President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday night discouraged courts from issuing injunctions for criminal cases.
Duterte, a former prosecutor, said that “there has to be not only a semblance, clear and convincing evidence” before an injunction is issued.
“Itong mga korte minsan (These courts). I hope you would stop the practice of issuing injunctions, lalo na sa mga kasong criminal (especially for criminal cases),” Duterte said during his speech at the 72nd anniversary of the Philippine Air Force at Villamor Air Base in Pasay City,
“Do not do that. Do not hurry up things because I know it is always, pera-pera ‘yan (money involved),” he added.
Duterte, meanwhile, pointed out that “injunctions are really for free.”
“Either stopping or prohibiting a government entity or persons from doing it or a mandamus compelling us to do something which we think are really, really very wrong,” Duterte said.
An injunction is a court order requiring a person to do or cease from doing a specific action while a mandamus is a court order requiring a person to properly fulfill official duties.
President Duterte is expected to appear in a television show and personally respond to public complaints on corruption and red tape, Malacañang announced Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a new television program will feature cases from the Citizens’ Complaint Hotline 8888 and Presidential Complaint Center in a bid to address the concerns of the public on government services.
The country’s top executive is expected to answer the queries in the one-hour television program dubbed as “Digong 8888 Hotline,” which will air on the state television channel PTV and its affiliate provincial stations every Thursday, from 2 to 3 p.m.
The show will also feature one government agency per week, according to a statement by Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo.
Digong 8888 Hotline, which will premier on July 11, will be hosted by Panelo, Assistant Secretary Kris Roman of the Office of the Chief Presidential Legal Counsel, and PTV news anchor Trixie Jaafar.
President Duterte institutionalized 8888 as the Citizens’ Complaint Center through Executive Order No. 6 to address grievances related to red tape and corruption in the government.
Managed by the Office of the Executive Secretary, 8888 receives thousands of calls everyday for various requests and complaints on government service, slow processing of papers, fixers, overcharging and misdemeanor of some government employees.
It is mandated to respond to complaints within a 72-hour time frame.
In other developments, the PCC is a frontline desk of the Office of the President which serves as a liaison unit to various departments and agencies on requests for assistance and information, as well as complaints and grievances.
It entertains clients through calls, letters, email messages and personal visits in its headquarters in Bahay Ugnayan in Malacañang.