Justice system needs coordination, not institutional silos

Supreme Court Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo called Monday for closer coordination among justice-sector institutions while stressing that inter-agency cooperation must not compromise distinct constitutional mandates or judicial independence.

Gesmundo delivered the address during the opening of the two-day Justice Sector Coordinating Council Summit in Manila, marking one of his final major public engagements before his mandatory retirement on 6 November.

Running 21 to 22 September, the summit brings together leadership from the Supreme Court, the Department of Justice (DoJ), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and other key stakeholders to evaluate inter-agency communication and structural reform across the justice system.

Gesmundo cited that while different agencies operate under separate statutory responsibilities, the administration of justice remains a shared national endeavor.

"Our administrative order entrusts different aspects of the administration of justice to institutions with distinct mandates, responsibilities, procedures, and institutional cultures," Gesmundo said.

"These distinctions are essential. They preserve the constitutional balance among the branches of government, and most importantly, protect the independence of the judiciary," he added.

He stressed, however, that separate constitutional roles should not lead to fragmented public service.

"For the person who encounters the justice system, the institutional boundaries are seldom apparent," Gesmundo said. "The challenge is not to dissolve the boundaries between institutions, but to understand the point where those boundaries live."