judicial powers of the ARMM and repeats the language of the 1996 peace agreement, but adds in the additional phrase “whenever feasible.” Article 8, Section 2 (Judges from the Autonomous Region) of RA 9054 reads as follows:
“It shall be the policy of the central government or national government that, whenever feasible, at least one (1) justice in the Supreme Court and two (2) justices in the Court of Appeals shall come from qualified jurists of the autonomous region.”
RA 9054 also repeats the language of the 1996 peace agreement regarding the creation of the Office of Deputy Court Administrator, but the office was not created, and none of the three aforementioned appointments were made1 The Republic of the Philippines Department of Justice (DOJ) directory of offices does not include any listing for Office of Deputy Court Administrator for the ARMM.2
- “Republic Act 9054,” Congress of the Philippines, accessed July 31, 2012, http://www.congress.gov.ph/download/ra_11/RA09054.pdf
- “Department of Justice Website,” Republic of the Philippines, accessed July 31, 2012, http://www.doj.gov.ph/directory-of-officials.html