OCA CIRCULAR NO. 108-2004, September 14, 2004

Quoted hereuncler for your information are the
pertinent paragraphs of the resolution of the Court En Banc dated 24
August 2004 in A.M. No. 04-6-18-SC, Re; Position Paper on Continuing
Assassinations/Intentional Killings of Judges while in the Performance
of their Duties. – x x x

“A. xxx –

B. x x x

C. x x x

D. Designation of a Court Personnel/Police Officer as Escort for a Lower Court Judge

Judges who are facing imminent threats on their lives is hereby AUTHORIZED to
designate, as escort, one member of their staff (i.e., Sheriff or
Process Server). No designation shall be made without the express
consent of the concerned employee and prior approval of the Court
Administrator. Further, the designation shall on l y be for the duration
of the period requested by the Judge and sub j ect to the guidelines
that may hereafter be set by the OCA Security Committee for Lower Court
Judges.

The court employee designated to serve as escort
for his/her Judge shall be entitled to overtime pay at the rate of One
Hundred Pesos (P100.00) per day when rendering a maximum of three (3)
hours of service on weekdays which shall start from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00
p.m. and One Hundred Fifty Pesos (P150.00) per day during weekends when
rendering service from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

In cases where a Judge faces a direct threat on
his life, he may report the same to the PNP which shall in turn
immediately provide him with a police escort. In connection, the OCA is
hereby AUTHORIZED to enter into a Memorandum of Agreement with Philippine National Police on the grant of such request.

E. Special Processing Privileges for the Firearms of the Judges

The OCA already has the commitment, of PNP Director
Hermogenes E. Ebdane, Jr. for the grant of requests from Judges for
permission to carry their firearms outside the confines of their
stations. It should be noted that under Section 881 of the Revised
Administrative Code, judges are among those persons not required to
secure permits to carry firearms outside their residence.”

For your guidance.

__14__ September 2004.