Justice sector cites gains in reducing case backlogs, jail congestion
MANILA — The Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC) highlighted gains in reducing court case backlogs and jail congestion during its two-day summit held at The Manila Hotel on September 21 and 22.
The JSCC, composed of the Supreme Court, Department of Justice, and Department of the Interior and Local Government, serves as a forum for collaboration, information sharing, and joint initiatives among the three justice sector institutions.
The summit also highlighted the council’s achievements over the past five years, which were documented in a 96-page report titled “2021-2026: Delivering Five Years of Justice Real-Time.”
Among the initiatives cited was the expansion of Justice Zones, where courts, prosecutors, law enforcers, and other justice sector partners work together to address local justice concerns.
From only seven Justice Zones five years ago, the number has increased to 20 nationwide.
A 2025 Governance in Justice assessment cited during the summit showed that 97% of respondents rated the Justice Zone model as good or excellent.
Meanwhile, 85% said the zones meaningfully contributed to resolving justice issues in their communities, while 66% reported measurable reductions in case backlogs.
Supreme Court Associate Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh also cited improvements in jail congestion and the processing of parole and probation applications.
In Naga City, the jail congestion rate reportedly dropped from 300% more than four years ago to 50%. In Balanga City, the processing time for parole and probation applications decreased from around 200 days in 2021 to 60 days.
“These figures are encouraging and they matter because they tell us that coordination is not merely about meetings, memoranda, circulars or a paper structure. When coordination actually works, people directly experience its results, and the delivery of justice services is felt,” Singh said.
Chief Justice Alexander G. Gesmundo, meanwhile, said efforts to address jail congestion involved reforms across different stages of the justice process, including investigation, prosecution, case resolution, detention, record-keeping, and the implementation of release orders.
The DOJ implemented reforms in the evaluation and filing of criminal cases, while the DILG, through the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, strengthened its paralegal and case-monitoring programs.
The Supreme Court also amended rules on detention and release.
“Through this tripartite synchronization, we have reduced the national jail congestion rate by double-digit percentages,” Gesmundo said.
The DOJ also highlighted its creation of the DOJ Rules on Preliminary Investigation and Inquest Proceedings, as well as the DOJ Manual of Writing Styles, Manual for Prosecutors, and Unified Manual on Drug Cases.
“These achievements represent the ultimate power of a connected justice sector. These feats were not made possible through the efforts of the DOJ alone, but were informed and supported by harmonious collaboration and dedicated work with our fellow JSCC institutions. We recognize, now more than ever, that true and enduring progress only comes when we are all together,” DOJ Senior Undersecretary Raul T. Vasquez said.
The summit also featured discussions on digital systems, evidence management, victim-sensitive guidelines, and other initiatives aimed at improving coordination among justice sector agencies.