by Juliet Saley

BONTOC, Mt. Province- Concerned by the lack of interest of lawyers to apply for the position of judges in courts in the province that have long been vacant , members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP) here enacted a resolution requesting President Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, to fully implement the salary standardization law for all judges in the Philippines.

In their resolution, the SP members stated that were duly informed that Salary Standardization Law for Judges has not been fully implemented considering that at present the salaries of judges in regional and municipal circuit trial courts are lower than that of public attorneys, prosecutors, and clerks of court.

It is for this reason that lawyers are not interested to apply for the vacant positions of judges in Mt. Province - one regional trial court judge and municipal circuit trial court judges are unfilled - thus, one Municipal Trial Court Judge handles two or even three municipalities.

If only to encourage lawyers to apply for the vacant Judge positions and thereby prevent the delay in the disposition of cases, there is a need for the full implementation of the salary standardization of judges, the resolution further stated. (JDP/JBS- PIA CAR,Mt. Province)