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KIDAPAWAN CITY (MindaNews/03 May) – The eight-hour rotating daily brownouts in North Cotabato caused by the power shortage in Mindanao have resulted in backlogs of cases at the local courts, a court employee said.
Luzminda Cuabo, officer-in-charge of the Clerk of Court of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 23, said that they could no longer hear cases due to the brownouts.
She said that they hear cases, as per Supreme Court ruling, only during daytime or from 8:30am to 12noon.
“Unfortunately, we really have a difficult time hearing these cases because it is too dim and too hot in the court room because there is no electricity during those hours,” she said.
At least 30 cases are scheduled for hearing from Monday to Friday at RTC 23, Cuabo said.
She explained that only those with urgent motions, like temporary restraining order and mandamus, are being heard for now.
“Our stenographers would have a hard time writing notes. If we have too many witnesses in the court room the room’s too hot because the air con’s not running due to brownouts,” she lamented.
The court has no standby generator. (Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews)