SC chief signs cooperation pact with Guam, Palau and Northern Mariana Islands

MANILA, Nov. 6 (PNA) -- The relationship of the Supreme Court (SC) with its counterparts in three United States territories was strengthened on Thursday.

SC Chief Justice Reynato Puno on Thursday signed separate cooperation agreements with the heads of the judiciary of Guam, Palau and the Northern Mariana Islands, respectively, at the Dignitaries Lounge, New SC Building, Padre Faura, Manila.

The other signatories are Chief Justice Robert Torres, Jr. of the Judiciary of Guam, Chief Justice Arthur Ngiraklsong of the SC of the Republic of Palau and Chief Justice Miguel Demapan of the SC of the Northern Mariana Islands.

Each agreement is aimed at establishing a Framework Agreement with the Philippine Judiciary for collaboration between their respective judges and justices.

Highlighted were the importance of sharing experiences and cooperation and carrying out joint activities between the courts of the signatory-countries.

All the agreements provide for the following:

First, the establishment of a general Framework Agreement for collaboration on the regulation of mutual knowledge and sharing activities carried out within the scope of the agreement be directed to exchanging experiences among Judges and Justices of the two jurisdictions as well as judicial training, education and documentation, in addition to electronic linkage between judicial and legal information sites with a view to facilitate the acquisition of sufficient knowledge on legal and judicial systems by members of the SCs of the two jurisdictions.

Also, the improvement of national and international instruments of judicial cooperation, in addition to holding seminars and conferences on issues of international nature that relate to the common interests of the Parties;

Second, the establishment of a plan of action with programs, projects and activities they consider appropriate, which shall consist of study visits for Judges and Justices of one jurisdiction to another, seminars on subjects of specific interest to both Parties, consultancies, meetings between the heads of judicial training institutes or academies in both jurisdictions, and workshops held for Judges and Justices of other jurisdictions, as well as activities which involve joint research projects, publications and studies which may contribute to the improvement of knowledge of the judges and justices of the signatory-countries;

Third, the establishment of a plan of action with programs, projects and activities they consider appropriate for the capacity building and development training of members of the Judicial Staffs of both jurisdictions;

Fourth, the determination of the action plan, if appropriate, of the personal and material resources required, as well as the undertakings of each Party;

Fifth, the collaboration of both Parties on those programs of cooperation in the justice sector which are enshrined in the areas defined by this agreement;

Sixth, the funding of programs and activities carried out under the terms of this Agreement shall be decided by the Parties according to each case, with the Parties' prior approval of the respective financial contributions allocated;

Seventh, that each signatory-country shall control the funds it allocates for the activities planned under the terms of this Agreement;

Eight, the creation of a joint committee composed of three members each of both respective judiciaries who shall meet as frequently as they deem appropriate, for the purpose of examining the results of their cooperation, as well as establishing the action plans stipulated in Clause Two, their means of execution and the resources required to implement them.

The joint committee shall appoint an Executive Committee, composed of two experts, whose functions shall be to propose the specific development of the planned program of training activities, monitor and carry out said activities, and propose the requisite amendments in the development of planned training activities;

Ninth, to execute the agreement, the signatories may be be assisted by other bodies, entities and institutions, either public or private, relating to the programs and activities and whose collaboration is considered to be necessary.