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THERE will be some Christmas cheer in the Cebu Palace of Justice after all.
Regional Trial Court (RTC) Executive Judge Meinrado Paredes reconsidered yesterday a recent joint decision of judges to prohibit court employees and officials from holding parties in the office for special occasions like birthdays and Christmas.
In an interview, Paredes said court employees requested him to allow them to celebrate indoors.
“I have to reconsider the request of employees as long as liquor will not be served,” Paredes told CEBU DAILY NEWS.
Paredes' decision, however, has yet to be approved by colleagues in their weekly meeting this morning.
Lawyer Michael Yu, president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines Cebu City chapter, said Paredes has the discretion to implement what he thinks is right.
“Drinking sessions inside government-owned buildings should not be allowed. If there is a liquor ban in some areas like universities, how much more in government offices,” Yu told .
The decision of RTC judges to ban parties inside the building followed an incident last month involving an assistant city prosecutor and a police officer.
The two men who were under the influence of liquor berated some media practitioners during office hours.
But court employees asked Paredes to reconsider his decision, reasoning that this would spare them the hassle of holding Christmas parties outside the building.
“It's okay to be have parties so long as there are no drinking sessions,” one court employee said.
But some court employees favor a total ban on parties in the office.
