A FOUR-DAY work suspension at the Supreme Court has been ordered to conduct a massive disinfection and sanitation of its offices as part of its preventive measures to stop the alarming increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in the country.
In a two-page memorandum, Chief Justice Diosdado Peralta said the disinfection and sanitation will be conducted from March 11 until March 14.
It would include different buildings and offices inside the SC compound.
“After consultation with the other Justices and chiefs of offices, more thorough disinfection, cleaning and sanitation of the different buildings and offices of the Supreme Court is hereby ordered to be undertaken to minimize the possible spread of infection,” CJ Peralta said.
Earlier, the SC cancelled the continuation of the oral argument on the 37 petitions seeking to declare the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020 unconstitutional as some associate justices went on quarantine.
The SC did no say why the justices had to go on quarantine.
In order to allow the uninterrupted conduct of disinfection and sanitation, all offices would only operate with a skeleton staff even if work has been suspended at the SC.
During this period of disinfection and sanitation, Peralta said they would allow committees with previously scheduled meetings to proceed, depending on the discretion of the chairperson or head of the committee.
The memorandum also stated that urgent maters should be attended to by the concerned chiefs or heads of offices, who are expected to be reached at any time of the day.
They also expect on-duty personnel of the Medical and Dental Services, Security and Maintenance Divisions, Office of Administrative Services-Supreme Court to report for work.
Peralta also required all offices to maintain a skeleton force of 50 percent from March 15 to March 19.
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