New CJ Bersamin: Court personnel nationwide banned from using cellphones during office hours

This was one of the first directives of new Chief Justice Lucas P. Bersamin who attended his first flag-raising ceremony as head of the judiciary yesterday at the Supreme Court (SC) in Manila.

“Iwasan ang paggamit ng cellphones habang nasa trabaho. Nakakahiya. Maliit na bagay yan pero dun tayo magsisimula. (Let us avoid using cellphones while on duty. It’s shameful. This may be petty, but it’s a good start),” Bersamin told SC officials and employees.

Bersamin, who was appointed Chief Justice last week as successor of retired Chief Justice Teresita J. Leonardo de Castro, said that in his 11 months tenure he will pursue judicial reforms and address the problems in the lower courts.

“Wala akong maipapangako sa inyo kundi ang ipagpatuloy ko ang paninilibihan with all sincerity in my heart (I have no promise to you except that I will continue to serve with all sincerity in my heart). I intend also to address our persistent problems in the lower courts,” he said.

SOURCE: Rey Panaligan (2018). Court personnel nationwide banned from using cellphones during office hours — Bersamin. By Rey Panaligan. Updated December 3, 2018, 3:25 PM. https://news.mb.com.ph/2018/12/03/court-personnel-nationwide-banned-from-using-cellphones-during-office-hours-bersamin/

Lucas Purugganan Bersamin (born October 19, 1949) is the 25th Chief Justice of the Philippine Supreme Court, the highest court in the Philippines. He was named by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to the High Court as an Associate Justice on April 2, 2009. Prior to becoming an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, he was a member of the Court of Appeals. He is the brother of former congressman Luis "Chito" P. Bersamin, Jr. of Abra, who was gunned down during a wedding ceremony and brother of Abra former provincial governor Eustaquio P. Bersamin.

SOURCE: Lucas Bersamin. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucas_Bersamin