THE HALL of Justice will be temporarily closed starting today until Oct. 30 after 10 employees tested positive for COVID-19.
According to the letter dated Oct. 16 addressed to court administrator Jose Midas Marquez, Regional Trial Court XI Executive Judge Emmanuel Carpio requested for the physical closure of the building along Candelaria Street, Ecoland.
Early on the same day, a conversation with Municipal Trial Court in Cities Executive Judge Marie Estrellita Tolentino-Roxas and a confirmation from the City Health Office, 10 employees of the MTCC, Branch 3, tested positive for the deadly virus.
“To forestall the escalation on the number of contamination and affliction of the unabated fatal virus, and pending the result of the swab tests on affected employees/individuals, the undersigned finds it most prudent to recommend for the physical closure of the entire Hall of Justice,” the letter stated.
The City Health Office, on the directive of Mayor Sara Duterte, already started contact tracing of all government employees, litigants, and lawyers working in the Hall of Justice building who may have come in close contact with the 10 employees.
Upon the mandate, all MTCC employees already underwent a swab test that was scheduled last Saturday, Oct 17.
Pending the result of the swab test on the affected employees, the Hall of Justice will be temporarily closed on the said dates.
“Kung nakaadto mo sa Hall of Justice wala na silay ventilation walay gawasan sa hangin kay airconditioned na ilang mga opisina (If you have visited the Hall of Justice, it had poor ventilation because all their offices have air conditioners),” Mayor said during the live interview over City operated radio last Friday.
