LAW AND POLICY REFORM

AT THE ASIAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

Report from the ADB Symposium on

Challenges in
Implementing
Access to Justice
Reforms
26–28 JANUARY 2005
This volume has been edited by a team comprising Kamal Ahmad,
Christine Lao and Kirsten Weisenberger of the Law and Policy Unit
of the Office of the General Counsel, Asian Development Bank.

© 2005 Asian Development Bank

All rights reserved

The views expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do
not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Asian Development
Bank, or its Board of Governors, or the governments it represents. The
Asian Development Bank does not guarantee the accuracy of the data
included in this publication and accepts no responsibility for any
consequences for their use. The term “country” does not imply any
judgment by the Asian Development Bank as to the legal or other status
of any territorial entity.

Cover photo: Anamul Haque Anam

Contents
Foreword ..................................................................................................................................... 7

CHAPTER 1. Law and Policy Reform: An Overview .................................................................... 9

An Introduction to ADB’s Law and Policy Reform Program ........................................................................... 9
Challenges in Law Reform ....................................................................................................................... 12

CHAPTER 2. Neglecting Law Reforms: Social and Economic Costs and Consequences ......... 14
Costs and Consequences of Neglecting Judicial Reform ........................................................................... 14
The Need for Judicial Reforms: A Look at India ......................................................................................... 17
COMMENT: The Role of Judicial Reform in Good Governance and the Fight Against Corruption ............... 20
Toward a Gender-Just Rule of Law ........................................................................................................... 26

CHAPTER 3. International Collaborations in Judicial Reform ................................................. 31

EBRD’s Role in Judicial Reform and Training ............................................................................................. 31
IDB’s Efforts in Legal and Judicial Reforms ............................................................................................... 33

CHAPTER 4. Improving the Police’s Role and Performance

in Protecting Human and Economic Security .......................................................................... 36
Ideas in Police Reform: General Overview ............................................................................................... 36
Police Reform: The Indonesian Context ............................................................................................. 36
Police Reform: A Bangladesh Concept .............................................................................................. 39
Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Brief History of Ideas and Events
Relevant to Pakistan’s Police System ................................................................................................ 42
Organization and Administration of Pakistan Police .......................................................................... 46
Open Forum ..................................................................................................................................... 47

Police Effectiveness and Accountability: Ideas to Launch Police Reform .................................................... 48

The Philippine National Police: Transformation and Reform ............................................................... 48
Implementation of Police Reforms in Bangladesh ............................................................................. 50
Access to Justice and the Urgency of Police Reform: A View from Bangladesh ................................... 51
Open Forum ..................................................................................................................................... 52

CHAPTER 5. Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary ..................... 55

Access to Justice in the Philippines: A Prerequisite to Prosperity ............................................................... 55
Philippine Action Program for Judicial Reform .......................................................................................... 62
Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms in Bangladesh ...................................................... 65
Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms in Pakistan ........................................................... 67
Judicial Reform in Indonesia .................................................................................................................... 69
Reform Developments in the Attorney General’s Office of Indonesia ........................................................ 72
Open Forum ............................................................................................................................................ 73
CHAPTER 6. Operational Challenges in Judicial Reform ......................................................... 75
Plenary Report ......................................................................................................................................... 75
A. Funding the Judiciary and Judicial Reforms ................................................................................... 75
B. Judicial Ethics and Competence .................................................................................................... 77

Case and Case Flow Management ........................................................................................................... 78

Case and Case Flow Management in Islamabad ............................................................................... 78
Peshawar Solutions to Case Flow Management ............................................................................... 80
Karachi East Operational Practices and Procedures to Case and Case Flow Management ................. 82
Case and Case Flow Management ................................................................................................... 84
Open Forum ..................................................................................................................................... 85

Court Registries and Process Service ....................................................................................................... 87

Challenges to Improving Court Registries and Process Service: The Peshawar Context ..................... 87
Karachi East Strategies for Improving Process Service ...................................................................... 89
Improving Court Registries and Process Service ............................................................................... 89
Open Forum ..................................................................................................................................... 91
Landscapes, an art historian once noted, are often
deceptive: they can hide more than they actually show.
So it is with attempts to define poverty just as a
function of income. True, without income, there is no
escape from poverty. But to understand the
predicament of the poor and their prospects for
overcoming poverty, one must go beyond the metric of
“dollar-a-day” existence. Poverty and its deprivations
must be seen in all their bareness: lack of education,
health care, nutrition, clean water, safe sanitation,
income, and—ultimately—the passage of premature
death. Alongside these deprivations, one must also
take cognizance of citizens’ rights that are denied, the
opportunities that are bypassed, the entitlements that
are wasted, the public services that are not rendered,
the liberties that are seized, the public resources that
are plundered, the terror of vulnerability that is
inflicted, and the sense of dignity that is devoured.
Indeed, in articulating its 1999 Poverty Reduction
Strategy, ADB acknowledged a move away from
income as the sole measure of poverty and recognized
these intangibles stemming from powerlessness and
despair as a part of the accounting of the
perniciousness of poverty.
—from Law & Policy Reform in Asia and the Pacific:
Ensuring Voice, Opportunity & Justice
Asian Development Bank, 2005
■
Foreword
Law and Policy Reform as Poverty Reduction:
Beyond Good Governance and Economic Development

T
he Asian Development Bank has a long-standing commitment to law and policy

Raul B. Del Rosario

reform in our developing member countries (DMCs). In the past decade, we
have engaged in more than 400 law and policy reform-related technical assist-
ance and loan projects spanning virtually all of ADB’s DMCs. We have focused
on a range of fundamental issues such as reforming the judiciary, creating a
more enabling environment for the private sector to effectively compete and prosper,
enhancing bureaucratic responsiveness to public demands, promoting greater transpar-
ency in public institutions through access to information, curbing corruption, extending
legal protection against exploitative practices such as bonded labor, and introducing
land registration laws that permit use of the land for collateral financing. Mr. Arthur M. Mitchell is
one of the leading Ameri-
Similar efforts have been criticized for their alleged failure to achieve their goal to can lawyers specializing
mainstream good governance. Critics claim that good governance efforts remain frag- in trade, investment and
mented because multilateral development banks (MDBs) that pursue economic and so- financing transactions in
cial development through good governance measures are unwilling to address the politi- Asia. As General Counsel
of ADB, Mr. Mitchell is ac-
cal roots of government failure. They claim MDBs are too preoccupied with ensuring the tively engaged in the pro-
stability and predictability of the legal framework and focus on private law to secure motion of the rule of law
property rights and enforce contracts, but fail to achieve significant success because as a key development tool
they do not address crucial issues such as independence of the judiciary, criminal justice for Asian countries and is
a frequent commentator
reforms, or reforms that have been deemed too political by MDBs. on legal and regulatory
What is lost in this debate between MDBs and their critics is that legal and judicial issues affecting trade, in-
reforms do not merely facilitate economic growth and development by improving institu- vestment and finance. His
tions. Legal and judicial reforms do have a direct link to poverty reduction. Studies under- writings appear regularly
in The Asian Wall Street
taken by MDBs have found strong correlations between measures of development and Journal, Nihon Keizai
measures of institutional quality.1 Other studies have yielded considerable evidence of a Shimbun and other publi-
negative correlation between citizens’ perceptions of judicial unpredictability and cations. Mr. Mitchell has
economic growth, and between corruption and investment.2 One recent study has con- dealt with matters related
to Japan for more than 35
cluded that the independence of a country’s supreme court is positively correlated with years and served in New
economic growth.3 York as head of Coudert
Brothers’ Japan Practice
ADB’s Reform Initiatives Group. Mr. Mitchell holds
a B.A. degree from the
Since it identified governance as a primary concern in 1995, ADB has pursued law and University of California at
policy reform activities aimed at addressing institutional and structural impediments to Berkeley (1970) and a
fight poverty. It has conducted a regional study qualitatively measuring the judicial inde- J.D. from the Harvard Law
pendence of a number of its DMCs, tackling issues relating to budget autonomy and the School (1973).
place and role of the Supreme Court in the judicial system—issues that have previously
been considered as too political for MDB involvement. ADB’s largest judicial reform en-
deavor, its Access to Justice Program in Pakistan, has involved ADB in the process of
assisting the separation of subordinate courts from the executive’s control, thereby pro-
moting judicial independence. ADB is also involved in the Philippines’ Action Program
for Judicial Reform, providing support to strengthen the judiciary’s independence. These
efforts are informed by the conviction that, without addressing judicial independence
issues, other reforms undertaken in the judicial sector will yield marginal results.

1
Daniel Kaufmann et al., Governance Matters (1999), available at www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/pubs/govmatters.pdf.
2
Paolo Mauro, Corruption and Growth, Q. J. ECON. 681-712 (1995); Paolo Mauro et al., The Effects of Corruption on Growth, Invest-
ment & Government Expenditure; A Cross Country Analysis: in Corruption and the Global Economy (Sept. 1996) (On file with the
Joint Bank-Fund Library); J. Edgardo Campos et al., The Impact of Corruption on Investment: Predictability Matters, 27 World
Development 1059-1067 (1999); Shang-Jin Wei, Address at the Brookings Institution (Mar. 12, 2003).
3
Lars Feld and Stefan Voight, Economic Growth & Judicial Independence: Cross Country Evidence Using a New Set of Indicators,
EUR. J. POL. ECON. 497-527 (2003).

7
 ADB is also embarking on reforms in criminal justice and police reforms. While re-
forms in these sectors are not usually viewed as developments that directly contribute to
improving economic governance, these reforms are critical to ensuring the success of
present legal, judicial, and access to justice reform efforts. Without supporting reforms in
these sectors, the benefits of existing judicial reform efforts will likewise remain marginal.
Apart from its judicial reform efforts, ADB has been engaged in a variety of activities
that seek to reduce poverty by addressing intangibles stemming from powerlessness and
despair—human rights denied, opportunities bypassed, entitlements wasted, public ser-
vices left unrendered, public resources plundered, and the terror of vulnerability inflicted—
all of which are part of poverty’s perniciousness. After all, poverty should not be defined
just as a function of income.
As an attempt to mainstream the concerns of vulnerable groups, ADB is supporting a
region-wide project that explores the relationship between the existence of proof of legal
identity, such as a birth record, and access to resources, services, and opportunities. Such
lack of registration has significant economic, social, and political consequences, since
unregistered persons are unable to access services available to registered citizens—edu-
cation, immunization, formal employment, financial services, social security, access to
justice, property rights, suffrage, marriage rights, citizens rights, and inheritance rights.
In 2000, ADB commissioned a study of how legal empowerment contributes to good
governance, poverty reduction, and other development goals. The results of the Philip-
pine component supported the conclusion that agrarian reform efforts were more suc-
cessful in villages that had legal empowerment activities, as compared to villages that
had none. The survey also showed that areas with legal empowerment activities enjoyed
higher productivity, higher and more disposable income, and farm investments. Informed
by these findings, ADB has focused on a number of law and justice reform efforts on legal
empowerment—the use of the law to increase the control that disadvantaged popula-
tions exercise over their lives. For example, ADB has provided support in Cambodia not
only for enacting a new land law, but also for raising public awareness of land law and
increasing the people’s access to mechanisms that would help them realize their rights
under the new law. A video that was widely shown and a cartoon book that was widely
distributed around the country have increased public awareness of the new law, espe-
cially among the illiterate.

Conclusion
The lessons learned in ADB’s decade-long involvement with law and justice reform are, in
summary: First, law and justice reforms do have a positive correlation to poverty reduc-
tion. Legal and judicial reforms do result in benefits contributing to economic growth
and development. The results of recent studies showing this positive relation between
legal reforms and poverty reduction invite people to rethink their reluctance to address
issues that are presently deemed as political constraints to governance, particularly judi-
cial governance. After all, legal and judicial reforms that are implemented in a piecemeal
fashion are bound to fail if the broader political context of governance remains unad-
dressed. Second, poverty reduction means more than simply economic development.
Legal and judicial reforms that promote social development and expand human capabil-
ity—interventions that seek to protect the vulnerable and empower the poor—are both
crucial and complementary to interventions that promote pro-poor sustainable economic
growth and those that promote good governance.

—ARTHUR M. MITCHELL
General Counsel, Asian Development Bank

8
Chapter 1
What price does

injustice inflict on

the body of an

economy, even if
Law and Policy Reform: we were blinded

An Overview to the costs

inflicted on its

■ An Introduction to ADB’s Law and Policy Reform Program soul? How does
■ Challenges in Law Reform poverty reduction,

the overarching

goal of this
An Introduction to for government regulation and planning of
the economy, and for analyzing actual
institution, fare in
ADB’s Law and economic conditions rather than applying
abstract laws and principles. It empirically
the face of
Policy Reform demonstrates that the predictability of out-
comes and the efficiency in the administra-
shifting levels of
Program tion of justice have a veritable impact in
attracting investment and fueling economic
justice?
HAMID L. SHARIF growth as well as in improving the general
Assistant General Counsel, management of an economy. In other words,
■
Asian Development Bank the establishment of the rule of law, at least
for resolving disputes relating to contrac-
tual or property rights, helps foster growth.

T
he Asian Development Bank’s Even the indefatigable dean of free en-
(ADB) focus on law and policy terprise, the Nobel Laureate Milton Fried-
reform raises some interesting man, gave precedence to law over free en-
questions. Why, as an interna- terprise. In his preface to the Economic Free-
tional financial institution, dom of the World: 2002 Annual Report, Fried-
charged by its Charter to be singularly de- man remarked in the context of transition
voted to economic development, do we at countries that he was actually wrong in in-
ADB care about justice? What price does sisting on the mantra “privatize, privatize,
injustice inflict on the body of an economy, privatize,” when in fact “the rule of law (was)
even if we were blinded to the costs inflicted probably more basic than privatization.”1
on its soul? How does poverty reduction, Much of the recent work on legal and
the overarching goal of this institution, fare judicial reform has been driven by the de-
in the face of shifting levels of justice? sire to create an enabling legal environment
Where, when, and how does the seemingly for market economies. It is therefore not
intangible notion of justice become a tan- surprising that many of these projects fo-
gible and an empowering force in the fight cus on reform of commercial and business
against poverty? laws or systems of dispute resolution.

Law and Economic Progress

The nexus between law and economic
1
progress is best established in the literature Milton Friedman, Economic Freedom Behind the Scenes:
Preface to James Gwartney et al., Economic Freedom of the
of new institutional economics, which calls World: 2002 Annual Report, at xvii, xvii (2002).
Larry Ramos

officials fosters corrupt practices. Yet, how

“...if you accept that human lives does one limit the scope of discretion? In
Bangladesh as in Pakistan, and in many
are both the end and the means other DMCs, the only forensic capacity an
of economic development, average police station will have is limited
securing citizens and their assets to the ability to distinguish between human
and animal blood—the rest belongs to the
in their daily environment would domain of judgment or what we might call
Hamid Sharif seem critical for any measure of discretion.
Assistant General The phenomenal rise in private security
Counsel, Asian economic development.” forces across the region, guarding the lives
Development Bank
and assets claimed by those who employ
As Assistant General Counsel, Mr. Hamid L. Sharif heads the Office of the them, may boost the gross national prod-
General Counsel’s (OGC) South Asia practice group, as well as OGC’s special uct (GNP) figures but it also hints at a dis-
practice group on Law and Policy Reform, which has processed, among others,
a loan package of $350 million dollars for the Access to Justice Program in turbing trend toward the conversion of pub-
Pakistan—the largest and the most comprehensive type of program in the area lic safety—an essential public good—into
of judicial reform. Mr. Sharif has an LL.M. from Cambridge University and is a a private commodity. The economic costs
UK-qualified barrister. are most severe in such circumstances
among the small traders who peddle their
goods on sidewalks and shops, the truck
Role of Criminal Justice Reforms operator who must ride through the night
Paradoxically, what seems to have been less to make his delivery, and others like them,
appreciated—or at least less formally ac- for they meet their private toll collectors
knowledged—is the link between the crimi- along the way and the tolls must be paid.
nal justice system and economic dev- And the cost is passed on to citizens.
elopment. If you accept that human lives
are both the end and the means of economic Tackling the Whole System
development, securing citizens and their We in the development community often
assets in their daily environment would talk about entry points and emphasize the
seem critical for any measure of economic importance of the right entry point to make
development. a difference. The choice of the entry point
Today, ADB is one of the few interna- may vary from one context to another. But
tional financial institutions directly in- so far, ADB’s experience in pursuit of judi-
volved in supporting reforms in the crimi- cial and legal reforms makes one thing very
nal justice system and law enforcement or- clear: irrespective of the particular entry
ganizations. Our experience so far emphati- point, one must tackle the whole system.
cally reinforces the proposition that reform One can begin reform work with the
of the criminal justice system is fundamen- police or the prosecution or the judiciary
tal to economic development. but, ultimately, each element of the system
Consider this fact: the police forces of must mesh to make it all work. There has to
many of ADB’s developing member countries be consistency in approach, purpose, and
(DMCs) had inherited a system of financing means across the system. The judiciary can-
from the colonial era where minimal budgets not function effectively if the state struc-
were allocated for operating police stations. ture does not grant its independence. But
For an average police station in many set- an independent judiciary without commen-
tings, the annual allocation for non-salary surate accountability runs the risk of becom-
expenditures would not be much above the ing irresponsible and of creating its own
equivalent of $100, while a single investiga- tyranny. Similarly, a vigorous public pros-
tion of a major case could easily cost many ecution is less meaningful if the criminal
times the annual budget allocation for a investigation process is tainted.
whole police station. In such a context, how
do investigations get financed? What are the ADB’s Access to Justice Program in Pakistan
odds here that poor people can protect their ADB’s flagship program in judicial reform is
entitlements and interests? its continuing support to the Government
It is now widely acknowledged that un- of Pakistan under the Access to Justice Pro-
fettered discretion in the hands of public gram (AJP). Over $350 million has been com-

10 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
mitted for a program that, in its initial phase, lion for an access to justice development
addresses the needs of the whole system. It fund that is finally getting off the ground.
ADB’s flagship
is perhaps too early to draw final conclu- The annual income of this fund will be avail-
sions but there are already some remarkable able to subordinate courts for improving
program in
results and lessons learned. service delivery to citizens, and to support
A particularly dramatic development subfunds for legal empowerment and im-
judicial reform is
has been the success of delay reduction proving legal education.
strategies introduced in pilot courts in Pa-
its continuing
kistan. While the problem of delay is still Conclusion
very serious, a number of courts have dem- Such success rarely comes easily and with-
support to the
onstrated that the problem can be solved. out considerable cost. Often, the tempta-
After these strategies were introduced, the tion is to find options that are inexpensive
Government of
number of pending criminal cases in and that affect large numbers of people—
Balochistan decreased from 5,691 in 2002 the oral rehydration therapy equivalent, if
Pakistan under
to 3,523 in 2004. In the city of Quetta, the you will, of justice. The growing affection
number of pending criminal cases de- and even romanticism among many quar-
the Access to
creased from 3,332 in 2002 to 2,001 in 2004. ters for informal systems such as alterna-
In Sibi, pending criminal cases decreased tive dispute resolution (ADR) springs from
Justice Program.
from 614 in 2002 to zero in 2004. such a perception. Yet mounting evidence
More remarkably, the enabling environ- suggests that it can be a dangerous remedy
Over $350
ment for justice has been strengthened to a difficult problem.
through: Informal dispute resolution mecha-
million has been
• greater allocations of budget for the ju- nisms, which are seldom subject to judicial
diciary and the police; review by the formal system, can no doubt
committed for
• enhancing freedom of expression provide speedy resolution of a dispute and
through revision of oppressive con- at an impressively low cost. Yet ADR often
the initial phase
tempt of court laws; fails in delivering the fundamental objec-
• strengthening the rights of citizens tive of justice. To the extent the informal
of a program
through a new freedom of information dispute resolution systems are controlled
law; and by local elites, they are often inherently
that addresses
• increased transparency regarding the gender- and class-biased and sanctions they
judiciary through publication of annual impose may not withstand the minimum
the needs of the
reports. expectations of human decency.
Similarly, there is the growing empha-
whole system.
The Government of Pakistan has also sis on enhancing systems of administrative
taken the bold step of dedicating $25 mil- justice so that most disputes between citi-
■

PENDING CRIMINAL CASES IN PILOT COURTS (PAKISTAN) PENDING CIVIL CASES IN PILOT COURTS (PAKISTAN)

6000 7000

5000 6000

5000
NUMBER OF CASES

NUMBER OF CASES

4000
Balochistan
4000
Quetta
3000 Balochistan
Sibi
3000
Turbat
2000
2000

1000
1000

0 0
2002 2003 2004 2002 2003 2004
YEAR YEAR

Law and Policy Reform: An Overview 11

 zens and state functionaries can be resolved people when everyone, including the poor,
at the departmental level. This is a welcome is legally empowered. Legal empowerment
Where the
development. Yet, just like the systems of gives the poor a better ability to play an
informal justice, it can only work in the informed role in decisions that affect their
formal justice
shadow of a functional and robust judicial lives. Over the longer term, mobilizing pub-
system. Delivery of justice as a public good lic interest and expectations can, in turn,
systems fails, we
through the formal judicial system is the make public institutions more accountable
lynchpin of these alternative systems for to the needs and rights of the poor.
get failing states
delivering justice. Where the formal justice Third, there is growing evidence that
systems fail, there will be failing states and economic growth needs to be supported by
and failing
failing economies that leave citizens, par- a good legal system. The Peruvian econo-
ticularly the poor, vulnerable to the preda- mist Hernando de Soto, who dramatically
economies that
tory behavior of state functionaries and highlighted the power of property rights in
powerful private interests. Therefore, in the fostering economic development, has sug-
leave citizens,
quest for justice, it is important to stay fo- gested that, in the absence of legal reforms,
cused on the ultimate objective of justice it could take several hundred years for de-
particularly the
and not be blinded by the mirage of rapid veloping countries to catch up with the rest
solutions at low cost. of the world.
poor, vulnerable
Finally, the rapid economic integration
that is being witnessed in the Asia and Pa-
to the predatory
cific region demands that countries coop-
behavior of Challenges in Law erate well with each other. The world is be-
coming more and more globalized, with
state functionar- Reform highly complex international agreements
covering critical issues such as trade and
GEERT H.P.B. VAN DER LINDEN the environment. Countries without legal
ies and powerful
Vice President for Knowledge Management infrastructure will find it very difficult to
and Sustainable Development, Asian effectively participate in international ar-
private interests.
Development Bank rangements and are likely to be left behind.
Legal and judicial reform is therefore no
■
longer a human rights issue alone. It is also

T
he Asian Development Bank’s at the heart of catalyzing the full potential
(ADB) symposium on Chal- of our economies.
lenges in Implementing Access
to Justice Reforms presents Challenges Ahead
many opportunities to share in- Over the last ten years, ADB has been in-
formation and best practices on judicial, creasingly mainstreaming law and policy
criminal law, and policy reforms. To set the reform through about 400 technical assis-
stage for discussions, a broad overview of tance and loan projects.
ADB’s engagement in this important topic This includes the largest legal and judi-
and the challenges that await are discussed cial reform program on a global scale—the
below. $350 million Pakistan Access to Justice Pro-
gram, which targets a matrix of judicial, po-
Building Legal Infrastructure lice, administrative, and policy reforms.
One might ask: What does legal reform have While some progress on law and policy
to do with ADB? Why should we care? There reform have been seen in many countries,
are several answers. there is still a great deal to be done in terms
First, ABD’s Poverty Reduction Strategy of initiating reforms and helping member
is underpinned by three pillars: pro-poor countries enhance their capacity to imple-
sustainable growth, social development, ment and manage reforms over the long
and good governance. Each of these pillars, term.
in turn, is embedded in legal and constitu- For example, the most basic of human
tional concepts. Therefore, legal frame- rights is the right to a legal identity. Yet, in
works have much to do with its effective- South Asia, a shocking 63 percent of births
ness in carrying out its mandate. go unregistered each year. In East Asia and
Second, growth will only benefit all the Pacific, the figure is 22 percent. It would

12 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
be reasonable to assume that the lack of a
legal identity could easily go hand-in-hand “Legal and judicial reform is
with disempowerment and reduced access
to resources, services, and opportunities.
therefore no longer a human
On the other hand, compulsory registration rights issue alone—it is also at
could open avenues for rent-seeking and the heart of catalyzing the full
misuse of information. ADB has initiated a
project to study the implications of legal potential of our economies.”
identity and develop a balanced approach Mr. Geert van der Linden assumed the position of
to addressing the problem. Vice President of the Asian Development Bank Geert H.P.B. Van Der Linden
Another challenge is that while many (ADB) for Knowledge Management and Sustain- Vice President for
able Development in September 2003. ADB’s Knowledge Management
countries have enacted appropriate laws
Regional and Sustainable Development Depart- and Sustainable
and regulations, these are not necessarily ment, Economics and Research Department, and Development,
being enforced or efficiently administered. the Office of External Relations come under his Asian Development Bank
For instance, many jurisdictions extend to responsibility. Previously, he was Special Advi-
sor to the President, developing ADB’s role in the areas of knowledge manage-
all citizens, often through constitutional
ment, policy, and strategy. He also headed ADB’s response team to the region’s
provisions, the right to legal counsel. Yet, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak. In 2002, Mr. Van der
in practice, the poor are seldom aided by Linden was Director General of ADB’s East and Central Asia Department. He
legal counsel, often due to lack of informa- managed the operations of the five divisions in the East and Central Asia Depart-
ment—operations coordination; infrastructure; agriculture, environment, and
tion and procedural problems in the system.
natural resources; social sectors; and governance, finance, and trade. He was
ADB’s flagship program in Pakistan includes also responsible for the ADB’s resident missions in the People’s Republic of
the establishment of a $25 million legal aid China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, and Uzbekistan, as well as
fund to address this issue. liaison offices in Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Mr. van der Linden
holds a Masters degree in Economics from Erasmus University in 1972. He
There are, of course, many other chal-
participated in the Executive Development Program of the Harvard Business
lenges. Looking ahead, there is much to be School in 1997.
learned by sharing information and experi-
ences among countries and regions. After
all, the law is knowledge, and the work done els. ADB has been pleased to assist PRC in
to date in this area builds a knowledge base this process.
that can and should be shared among coun-
tries and institutions. Conclusion
ADB recognizes that simply replicating The Asia and Pacific region stands on the
policies or institutional arrangements found brink of opportunity. Growth has been
elsewhere will rarely be successful. Instead, strong, poverty has been reduced, and the
each reform initiative must be anchored in region is well positioned to lead the global
local knowledge of institutional practices. economy in the 21st century.
However, the constructive experiences of However, in order to reap the full ben-
many countries can inform efforts of others. efits of sustained economic growth, coun-
To illustrate, the People’s Republic of tries must address long-standing issues of
China (PRC) is contemplating a new set of governance and they must strengthen their
laws and regulations relating to competi- legal and institutional frameworks. This is a
tion. While the change in the domestic long-term investment and will require vision
economy is driving the impetus for legal and firm determination. The long-term na-
change, PRC is carefully examining the ex- ture of the challenge, however, should not
periences from a wide range of jurisdic- deter any country from grasping the reins
tions to identify the most promising mod- and driving forward with change.

Law and Policy Reform: An Overview 13

 Chapter 2
The challenge of

change started

with the move

from a pre-

colonial frame- Neglecting Law Reforms:

work to a post-
Social and Economic
colonial one. The

shift from one Costs and Consequences

framework to

another legit- ■ Costs and Consequences of Neglecting Judicial Reform

■ The Need for Judicial Reforms: A Look at India
imately raised ■ COMENT: The Role of Judicial Reform in Good Governance and the Fight
Against Corruption
expectations that
■ Towards a Gender-just Rule of Law
there would be a

qualitative change

in the people’s
Costs and Legal, judicial and academic leaders no
longer have a one-dimensional view of dev-
lives and in the
Consequences of elopment, justice, democracy, or the mar-
ket economy. Instead, they recognize the
kind of environ-
Neglecting Judicial links between these different aspects of so-
ciety in order to better analyze the chal-
ment they lived in.
Reform lenges to the realization of society’s legiti-
mate expectations for these institutions.
■ KAMAL HOSSAIN The challenge of confronting and un-
Chairman, Advisory Council, Transparency dergoing change began with each country’s
International; Chairman, Bangladesh transition from a colonial framework to a
Institute of Law, International Affairs; and post-colonial one. The post-colonial era
Chairman, Bangladesh Legal Aid and raised expectations that there would be a
Services Trust qualitative change in the people’s lives and
in the kind of environment they lived in: that
the security of human lives and property
would be increased; there would be equal

T
his symposium on Challenges in access to opportunities for employment,
Implementing Access to Justice and self advancement; and everyone would
Reforms provides an opportu- enjoy a better life.
nity for participants from differ-
ent countries to share their ex- Post-Colonial Market Economy
periences about changes in their societies. Post-colonial regimes in most of the South
It is the challenge of change—in each coun- and East Asian countries have brought
try represented here and in law enforcement about economic liberalization, which has
and judicial institutions—that we must face transitioned the economies from con-
with renewed vigor. trolled, planned, and bureaucratically-man-

14 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
aged to free market economies. Reform pro-
grams continue to be driven by aspirations “Access to justice must be
to move toward democracy and market
economy. Alan Greenspan has noted the
thought of not merely as a
connection between democratic govern- benefit for the poor and
ment and free market economy, stating that
disadvantaged, but as an
a “bill of rights enforced by an impartial ju-
diciary is...what substitutes for the central entitlement of all citizens, Kamal Hossain
Chairman, Advisory
planning function as the guiding mechanism whether rich or poor. All persons Council, Transparency
of a free market economy.”1
What does it mean to have a market
must be empowered to invoke International; Chairman,
Bangladesh Institute of
economy? A market economy is a competi- the protection of their rights by Law, International Affairs;
tive environment within which goods and Chairman, Bangladesh
way of the judicial system.” Legal Aid and Services
services are distributed so that they are Trust
available for purchase at a price the con-
sumer is willing to pay. A market economy Dr. Kamal Hossain is a practicing barrister, much of whose work involves inter-
national law, constitutional law, and human rights. He served the Government
does not promise to provide the highest of Bangladesh as the country’s first ever Minister of Law (1972-1973), and then
profit at any cost but, rather, that consum- as Minister for Foreign Affairs (1973-1975), and Petroleum and Minerals (1974-
ers’ needs will be met by the best competi- 1975). More recently, he has been the UN Special Rapporteur on Afghanistan
tor on the market. In order to function ef- (1998-2003) and is currently a Member of the UN Compensation Commission.
He is Chairman, Advisory Council, Transparency International; Vice-Chairman,
fectively and efficiently, participants in International Law Association; Chairman, Bangladesh Institute of Law, Interna-
market economies must be subject to the tional Affairs; and Chairman, Bangladesh Legal Aid and Services Trust.
rule of law.

Accountability and Transparency

The market must be founded on fair rules in tional rights to equal protection and access
order to level the playing field. Power, to justice. Power is no longer an end in it-
whether governmental or private, must not self, but can only be exercised in terms of
intervene to bend the rules of the market to goals which are defined through constitu-
give certain participants unjustified ben- tionally and legislatively determined pro-
efits. The transition to post-colonial democ- cesses. Leaders of democratic governments
racy promises us a new framework of gov- do not espouse a Louis XIV-style attitude
ernment that moves away from the arbitrary that “I am the state,” rather, democratic con-
exercise of power to one where power is stitutional governments are of the people.
subject to accountability. Post-colonial Governments must be transparent in
democratic governments are accountable order for the public to hold them account-
to their citizens, responsible to those who able. It is now about 60 years since the pro-
they represent, and subject to the rule of cess of decolonization began, but people
law. Accountability and transparency in are still struggling for freedom of informa-
public sector governance as well as private tion to overcome the blanket of secrecy that
sector corporate governance are necessary continues to hide the abuses of government
for a properly functioning market economy. power. Laws in many countries can still be
At the core of the principle of account- bent in favor of privileged and powerful
ability lies the impartial and effective imple- groups and individuals simply because in-
mentation of the laws. A democratic consti- formation relating to those actions is not
tution sets forth the framework for what the publicly available. As Justice Louis Brandeis
public may legitimately expect of their gov- of the United States Supreme Court fa-
ernment and the limits of that government’s mously said, “sunlight is the best disinfec-
powers. A government that is accountable tant,” which in this context can be under-
to its citizenry will ultimately be required stood to mean that transparency in govern-
by that citizenry to guarantee the constitu- ment proceedings will root out abuses of
power. Freedom of Information Acts provide
1
Alan Greenspan, Remarks at the Woodrow Wilson Award
for such “sunlight” in many countries. How-
dinner of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Schol- ever, legislation mandating transparency in
ars (June 10, 1997) (transcript available at:
www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/speeches/1997/
the books does not guarantee transparency
19970610.htm). in reality. In India, for example, a Freedom

Neglecting Law Reforms: Social And Economic Costs And Consequences 15

 of Information Act was passed in December of judiciaries and police forces, will contrib-
2002, but was not implemented.2 ute towards ensuring the impartiality of jus-
In order to
tice within our democracies.
Political Neutrality
remain Effective law enforcement and judicial sys- Equality Under the Law
tems deliver justice by treating each case During the colonial order, there was no
independent
neutrally with respect to the individual par- equality among citizens or equal protection
ties and with respect to political consider- under the law. There was discrimination by
and politically
ations. Court judgments are reasoned deci- the privileged against the disadvantaged.
sions that are subject to appeal within the Constitutional democracies, however, guar-
neutral, judicial
court system and scrutiny by society at antee equality under the law and access to
large. A judicial system only enjoys the con- justice. Access to justice must be thought
systems must
fidence of its citizenry if it can show impar- of not merely as a benefit for the poor and
tial fairness in adjudicating cases that is disadvantaged, but as an entitlement of all
receive
shared by the community as a whole. The citizens, whether rich or poor. All persons
community does not want a court that must be empowered to invoke the protec-
adequate
bends with the winds of political change in tion of their rights by way of the judicial
favor of one powerful group or another. If system. Every citizen must know that she is
financial and
the judiciary becomes a part of the execu- entitled to equal protection of the law, and
tive branch, it is bound to be subject to that she may assert her rights and have those
human
political pressure: then impartial applica- rights recognized and vindicated, regardless
tion of justice is impossible. In order to re- of gender, economic status, caste, religion,
resources, so
main independent and politically neutral, or political affiliation. Our reform efforts
judicial systems must receive adequate fi- must develop an enabling environment for
that they can
nancial and human resources, so that they access to justice and, to that end, promote
can enjoy sufficient salaries, equipment, transparency, accountability, ultimately the
enjoy sufficient
and reasonable working conditions. rule of law.
The police force must also be immune
salaries,
from political influence if law enforcement Conclusion
is to be impartial. The police protect the Access to justice is understood as a neces-
equipment, and
citizens’ rights. However, the community sary precondition for fulfilling the poten-
must provide the police force with the nec- tial of democratic governments and market
reasonable
essary resources the same way that it must economies to be accountable, transparent
provide for the needs of the judicial system. and politically neutral. When democratic
working
The police needs the confidence of the com- institutions work and public power is ac-
munity and must not be subjected to politi- countable to the citizens, economic and so-
conditions.
cal interference, so that it perceives itself cial development is encouraged, and can-
to be acting on behalf of the community and not be obstructed, impeded, or prevented
■
not for its own personal gain or as a servant by the powerful and privileged.
of the privileged and powerful. The rule of law, which fosters economic
Without impartial application of the growth in this way, is founded on the prin-
laws, there will be no rule of law. Without ciple that everyone, including political and
the rule of law, there will be no guarantee of social leaders, is subject to impartial and
security for persons neutral application of the law. If we can
Anamul Haque Anam
or property. Increas- achieve such impartiality and access to jus-
ing the accountabil- tice for all, the market economies we are
ity, transparency and engaged in building will contribute towards
neutrality of govern- sustainable social and economic dev-
ments, and especially elopment.

Sixty years after the

process of decolonization
began, judges in
Bangladesh confront
issues relating to its 2
Two years later, in December 2004, a new Right of Informa-
courts head-on.
tion Bill was enacted.

16 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
The Need for ing to the law produced by the legislature
and respects the civil rights of its citizens,

Judicial Reforms: and citizens can resort to a judicial body

that treats each case neutrally and fairly.3

A Look at India While there are no fixed criteria that a legal

system must possess in order to establish
ARNAB KUMAR HAZRA that the jurisdiction governed by that sys-
Fellow, Rajiv Gandhi Institute for tem is under the rule of law, it is useful to 20
Contemporary Studies, Rajiv Gandhi know that the following are common indi- million
Foundation cators used to measure rule of law: an inde- The number of
pendent and impartial judiciary; laws that cases pending in
are publicly accessible and apply to citi- the lower courts of

A
good judicial system produces zens and government alike; and the absence India.
many economic, political, and of retroactive laws.4
social benefits. An effective ju- 20 years
dicial system is necessary to The Costs of Neglecting Judicial Reform The length of time a
check abuses of government Neglecting judicial reforms has related so- contested
power, enforce property rights, and enable cial costs. Justice forms the basis of lasting termination dispute
exchanges between private parties. A fair, social order. In a just social order, citizens can take in court.
efficient, affordable, and accessible justice feel empowered to invoke that rule of law
delivery system aids in market development; for their own benefit. Legal empowerment 2.7
supports investment, including foreign di- reduces poverty, builds civil society, en- The average
rect investment; and stimulates economic courages development, and promotes hu- number of judges
growth. man rights. Access to legal services and per 100,000
Of the three branches of government, complementary non-legal services should inhabitants in India.
the judiciary is “in a unique position to sup- empower citizens to use the law to improve
port sustainable development by holding their lives. 6.38
the other two branches accountable for Neglecting judicial reforms also has an The average
their decisions and underpinning the cred- economic cost. The overall level of confi- number of judges
ibility of the overall business and political dence in government institutions, includ- per 100,000
environment.”1 The political environment ing the judicial system, correlates positively inhabitants in 30
of a country depends on its rule of law.2 Both with the level of investment and other mea- selected countries.
the procedural and institutional character- sures of economic performance. Efficient
istics of a country’s legal system are central and transparent legal systems reduce trans-
to the rule of law. The rule of law requires at action costs for economic actors and thus
minimum that the government acts accord- encourage investment, especially foreign
investment.
An inefficient legal system—one that is
1
WORLD BANK, WORLD DEVELOPMENT REPORT: THE STATE IN A CHANG-
ING WORLD (1997) 100.
characterized by a huge backlog of cases—
2
In The Rule of Law Revival, 77 Foreign Af., Mar.–Apr. 1998, at undermines the effectiveness of legal re-
95, Thomas Carothers defines “rule of law” as
…[A] system in which the laws are of public knowl-
forms. Inefficiency in the judicial system
edge, are clear in meaning, and apply equally to every- leads to an increase in litigation, as people
one. They enshrine and uphold the political and civil lib-
erties that have gained status as universal human rights
who are aware of the slow pace of justice
over the last half-century. In particular, anyone accused within the court system begin to file cases
of a crime has the right to a fair, prompt hearing and is
presumed innocent until proved guilty. The central insti-
primarily to harass the other party. Such
tutions of the legal system, including courts, prosecutors, cases crowd out genuine litigants who are
and police, are reasonably fair, competent, and efficient.
Judges are impartial and independent, not subject to po-
forced to seek solutions elsewhere.
litical influence or manipulation. Perhaps most impor- Judicial reforms are aimed, in part, at
tantly, the government is embedded in a comprehensive
legal framework, its officials accept that the law will be
lowering the transaction costs of litigation.
applied to their own conduct, and the government seeks In civil cases, parties go to court in order to
to be law-abiding.
3
Richard Bilder and Brian Z. Tamanaha, Law and Development,
resolve a dispute, which they have not been
89 AM. J. Int’l. L. 470, 484 (1995). able to resolve privately. In other words, the
4
Ronald J. Daniels, Michael Trebilcock and Joshua
Rosensweig, The Political Economy of Rule of Law Reform in
cost of settling the dispute privately be-
Developing Countries (2004) at www.wdi.bus.umich.edu/ tween the parties is very high.5 All things
global_conf/papers/revised/Trebilcock_Michael.pdf
5
This cost is called the “bargaining cost” while the cost of tak-
being equal, cases are litigated only when
ing a dispute to court is the “legal cost” of dispute settlement. the legal cost is lower than the bargaining

Neglecting Law Reforms: Social And Economic Costs And Consequences 17

 cost.6 If the legal cost were higher than the impossible to establish their claims and
bargaining cost, then the parties would not struggle through the judicial processes be-
Legal empower-
go to courts. cause of their limited resources.
In India, resolving disputes through the The poor are particularly worse off
ment reduces
courts is generally not the cheaper option. when dealing with criminal cases. India has
The poorest members of society and firms a large jail population of prisoners under
poverty, builds
unaffiliated with large business groups are trial (“undertrials”). In Tihar Jail in Delhi,
most likely to be adversely affected by inac- more than 85 percent of the prisoners have
civil society,
cessible, corrupt, or inefficient courts. The been reported to be undertrials. 12 Many
poor who find themselves defendants in undertrials are detained because they have
encourages
criminal cases often do not have the re- no money to make bail or hire a lawyer to
sources to obtain bail. Moreover, when the assist them.13 Undertrials are detained in or-
development,
defendant is the family breadwinner and der to ensure their appearance in court dur-
cannot pay bail, his or her family loses its ing the trial. Thousands of them, arrested
and promotes
source of income. on suspicion of committing petty crimes,
languish in jails. Due to court congestion,
human rights.
The Link Between Justice Reform and many remain in jail for a much longer pe-
Economic Growth riod than the maximum punishment under
Access to legal
A number of cross-country econometric the law for the crime committed.
studies provide compelling evidence that
services and
the establishment of rule of law facilitates Court Congestion in India
economic growth. In particular, protecting Large backlogs of cases and delays may af-
complementary
private property rights have been found to fect both the fairness and the efficiency of
facilitate and enforce long-term contracts, the judicial system. In India, the workload
non-legal
which are essential for raising investment of the courts is huge. There are about 20
levels. The World Bank study, Governance
services should
Matters,7 found that measures of good insti-
6
It follows that resorting to the law is unnecessary and unde-
tutions have a strong correlation with indi-
empower sirable when bargaining succeeds, and resorting to the law is
cators of economic development. Other necessary and desirable when bargaining fails. The special
circumstances that define the limits of law are specified in a
studies using fewer measures of institu-
citizens to use remarkable proposition called the Coase Theorem, formu-
tional quality and focusing exclusively on lated by economist Ronald Coase. See Ronald H. Coase, The
Problem of Social Cost, 3 J. of Law and Econ. 1–44 (1960).
measures of economic development sup-
the law to 7
DANIEL KAUFMANN, AART KRAAY AND PABLO ZOIDO-LOBATON, WORLD
port these results.8 There is also strong evi- B ANK , G OVERNANCE M ATTERS (1999), available at
www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/pubs/govmatters.pdf.
dence of a negative correlation between
improve their The aggregate governance indicators for 1996-2002 which
residents’ perceptions of judicial unpred- supersede the previously posted indicators, was made avail-
able in May 2005 at www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/
ictability and growth and investment.9 Some
lives. pdf/govmatters%20IV20main.pdf. Other World Bank papers
studies also show that the overall level of on Governance Indicators include AGGREGATING GOVERNANCE
INDICATORS (1999) at www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/
confidence in the judiciary and other gov-
■ pubs/aggindicators.html; GROWTH WITHOUT GOVERNANCE (2002)
ernment institutions correlates positively at www.worldbank.org/wbi/governance/pubs/growthgov.html
and Governance Matters III (2003) at www.worldbank.org/
with the level of investment and measures wbi/governance/pubs/govmatters3.html
of economic performance and the lack of 8
Daniels and Trebilcock, supra note 4.
9
Aymo Brunetti et al., Credibility of Rules and Economic
legislative and institutional reform is a sig- Growth: Evidence from a Worldwide Survey of the Private
nificant barrier to retaining such invest- Sector, 12 (3) World Bank Econ. Rev. 353 (1998).
10
John Hewko, Foreign Direct Investment: Does the Rule of Law
ment, which gives rise to economic growth.10 Matter? (2002) (unpublished manuscript, on file with the Rule
All these support the conclusion that there of Law Series).
11
Rick Messick, Judicial Reform and Economic Development:
is a causal relationship between the rule of A Survey of the Issues, 14(1) The World Bank Res. Observer,
law and economic development. 117, 120 (1999).
12
Government of India, (1997), Report of the Committee on Ra-
tionalization of Classification of Prisoners in Tihar Jail, New
Law Reform and Poverty Delhi.
13
Table 1: Indicators on Crime for the Year 2000 and 2002.
Invariably, the poor are at the receiving end
of inefficiencies in court procedures and Heads / Categories 2000 2002
management. Such inefficiencies provide Persons Under IPC Crimes 10,532,307 10,726,760
opportunities for rent seeking by attorneys, as Under SLL Crimes 4,724,623 4,893,407

judges, and judicial support personnel.11 In Undertrials Total no. of undertrials 15,256,930 15,620,167
Source: Crime in India (2000), and Crime in India (2002), Na-
most developing countries, where land titles tional Crime Records Bureau (Ministry of Home Affairs), Gov-
are poorly recorded, the poor find it almost ernment of India.

18 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
million cases pending in lower courts and
another 3.2 million cases in high courts. A “Inefficiency in the judicial
termination dispute that is contested all the
way can take up to 20 years.14 In the Princi-
system leads to an increase in
pal Labor Court in Bangalore, 90 percent of litigation, as people who are
termination disputes are not disposed of aware of the slow pace of
within a year. Writ petitions in high courts
take about 8 to 10 years and in some courts justice within the court system
nearly 20 years. The dockets of civil cases begin to file cases primarily to Arnab Kumar Hazra
are overcrowded and it may take years to
get a trial on the merits.15
harass the other party.” Fellow, Rajiv Gandhi
Institute for Contemporary
Protracted case processing times and Studies, Rajiv Gandhi
Mr. Arnab Kumar Hazra is a Fellow with the Rajiv Foundation
overburdened administrative staff may lead Gandhi Institute for Contemporary Studies, Rajiv
to resource-privileged individuals dominat- Gandhi Foundation, New Delhi, India. He has served as Economic Adviser to the
ing the court’s time to the detriment of those Embassy of the Republic of Korea and Consultant to the National Council of
who have fewer resources with which to Applied Economic Research. He has seven years of research experience in
economic development policy, having worked on issues relating to legal re-
exert influence. Those with limited access forms, dispute resolution, judiciary, and labor laws, among others. He has an
to justice may resort to extralegal or illegal M.Phil. in Economics and an M.A. in Economics from the Jawaharlal Nehru
means of resolving conflict such as coercion University in New Delhi.
or physical violence.
A lack of judges has generally been
cited as the main reason for court conges- effectiveness of congestion-reduction pro-
tion and delays. 16 Indeed, the number of grams. Judiciaries with lower litigation rates
judges in India per capita has been low com- display a relatively better performance with
pared to other countries. For instance, data respect to current caseloads, but are not ef-
on 30 selected countries from the World ficient in addressing the “real” backlogs of
Bank Justice Sector at a Glance database17 cases pending for more than a year.
indicate that in 2000, the average number However, a study by Micevska and
of judges per 100,000 inhabitants was 6.38.18 Hazra19 reveals that simple supply side so-
The corresponding number for India is lutions such as increasing the number of
about 2.7 judges. judges might not entirely solve the prob-
Court productivity, as measured by lem. Improving efficiency of the judiciary is
docket clearance rates, has a significant and also important in decreasing court conges-
negative effect on both caseloads and con- tion. A major function of the judiciary and
gestion rates and seems to be crucial for the the courts is to assist in the efficient and
timely resolution of disputes.20 Once a court
has been established, its efficiency is de-
14
V. Nagaraj, Labor Laws, in M. MENON, N.R. AND B. DEBROY (EDS.) fined in terms of the speed, cost, and fair-
LEGAL DIMENSIONS OF ECONOMIC REFORMS (1991) 31–80. ness with which judicial decisions are made
15
For a detailed analysis on the problem of court congestion,
see Arnab Kumar Hazra and Maja B. Micevska, The Problem and the access that aggrieved citizens have
of Court Congestion: Evidence From Indian Lower Courts to the court.
(2004), available at www.swan.ac.uk/economics/res2004/
program/papers/HazraMicevska.pdf.
16
The number of judges per 100,000 inhabitants ranged from Police and Prison Reforms in India
0.13 in Canada to 23.21 in the Slovak Republic, not showing
significant correlation with GDP per capita. It should be noted, If there is to be any attempt for a meaning-
however, that for some of the countries the statistics covered ful revamp of the criminal justice system,
only the federal court system (excluding the state or provin-
cial court systems). the issue of police and prison reforms
17
Available at: www4.worldbank.org/legal/database/Justice should be part of judicial reform.21 The Na-
18
The actual number of judges is even lower since the calcula-
tion is based on the sanctioned judge strength, not account- tional Police Commission has pointed out
ing for vacancies. that 60 percent of all arrests in India are ei-
19
Arnab Kumar Hazra and Maja B. Micevska, The Problem of
Court Congestion: Evidence From Indian Lower Courts (2004), ther unnecessary or unjustified. This has
available at www.swan.ac.uk/economics/res2004/program/ resulted in overcrowding of jails and ac-
papers/HazraMicevska.pdf.
20
Maria Dakolias, Court Performance Around the World: A Com- counts for more than 40 percent of the ex-
parative Perspective (1999) available at: www-wds. penditure of jails. Police restraint is of ut-
worldbank.org/servlet/WDS_IBank_Servlet?pcont=details&
eid=000094946_99090805303789. most importance, especially since a major-
21
Arnab Kumar Hazra, (2004), Institutional Reforms in the En- ity of the people arrested are poor and lan-
forcement of Criminal Justice in India, in BIBEK DEBROY (EDS.),
AGENDA FOR IMPROVING GOVERNANCE (2004). guish in jail simply because of their inability

Neglecting Law Reforms: Social And Economic Costs And Consequences 19

 The Philippines
to procure bail. Many of the persons who are
in prison are not dangerous or violent. How- COMMENT:
recognizes and
ever, if these people stay in prison for long
periods of time, they may be subjected to The Role of Judicial
agrees with the
substantial psychological harm and become
more prone to commit crimes. This is a seri- Reform in Good
reform concerns
ous problem, considering the large number
of undertrials lodged in various Indian jails. Governance and the
and initiatives Conclusion Fight Against
outlined by Mr.
Developing countries need judicial reforms.
Neglecting judicial reforms leads to lack of Corruption
property rights enforcement and abuse of
government powers. These may ultimately SIMEON V. MARCELO
Hazra. Indeed,
force people to operate outside the legal Ombudsman of the Republic of the Philippines
system, and impair the rule of law. This could
our courts,
affect a nation’s credibility to do business

I
and result in lower investments and t cannot be doubted, as Mr. Arnab
especially the
economic growth. In the long run, this could Kumar Hazra has suggested, that “be-
impair the reduction of poverty and creat- sides promoting law and order, a bal-
Sandiganbayan,
ing long lasting social order. anced, swift, affordable and acces-
India’s experience has shown that the sible, and fair justice delivery system
suffer many of
poor are usually the ones who suffer most (a) aids in market development; (b) gener-
under a non-functioning criminal justice ates investment, including foreign direct in-
the same
system. An inefficient judiciary encourages vestment; and (c) stimulates economic
rent-seeking activities and makes access to growth and therefore helps in alleviating
problems as the
justice by the poor particularly difficult. poverty.” Unfortunately, however, while the
Thus, while efficiency-enhancing efforts are delivery of justice should be a singular con-
courts in India.
small steps in the right direction, more sub- cern of the government, the truth is, the gov-
stantive judicial reforms—including police ernment itself is composed of different
■
and prison reforms—should lie at the core branches that do not necessarily take a uni-
of any effort by policymakers. fied approach to delivery of justice. Differ-
ent offices within the government may even
compete, if not for public approval, then for
the limited resources available to the gov-
ernment as a whole.
The Philippine Supreme Court in session. In the Philippines, governance, access
to justice, and the provision of basic ser-
vices are the concern of the legislature, the
executive, the judiciary, and the constitu-
tional bodies, both cooperatively and inde-
pendently. Overlapping of functions and
duties is common in the Philippine bureau-
cracy. Thus, while cooperation may have
been the intention behind such overlap of
Courtesy of the hPhilippine Supreme Court

jurisdiction, the exact opposite may occur

as different agencies lobby for different
agenda in what is perceived to be a contest
of competing interests.
We agree with Mr. Hazra that there are
debates on “whether law reform should fa-
cilitate market transactions or the empha-
sis should be on promoting good gover-
nance and alleviating poverty.” While there
is broad consensus that judicial efficiency
and reforms support economic growth, as

20 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
Mr. Hazra correctly pointed out, there are cluded that there is statistical evidence to
debates on perceived competing interests “establish the existence of a statistically sig-
It is our position
with respect to the ways in which legal and nificant positive association between corrup-
judicial reform should be pursued. tion and poverty.”5 Thus, it is our position
that by investing
There is a similar debate in the Philip- that by investing substantial funds in the
pines surrounding the problem of poverty anti-corruption campaign, the government
substantial
and corruption. Corruption is one of the is, in effect, effectively helping in alleviat-
most pressing problems of the Philippines ing poverty.
funds in the
today. It is considered as one of the most For example, corruption in infrastruc-
difficult stumbling blocks to economic dev- ture projects can result in substandard roads
anti-corruption
elopment and the eradication of poverty. In leading from farms to markets—making
fact, The World Development Report for them perhaps impassable sooner than ex-
campaign, the
20041 published by the World Bank reported pected and causing an altogether negative
that corruption is the top investment con- impact on the livelihood and productivity
government is,
straint in the Philippines.2 This is further of the people. Further, if corruption is sub-
supported by the 2004 Corporate Perfor- stantially eradicated at the revenue-gener-
in effect,
mance Survey conducted by the Wallace ating agencies, tax collection could in-
Business Forum, which reported that cor- crease drastically, thereby providing addi-
effectively help-
ruption is the most serious disadvantage to tional badly needed funds for anti-poverty
investing in the Philippines.3 programs.
ing in alleviating
For good reason, however, budget offi- In its 2004 Common Country Assess-
cials and bureaucratic fund managers in- ment, the United Nations Development
poverty.
variably channel available resources to pov- Programme reported that about P100 Bil-
erty alleviation projects, instead of allocat- lion, or 13 percent of the P781 Billion Phil-
■
ing more resources for anti-corruption pro- ippine national budget, was at risk of being
grams. We all understand that our govern- lost to corruption. 6 However, it was esti-
ment is caught in a dilemma, considering mated that the greatest loss (in terms of
the Philippines’ very limited resources, dif- uncollected revenue) happens at the rev-
ficult fiscal position, and the gravity of the enue generation agencies: the Bureau of
problems the government has to address. Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Cus-
toms.
Anti-Corruption: Senator Joker Arroyo explains that only
A Unifying Reform for the Poor 12 percent of the entire budget is used for
The Office of the Ombudsman in the Philip- capital expenditures and, is, therefore, sus-
pines, however, advances the view that, in ceptible to graft and corruption. According
reality, choosing to fight either poverty or to this theory, only about 3.6 percent of the
corruption is not a dilemma at all. Recent budget is vulnerable to graft. He concluded
studies have shown that corruption has a that the greatest loss due to corruption can
direct and positive correlation with poverty. be attributed to uncollected revenues. He
A working paper of the International Mon- posits that, assuming that what is due the
etary Fund, entitled “Does Corruption Affect government in revenues is P700 billion, the
Income Inequality and Poverty?”, 4 con- failure to collect just 15 percent of that
amount already translates into a P105 bil-
lion “loss” to government in uncollected
1
WORLD BANK, WORLD DEVELOPMENT REPORT 2004: MAKING revenues.7
SERVICES WORK FOR POOR PEOPLE (2004), available at
http://wdsbeta.worldbank.org/external/default/ Senator Arroyo’s conclusion was con-
WDSContentServer/IW3P/IB/2003/10/07/ firmed by a study on smuggling by the Phil-
000090341_20031007150121/Rendered/PDF/
268950PAPER0WDR02004.pdf ippine Center for Investigative Journalism.
2
BUSINESS WORLD, Sept. 29, 2004. According to that study, “the total revenue
3
Id., at 21.
4
Sanjeev Gupta et al., “Does Corruption Affect Income Inequal- loss for the government could reach as
ity and Poverty,” (May 1998), available at http://www.imf.org/ much as P200 billion.”8
external/pubs/ft/wp/wp9876.pdf
5
Id. at 21. Thus, if an adequately funded anti-cor-
6
See Cai Ordinario, P100B Lost to Corruption, THE MANILA ruption initiative is able to substantially
TIMES, July 31, 2004, at 1.
7
See Belinda Olivares-Cunanan, Mercy Missions Can Be Done reduce such budgetary leaks and help in-
Here, PHILIPPINE DAILY INQUIRER, Aug. 9, 2004, at A15. crease revenue collection, the immediate
8
See Tess Bacalla, Smuggled Goods, Flood Walls, Markets,
THE PHILIPPINE STAR, Oct. 25, 2004, at 10. effect will be the accrual of “savings” and

Neglecting Law Reforms: Social And Economic Costs And Consequences 21

Larry Ramos

fruit-bearing tree with governance as the roots

“If we intend to make significant and development as the fruit. To harvest bounti-
ful fruits of good quality, the tree must be cared
progress in our fight against graft for from the roots, giving it ample water, fertilizer,
and corruption despite our many etc. Otherwise, no plentiful harvest, much more
limitations, the speedy disposition [sic] high quality harvest, can be expected. Re-
member the old wise saying, “one reaps what
of high-profile cases involving one sows.“ Poor governance means underdevel-
Simeon V. Marcelo
Ombudsman of the
higher government officials and opment or no development at all. Good gover-
nance means flourishing development, progress,
Philippines bigger amounts of money should prosperity, stability and peace.9
be made a priority in the trial
schedule of our courts.” Despite apparent competing interests
in other areas, our national leaders and the
Ombudsman Simeon V. Marcelo was appointed as Solicitor General of the Re-
public of the Philippines in February 2001. As Solicitor General, he successfully
stakeholders have come together in a uni-
handled the recovery of former Philippine President Marcos’ ill-gotten wealth fied front for good governance. In Decem-
worth US$680 Million lodged in Swiss bank accounts. In October 2002, he was ber 2004, the heads of offices of various gov-
appointed as the Ombudsman, the youngest person ever appointed to the posi- ernment agencies and branches launched
tion. As Ombudsman, he heads the panel of government lawyers prosecuting
major graft cases before the Sandiganbayan, the Philippines’ Anti-Graft Court.
the Good Governance Festival. There were
His office is now focusing on investigating alleged widespread corruption activi- ten thematic areas of governance reforms
ties in the Philippine military and revenue-generating government agencies. chosen to highlight the critical domains
that need to be addressed by the govern-
ment in cooperation with the private sec-
income for the government, which can, in tor and civil society:
turn, be used for poverty-alleviation
projects. Moreover, reduced graft and cor- 1. electoral and political reforms;
ruption increases investor confidence, 2. justice reforms;
which translates to more investments and 3. anti-corruption;
employment for the people. 4. local governance reforms;
Therefore, the Office of the Ombudsman 5. human rights and gender;
posits the view that a massively funded anti- 6. media reforms;
corruption campaign should be seen as an 7. public administration reforms;
investment with extraordinary high returns 8. environmental governance;
and not as an expense, where the primary 9. anti-poverty; and
beneficiaries are the poor and the margin- 10. peace and development.10
alized sectors of society, and where the di-
rect and immediate effect is the alleviation For its part, the judiciary, under the di-
of poverty in our country. rection of Chief Justice Davide, adopted the
Action Program for Judicial Reform
Judicial Reform and the Sandiganbayan (APJR)11—a comprehensive reform package
It should be emphasized that in order for an for the judiciary. Its components seek to
effective campaign against corruption to be fulfill our vision of a judiciary that is inde-
implemented, reforms at the courts han- pendent, effective, efficient, and worthy of
dling corruption cases are indispensable. the people’s trust and confidence. It also
The Philippines recognizes and agrees seeks to ensure that the legal profession pro-
with the reform concerns and initiatives
outlined by Mr. Hazra. Indeed, our courts,
especially the Sandiganbayan, suffer many 9
According to Chief Justice Davide, “Good governance con-
sists, at the minimum, of institutions that are democratic and
of the same problems as the courts in India. accountable and that protect the Rule of Law at all times; and
The Philippine Supreme Court, under the rules that are transparent, participatory, responsive and ef-
fective, and which are geared towards the full development
watch of Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr., of the human person and the building of a just and humane
advocates governance reforms. According society.” Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide, Jr., Keynote Address
delivered on the Human Rights Week Commemoration, 10 to
to the Chief Justice: 10 Dekada ng Reporma Milestone Event (Dec. 8, 2004).
10
Id.
11
A summary of the APJR is provided by the Philippine Supreme
Any effort...to promote development in a country Court Program Management Office Director, Evelyn T. Dum-
is deeply rooted in governance. This is like...a dum, on page 62.

22 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
vides quality, ethical, accessible, and cost- months between scheduled hearings in ev-
effective legal service to the people and is ery case. Remember the
willing and able to answer the call to public The high-profile “Tax Credit Scam” illus-
service. trates the above-mentioned situation. In old wise saying,
One of the components of the APJR is that case, the accused was supposed to be
access to justice by the poor. A specific goal arraigned on 30 September 2004. The sched- “one reaps what
of this component is to reform each of the uled arraignment was postponed and re-
five pillars of the criminal justice system to scheduled to 01 March 2005, an interval of one sows.“ Poor
develop a system that is responsive and almost five months. Other high-profile cases
accessible to the poor and disadvantaged. were not scheduled for follow-up hearings governance
Various activities were conducted to under- until four and five months later after the
score the urgent need to join forces in en- initial hearings. means under-
suring access to justice, culminating in the The Sandiganbayan justices cannot be
National Forum on Access to Justice blamed for this problem. In fact, they should development or
through the Five Pillars of the Criminal Jus- be commended for their diligence and per-
tice System, held late last year. severance. They are doing their best to com- no development
While good governance, access to jus- plete the proceedings and resolve their
tice, and rule of law, must be addressed by cases at the earliest possible time, but the at all. Good
multi-institutional cooperation, in order to sheer volume of cases makes it impossible
fully understand the parallels between our to promptly dispose of every case. governance
experience and that of India, it is necessary At the beginning of 2004, the Sandigan-
to highlight the role of one institution in bayan had 2,304 cases pending.12 As of 31 means flourish-
the Philippine judiciary—the Sandi- October 2004, the Sandiganbayan had a to-
ganbayan. The Sandiganbayan is the Anti- tal of 1,792 active cases (with three cases ing develop-
Graft Court of the Philippines established yet to be raffled), divided as follows:
to hear, try, and decide cases against high- ment, progress,
ranking public officials, i.e., those belong- ACTIVE CASES IN THE SANDIGANBAYAN
ing to Salary Grade “27” and above. The prosperity,
Sandiganbayan has 15 justices in five divi- 1st Division .................................................. 185
sions of three justices each. For 2004, it had 2nd Division .................................................. 470 stability and
an operational budget (personnel services, 3rd Division .................................................. 356
maintenance and other operating ex- 4th Division .................................................. 387 peace.
penses) of almost P115 million. 5th Division .................................................. 388
Studies recently conducted by the Of- Special Division ............................................. 3 —CHIEF JUSTICE
fice of the Ombudsman involving Sandigan- TOTAL ................................................ 1,792
bayan cases resolved in 2003 revealed that HILARIO G.
it took an average of six years and ten However, the total number of cases (ac-
months for one case to be fully resolved. In tual caseload) pending in the Sandigan- DAVIDE, JR.
fact, there are some cases involving high- bayan within a given year, which includes
ranking government officials that have been both active and non-active cases, is far ■
pending in the Sandiganbayan for more than larger than the above-stated numbers. A
ten years now. study jointly sponsored by the Supreme
In mid-2004, due to the heavy volume of Court and the World Bank entitled “Philip-
cases being heard by the divisions of the pines: Formulation of Case Decongestion
Sandiganbayan, in many instances only two and Delay Reduction Strategy Project-
hearings for every case were conducted ev- Phase I (Final Report December 2003)” 13
ery two months. Another study conducted stated:
by the Office of the Ombudsman, on the
thirty high-profile cases presently pending The average workload of 441 cases per justice is
with the Sandiganbayan, revealed that to- heavy. Since Sandiganbayan justices work in divi-
wards the end of last year, there was an sions, each division effectively handles more than
alarming interval of an average of four 1,000 cases per year. A reasonable amount of
workload per justice should be established . . . .
12
Sandiganbayan Statistics on Cases Filed, Pending and Dis-
posed of as of Nov. 30, 2004. The delay in the disposition of cases in
13
Available at www.apjr-sc-phil.org/article/articleview/8/1/2 the Sandiganbayan is a natural conse-

Neglecting Law Reforms: Social And Economic Costs And Consequences 23

 quence of a heavily congested docket—a druple the number of justices and/or divi-
problem that plagues all Philippine courts sions in the Sandiganbayan. However, such
The delay in the
today. However, due to the unique and usu- a solution will require an additional bud-
ally complex character of graft and corrup- get of at least P400 million, which likely ex-
disposition of
tion cases, and the extremely heavy ceeds the resources available to the na-
caseload distributed among a small num- tional government at this time.
cases in the
ber of courts (five divisions), the problem
of delay is extremely grave at the Sandigan- RATIONALIZATION OF JURISDICTION
Sandiganbayan
bayan. Based on another study conducted last year
It must be emphasized that the Sandi- by the Office of the Ombudsman, of the
is a natural
ganbayan plays a critical role in fighting graft more than 2,000 cases pending before the
and corruption committed by high-ranking Sandiganbayan, around 793 cases involve
consequence of
public officials. A survey on caseload funded municipal mayors and other officials with
by the World Bank showed that the median salary grades of 27 or 28 and the alleged
a heavily
time for the processing of cases (from filing amount of injury or bribes received was P1
to closure) is 6.6 years; the minimum dura- million or less.15 These cases comprise ap-
congested
tion was 1.6 years and maximum 11 years. proximately 40 percent of all pending cases
The trial phase of each case took the long- in the Sandiganbayan. If the more important
docket—a
est time, with a median trial duration of 2.4 cases with larger amounts at stake could be
years. The second longest phase was that of prioritized, the over-burdened calendar of
problem that
the decision making itself, with a median du- the Sandiganbayan could be lightened, al-
ration of eight months.14 lowing the justices more time to focus on
plagues all
We have showcased the Sandiganbayan cases that will produce a greater impact in
primarily due to its importance to the cam- the war against graft and corruption. This
Philippine courts
paign against graft and corruption and the can be done by transferring the lower prior-
great positive impact the swift administra- ity cases to the regular courts, allowing the
today.
tion of justice has on deterring corruption. Sandiganbayan to concentrate on the very
Corrupt public officials can be expected to cases it was originally intended to try—
■
respond only to reasonably certain swift or those involving the senior officials of the
immediate punishment, whether it is ad- country and those involving large amounts
ministrative or criminal. The heavily clog- of money.
ged dockets and the limited number of jus- The Office of the Ombudsman had sent
tices and judges cause the trial of allegedly to the Senate, through Senator Mar Roxas
corrupt public officials to drag on for years. III, its proposed legislation to modify the
During this time, the trials and cases fall out jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan to allow
of the sphere of public interest, concern, more expeditious resolution of cases involv-
Courtesy of the and knowledge and end as old news rel- ing high-ranking officials and those involv-
Philippine Supreme Court
egated to history, which ing large amounts of money. It is proposed
seems irrelevant and in- that cases involving local and national offi-
consequential to the ev- cials with salary grade 27 and 28 should be
eryday lives of our people. transferred to regional trial courts if one of
The corruption courts no the following two conditions is met: (a) the
longer have a deterrent ef- case does not involve damages or bribes or
fect when cases take years such damages remain unquantified or are
to resolve. The search for unquantifiable; or (b) said damages or
a solution to this critical bribes are no more than P1 million.16 As ear-
problem of congested
dockets requires recourse
to drastic but creative and 14
OMB Medium-Term Anti-Corruption Plan and Public Invest-
economical measures. ment Program, at 2-30.
15
Among the cases involving municipal mayors, 254 involve
an amount of P 25,000 or less; 50 involve an amount P 50,000
Alternative Reform or less; and 68 involve P 100,000 or less.
16
Measures There are 952 Regional Trial Court branches throughout the
Philippines, 761 of which were filled as of 30 November 2004.
The ideal and most logical The transfer of these 793 cases from the Sandiganbayan may
solution to this predica- not be too burdensome considering the fact that, with a few
Thousands of case files awaiting disposition
exceptions, only 1 case need be assigned to each of these
by the courts. ment is to at least qua- Regional Trial Courts.

24 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
lier stated, there are about 793 cases that the Sandiganbayan will ideally have only
fall under these classifications. It was fur- eight cases on its docket at a given time.
ther proposed that the remaining cases, Therefore, from Monday to Thursday, the
which involve damages or bribes that are Sandiganbayan will be able to hear two
less than P5 Million, should be tried and cases daily, so that each case will be heard
resolved by individual justices, leaving the every week. The respective divisions will be
more complicated ones for the division of able to maintain a continuous trial for each
three justices.17 case devoting one hearing day per week, 6.6 years
A better response to this problem is to from Monday to Thursday, with each trial The median time for
drastically increase the number of justices day lasting for at least an hour and a half the processing of
in the Sandiganbayan. Adding five more di- per case. cases (from filing to
visions to the Sandiganbayan, together with This practical proposal optimally uti- closure) in the
the above-discussed modification of the lizes the court’s meager resources. We rec- Sandiganbayan
Sandiganbayan’s jurisdiction, will substan- ognize that the extremely slow pace in the (Philippines).
tially remedy the problem of delay. This, of disposition of cases undermines the integ-
course, will require an additional operating rity of our justice system, particularly in 2.4 years
budget of about P115 million and the enact- graft and corruption cases. However, con- The median trial
ment of further legislation. The additional sidering the administrative and human limi- duration time in the
funding of P115 million should not, however, tations of our courts, it is highly impracti- Sandiganbayan.
seem that much in terms of the enhanced cal to require continuous trial on all cases
capacity that this funding will create for the pending in the Sandiganbayan. Thus, if we 441
Sandiganbayan to deter further acts of graft intend to make significant progress in our The number of
and corruption, which could potentially fight against graft and corruption despite cases handled by
save our country billions of pesos. our many limitations, the speedy disposi- each justice.
tion of high-profile cases involving higher
PRIORITIZATION OF CASES government officials and bigger amounts of 2,304
It should be emphasized that increasing the money should be made a priority in the trial The number of
number of justices and divisions in the schedule of our courts. Hopefully, the cases pending as of
Sandiganbayan and modifying its jurisdic- speedy disposition of these cases involving 31 October 2004.
tion will take some time proceeding through higher-ranking officials will restore the
the legislature before the same can be imple- people’s faith in our courts and likewise dis- 1.792
mented. While the legislature is deliberat- courage lower-ranking officials from com- The number of
ing on these measures, the Supreme Court mitting acts of corruption. active cases as of
could adopt a radical temporary solution While we concede that justice does not 31 October 2004.
to address the problem of case delay in the discriminate between big and small cases,
Sandiganbayan. The Supreme Court could the exigency of the times, coupled with the
order a suspension of the proceedings in severe lack of human resources in the
all cases in the Sandiganbayan, except for Sandiganbayan, should compel the courts
the forty most important high-profile cases, to employ a more radical and strategic ap-
as determined by the Supreme Court, on the proach to fight graft and corruption by pri-
recommendation of the Sandiganbayan and oritizing the disposition of the forty most
the Office of the Special Prosecutor. Further, important high-profile cases. It is better to
those cases should then be tried immedi- find a way to address the problem, even if
ately and continuously on a weekly basis. only a part of it, rather than simply distrib-
At present, each division of the Sandi- ute the misfortune of delay equally.
ganbayan conducts hearings for three-and- As previously stated, our study of thirty
a-half hours every day, Mondays through high-profile cases presently pending at the
Thursdays. Friday is designated as “motion Sandiganbayan showed that towards the
day.” Under this proposal, each division of end of last year, there was an alarming aver-
age interval of over four months between
scheduled hearings. A continuous trial of
17
Of the 14 incumbent justices, 10 were former regional trial the 40 most important high profile cases is,
court judges who already have vast experience in trying and therefore, a practical and reasonable interim
resolving cases involving amounts higher than P5 Million.
The other 4 justices were veteran lawyers before their ap- proposal.18
pointment. There are other advantages to proceed-
18
Cases involving detention prisoners should be included in
the list of the 40 most important high-profile cases. ing with continuous trials for the forty most

Neglecting Law Reforms: Social And Economic Costs And Consequences 25

As we develop
important high-profile cases. The previ-
ously-mentioned World Bank study entitled Toward a Gender-
and implement
“Philippines: Formulation of Case Deconges-
tion and Delay Reduction Strategy Project- Just Rule of Law
Phase I (Final Report December 2003)” stated JASODHARA BAGCHI
that continuous trials “would require Chairperson,
reform prog-
greater preparation by prosecutors and de- West Bengal Commission for Women
fense counsel at the outset . . . but would
rams for the
reduce the amount of time taken for the trial,
and also reduce the possibility of fading
police and the

T
memories on the part of witnesses, and the here is much inequality in the
opportunity for interference with evidence.” world. Discrimination against
judiciary, we
Prosecutors observed that the delay in members of several social cat-
the disposition of cases compounds other egories has upheld the hierar-
must keep
problems, such as the difficulty in preserv- chical world order and supports
ing the evidence of the prosecution. Wit- entrenched unequal treatment. These cat-
women’s issues
ness’ memories also become less accurate egories include class, caste, ethnicity, race,
over time. It also becomes more difficult to and religion, but the overarching, oldest cat-
with respect to
locate witnesses if the case drags on for a egory is gender. Internationally, nationally,
very long time, perhaps because of loss of and locally, gender cuts across all the other
these aspects of
interest on the part of the witnesses. Given social categories upon which discrimina-
these circumstances, it is extremely difficult tion is based.
law enforce-
for the prosecution to secure convictions This symposium focuses on two ele-
even in meritorious cases if there is exces- ments of government that has been tradi-
ment in mind.
sive delay in the proceedings. Instituting tionally associated with the male gender—
continuous trials should alleviate, if not the police and the judiciary. It is significant
Police and
completely remedy, these problems. that the year we choose to deliberate these
Moreover, the proposal vindicates issues also marks 10th anniversary of the
judicial reforms
defendant’s constitutional right to speedy World Conference on Women held in
trial by guaranteeing continuous trials for Beijing. In India this is also the year during
must support
those facing the gravest charges. which both the government and non-gov-
ernment organizations (NGOs) are prepar-
justice for
Conclusion ing the second report for the CEDAW Com-
In sum, the cooperative and synchronized mittee in the United Nations. CEDAW
women in order
efforts among all offices of the government stands for the International Convention on
and stakeholders in crafting and realizing the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimina-
to support just-
the reforms needed for good governance is tion Against Women, which was adopted by
indispensable. While preliminary reform ef- the UN General Assembly in 1979. This Con-
ice for society as
forts have been undertaken, much remains vention defines women’s rights as human
to be desired and done in terms of success rights.
a whole.
in this endeavor. To quote Chief Justice
Davide: History of Women’s Rights and Law Reform
■
The history of women’s rights can be traced
This candid admission is the first necessary step through women’s status, privileges, and pro-
for our country to be on its way to vigorously tections under the law over time. Women’s
advance in governance and to realize its dev- rights have not always been considered part
elopment goals. There is nothing embarrassing of human rights generally. The French
or even shameful in this admission or confession. Revolution’s Declaration of the Rights of
A confession purifies the spirit, expresses the Man and Citizens, one of the seminal early
nobility of the heart, and demonstrates courage. rule of law documents, did not concede that
In connection with good governance, it is a mark women were citizens. The Frenchmen had
of patriotism and a commitment to serve others few qualms about guillotining their female
with selfless love.19 comrades-in-arms for advocating women’s
rights. Olympe de Gouges was killed for sup-
porting the Declaration of the Rights of
19
Davide, supra. Women, which was considered transgres-

26 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
sive as women were thought to be unfit to
be brought within the folds of citizenry. “In India many of the large gains
The complete history of women’s
struggles for recognition as citizens remains
of the women’s movement have
unmapped, and women’s role in law and gov- been achieved through legal
ernance has escaped the attention it de- reforms. In 1829, the colonial
serves. Whatever the scholarly explanations
for this may be, feminist common sense sim- government passed the anti-
ply observes that gender divisions within suttee daho legislation, which Jasodhara Bagchi
social spheres has deprived women of equal
access to the justice system. Laws and legal
outlawed the killing of widows Chairperson,
West Bengal Commission
institutions often reflect larger societal dis- on their husband’s pyres.” for Women
crimination against women. In many coun-
Dr. Jasodhara Bagchi is the Chairperson of the West Bengal Commission for
tries, the legal machinery and the law en- Women. She is a former professor and head of the Department of English of the
forcement agencies are meant to belong to School of Women's Studies, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, which she founded.
the “public” sphere, while women are iden- She presently serves as an adviser to the same institution. Ms. Bagchi is also the
tified as belonging to the “private” sphere. honorary Chairperson of the National Resource Group, Mahila Samakhya, an
innovative programme on gender and education sanctioned by the Government
The Indian colonial legacy has even further of India. Ms. Bagchi has a Ph.D. from Cambridge University and an M.A. from
complicated the public-private distinction, Oxford University.
rendering it even more intensively gendered.
For example, within the public legal sphere,
there are “personal laws.” Personal laws gov- does not detract, however, from the impor-
ern the specifics of communities, including tance of considering the perspectives of
women’s lives and legal issues. women and men in legal reforms.
In India many of the large gains of the I serve on the Women’s Commission in
women’s movement have been achieved West Bengal, which was established by a
through legal reforms. In 1829, the colonial statutory act in 1992, at approximately the
government passed the anti-suttee daho leg- same time as the National Commission for
islation, which outlawed the killing of wid- Women was established in Delhi. We are,
ows on their husband’s pyres and in which however, independent from the Delhi Com-
Ram Mohan Rai, the great Indian social re- mission and operate within the purview of
former, played a significant role. In 1856, our state. Our work to this point has been
Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, the Bengali writer addressing the ways in which law enforce-
and social reformer, lobbied for colonial leg- ment and the police are not serving
islation that would allow widows to remarry women’s needs. Primarily, we have dealt
and the Widow Remarriage Act XV was with the police.
passed. Law reform has, therefore, been an Despite concerted attempts at making
important tool in furthering the women’s the police more gender-sensitive, the police
movement, strengthening women’s rights, in our society still suffer from the hangover
and improving women’s quality of life in In- of colonial authoritarianism. From time to
dia for nearly 200 years. time, the police in India have not only failed
to protect women from harm, but have in-
The Need for Gender-Just Rule of Law flicted harm on women themselves, either
Just as law reform has played an important by rape or other abuse. Historically, high-
role in furthering women’s rights in the past, profile police rape cases led to reforms in
it will continue to do so in the future. As we criminal laws governing the offense. The
develop and implement reform programs for laws were amended, for example, to include
the police and the judiciary, we must keep custodial rape as one of the worst offenses.
women’s issues with respect to these as- There were two cases that prompted these
pects of law enforcement in mind. Police reforms, the Rameeza Bee and Mathura
and judicial reforms must support justice cases. In the Rameeza Bee case in 1978, a
for women in order to support justice for woman was raped by several policemen, and
society as a whole. My experience in India her husband was murdered because he had
has impressed upon me the fact that gen- protested. In response to massive protests,
der issues must be navigated very delicately the President of the Republic of India set
in the context of law and governance. This up a commission of enquiry. This commis-

Neglecting Law Reforms: Social And Economic Costs And Consequences 27

 sion found that the policemen were guilty. purpose of pre-natal sex determination lead-
63% They were nonetheless acquitted in court. ing to abortion of female fetuses. We are now
Increase in the In the Mathura case, two years later in1980, in need of public interest litigation to pro-
crime of importa- an under-aged dalit1 girl was raped by two mote women’s rights under the PNDT Act.
tion of girls from policemen within the vicinity of the police We must promote judicial activism in en-
1999 to 2000, India. station. The lower court held that since she forcing the new law in order for it to fulfill
had eloped and was married at the time of its preventative goals.
24.5% the incident, she must have been habitu- Women’s rights are also prejudiced by
Increase in the ated to sex and could not have been raped. workings of the judicial system itself. One
crime of sexual The high court rejected the lower court’s of India’s great judges, Justice Krishna Iyer,
harrassment from holding and convicted the policemen. Ulti- who also made important recommenda-
1999 to 2000. mately, the Supreme Court reversed, stating tions on prison reform, noted that the sys-
that since Mathura had not raised any alarm temic case delays in the Indian courts tend
6.6% and since there were no visible marks of in- to affect women more adversely than men.
Increase in rapes jury on her body, the act must have hap- His recommendation in this regard was to
from 1999 to 2000. pened with her consent. The rape laws that establish specialized courts to dispense
were passed or amended in the wake of justice separately and speedily to women.
6.1% these cases and the public outrage they in- Such a mechanism was already available to
Decrease in duced did much to protect women from women, under the Family Court Act of 1984.
offenses under the such brutal acts. However, Justice Iyer’s recommendations
Dowry Prohibition Our Commission has, however, found addressed additional provisions to regulate
Act from 1999 to that women who are compelled to go to the the presence of lawyers and witnesses in
2000. police stations are still perceived by police- the family court and would expand the
men there to be “available,” and that women court’s jurisdiction to include all cases per-
Source: 2003 Report by in police custody are frequently seen as the taining to women, whether as plaintiffs, re-
the Committee on property of law enforcement authorities. spondents, or victims. It is my hope that
Reforms of Criminal These attitudes are part of a greater social the family courts will be able to provide
Justice, Government of trend of the exploitation of women, exem- women with quick resolution of their legal
India.
plified, for example, by the sex trade docu- matters, and that the rest of the judicial sys-
mented in the recent book, Guilty Without tem will follow the pattern of speedy deliv-
Trial: Women in the Sex Trade in Calcutta,2 ery of justice. I do not favor widespread use
which explored the harassment, economic of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), be-
insecurity, health hazards, and stigmatiza- cause I believe one of the most important
tion that sex workers face in India. factors in providing justice for women is
Our Commission has also been con- speedy resolution of cases and because I
cerned with declining ratio of women to am skeptical of the ability of ADR to resolve
men in India. As documented by Professor cases quickly.
Amartya Sen, there are millions of “missing
women” in India.3 According to the 2001 cen- Conclusion
sus, the ratio of surviving female children Many of the positive developments in the
to male children among children aged 0–6 women’s movement in India have been, and
years has declined at an alarming rate. Pros- continue to be, closely related to law and
perous states, including Punjab, Haryana, legal institution reform. Further legislation
parts of Himachal Pradesh, and the prosper- to protect women’s rights and security is
ous districts of Calcutta, have evidenced currently in development. For example, the
the declining ratio, supporting the theory Vishaka4 guidelines on the resolution and
that the trend can be attributed, not to in-
fant mortality, but to sex-selective abortions 1
In South Asia’s caste system, a dalit—formerly known as
untouchable—is a person outside and subordinate to the four
conducted using ultra-sonogram and other castes.
medical equipment. Therefore, we success- 2
CAROLYN SLEIGHTHOLME AND INDRANI SINHA, WOMEN IN THE SEX
TRADE IN CALCUTTA (1996).
fully lobbied for legislation forbidding this 3
Amartya Sen, More than 100 Million are Missing, New York
practice, and the Pre-Natal Diagnostic Tech- Review of Books, Vol. 37, No. 20, December 20, 1990.
4
On August 13, 1997, the Supreme Court of India issued a judg-
nique Act (PNDT Act) was passed in 1994. ment against sexual harassment at the workplace, which has
The PNDT Act provides for the regulation come to be known as the Vishaka judgment. It laid down the
definition of sexual harassment, preventive measures and
of the use of pre-natal diagnostic techniques redress mechanisms. It stipulated a mandatory complaint
and forbids use of such techniques for the committee on sexual harassment at all workplaces.

28 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
prevention of sexual harassment, first issued with which to conduct the long drawn-out
by the Supreme Court, have become the tem- battle for justice when she becomes victim
Help lines,
plate for the current bill on Sexual Harass- to violence or injustice. If she succumbs,
ment in the Workplace. The government is culture-specific terminology, such as dowry
shelters, and
working with various women’s groups on a death, is used to describe her demise. We
Domestic Violence Bill that is intended to must realize, as activist lawyer Flavia Agnes
government- or
be a comprehensive law addressing every once put it, that women succumb because
aspect of women’s experience of violence they have nowhere to go. Help lines, shel-
NGO-run homes
in the home. ters, and government- or NGO-run homes are
Women are able to gain access to jus- merely short-term remedies that are part of
are merely
tice throughout India by way of free legal the web surrounding women’s lives in our
aid services. West Bengal has a particularly patriarchal societies. In considering the is-
short-term
proactive Legal Services Authority that ex- sues of police and judiciary reform, we must
tends to the sub-divisional level in each remain cognizant of the underlying gender
remedies that
state district. issues and work to improve the protection
The impact of patriliny on women’s lives of women’s rights within our legal system.
are part of the
must not be underestimated. After a woman It is not enough to think about justice
is displaced from her parent’s home, her in terms of the law and law enforcement.
web surround-
rights become fraught with insecurity, and We must remember the social complication
she is subject to incipient violence. Once of gender roles. Rule of law must ultimately
ing women’s
she is outside the safe boundaries of a fam- include gender justice if it is going to pro-
ily, a woman’s grasp on her life is so uncer- vide any justice at all.
lives in our
tain that she may not have the resources
patriarchal

Law reform has been an important tool in furthering the societies.

women’s movement, strengthening women’s rights, and
improving women’s quality of life in India for nearly 200 ■
years.
• In 1829, the colonial government passed the anti-suttee daho
legislation, which outlawed the killing of widows on their
husband’s pyres and in which Ram Mohan Rai, the great Indian
ADB File Photo

social reformer, played a significant role.

• In 1856, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, the Bengali writer and social
reformer, lobbied for colonial legislation that would allow wid-
ows to remarry and the Widow Remarriage Act XV was passed.

Neglecting Law Reforms: Social And Economic Costs And Consequences 29

AT THE SYMPOSIUM

“Law and policy reform provides the fulcrum to achieve sustainable economic development.
Investments in economic development or social progress are unlikely to be as effective or
efficient or even enduring in the absence of an optimal mix of legal, institutional, and policy
structures. Indeed, law and policy reform is now an integral part of ADB’s poverty reduction
approaches.”
—from Law & Policy Reform in Asia and the Pacific: Ensuring Voice, Opportunity & Justice
Asian Development Bank, 2005

30 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
Chapter 3
EBRD [European

Bank for Recon-

struction and

Development] and
International Collaborations ADB both have a

in Judicial Reform legal reform

program, and

EBRD has a limited

■ EBRD’s Role in Judicial Reform and Training
■ IDB’s Efforts in Legal and Judicial Reforms judicial reform

program. Ten

years ago, the

EBRD started its

EBRD’s Role in market economies and to promote private
and entrepreneurial initiative in the new legal reform
Judicial Reform economies. Thus, EBRD refers to itself as a
transition bank, rather than a development program, called
and Training bank.
Another difference between the two in- the Legal
EMMANUEL MAURICE stitutions is that EBRD has an openly politi-
General Counsel, European Bank for cal mandate. Article 1 of EBRD’s charter1 pro- Transition
Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) vides that it may only lend to countries that
are committed to, and apply the principles Program, in
of, multi-party democracy, pluralism and

T
he European Bank for Recon- market economics. These guiding principles keeping with the
struction and Development have led the EBRD to reduce its involvement
(EBRD) and ADB have similari- in certain countries that have not fully rec- Bank’s mandate.
ties and differences with re- ognized these principles, particularly
spect to their structures, mem- Belarus and Turkmenistan. ■
bers, mandates, and projects. EBRD, like Both EBRD and ADB are involved in fi-
ADB, has supported legal and judicial reform. nancing and managing projects in the pub-
EBRD is similar to ADB in so far as its lic and private sectors. However, the EBRD
charter was modeled largely after the ADB charter provides that at least 60 percent of
charter. Because EBRD services the coun- its resources are allocated for the private
tries of Central and Eastern Europe and the sector. Private sector loans serve EBRD’s
former Soviet Union, it shares a number of mission to facilitate the transition of state-
recipient countries with the ADB, specifi- owned enterprises to private ownership and
cally the Central Asian countries that were control, to help enterprises operating com-
formerly part of the Soviet Union. petitively in the market-oriented economy.
EBRD differs from the ADB in that EBRD EBRD exceeded its private sector funding
is not directly involved in the alleviation of target last year when it directed 80 percent
poverty. Instead, EBRD’s mission is to foster of its financing to the private sector.
the transition of central and eastern Euro-
pean countries from command economies
(i.e. economies that are planned and con- 1
Agreement Establishing the European Bank for Reconstruc-
trolled by a central administration) to open tion and Development found at www.ebrd.com/about/basics
Larry Ramos

usually an implementation gap in every sec-

“The EBRD law reform program tor of every country.
The EBRD law reform program focuses
focuses on remedying the on remedying the implementation gaps by
implementation gaps by ensuring that authorities effectively under-
ensuring that authorities stand, apply, and enforce the new laws. In
certain cases, this can be accomplished by
Emmanuel Maurice
effectively understand, apply, simply helping a country assemble a com-
General Counsel and enforce the new laws.” puterized registry of the laws. Remedying
European Bank for implementation gaps can also involve par-
Reconstruction and
Mr. Emmanuel Maurice is the General Counsel of the ticipation in training sessions to help judges
Development (EBRD)
European Bank for Reconstruction and Development understand the new laws and apply them in
(EBRD). Before joining the EBRD, he worked in the New York and Paris offices the most effective manner. EBRD has as-
of a U.S. law firm and with the International Finance Corporation in Washington. sisted with judicial training programs to
He has Masters’ degrees in law from the universities of Paris and Stanford and
a degree from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris. implement the New Secured Transactions
Law in the Slovak Republic and the new In-
solvency Law in Poland.
EBRD and ADB both have a legal reform In 2004, the EBRD decided to go beyond
program, and EBRD has a limited judicial that limited approach and focus on judicial
reform program. Ten years ago, the EBRD capacity building on a larger scale. In
started its legal reform program, called the launching initiatives in this area, it applied
Legal Transition Program, in keeping with the four-part legal reform methodology de-
the Bank’s mandate. Due to EBRD’s involve- scribed above. It first determined that there
ment in private sector activities, its transi- were myriad international standards that
tion program focuses on reform of commer- defined the parameters of an efficient and
cial laws that are directly relevant to the independent judiciar y. It identified the
activities of investors and financiers in Cen- United Nations Basic Principles on Indepen-
tral Asia and Eastern Europe, including the dence of the Judiciary, adopted in 1985, and
laws of capital markets and corporate gov- the related United Nations Procedures,
ernance, concessions, insolvency and bank- adopted in 1989, as most relevant interna-
ruptcy, secured transactions, and telecom- tional standards. The Council of Europe’s
munications regulatory reform. Recommendations No. R(92)12 of the Com-
For each sector, EBRD engages in the mittee of Ministers to Member States on the
following methodology. First, it identifies Independence, Efficiency and Role of
the international standards or best prac- Judges, adopted in 1994, and the Council of
tices for compliance. Second, it assesses the Europe’s European Charter on the Statute
laws of the recipient countries against those for Judges, adopted in 1998, were also con-
international standards. Third, it develops sidered. With respect to judicial behavior,
and implements technical assistance EBRD relied on the Bangalore Principles of
projects to support local authorities to es- Judicial Conduct of 2002, which had re-
tablish investor friendly laws and sound cently been adopted by the United Nations.
institutions. Finally, it advances legal reform To compare the judiciaries in recipient
through outreach activities including legal countries against these international prin-
roundtable discussions, and the legal jour- ciples, the EBRD relied on work done by the
nal Law in Transition. American Bar Association and Central Eu-
EBRD’s assessment of laws focuses on ropean and Eurasian Law Initiative (CEELI).
two aspects: 1) the extensiveness of the Those organizations designed a judicial re-
laws, or the extent to which the law on the form index and surveyed fourteen of EBRD’s
books comply with international standards; twenty-seven countries of operation.2 The
and 2) the effectiveness of the laws, or the surveys confirmed that the judiciary is
extent to which the authorities in charge of
enforcement effectively apply the laws. This 2
EBRD’s countries of operations are: Albania, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria,
dual analysis has led EBRD to identify what Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary,
it calls the “implementation gap” which is Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Latvia, Lithuania, FYR
Macedonia, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia and
essentially the measure of the effectiveness Montenegro, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Tajikistan,
of the laws. EBRD has found that there is Turkmenistan, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan.

32 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
quite weak in many of these countries. The pan, and Israel.2 Similar to ADB, IDB’s insti-
weakest judiciaries were identified as those tutional goal is to further the economic and
IDB loans,
of Armenia, Bosnia, Kurdish Republic, social development of its twenty-six borrow-
Serbia, Montenegro, and Uzbekistan. The ing member countries3 in Latin America and
whether public
specific shortcomings identified were re- the Caribbean. Roughly 95 percent of the
lated to judicial efficiency, accountability, IDB’s lending program goes to public sector
or private, are
and transparency, and lack of structural borrowers, i.e., to national and local gov-
safeguards and financial resources avail- ernments and government entities that en-
primarily for
able to judiciaries. joy the full faith and credit of the national
Based on these assessments, EBRD de- government. It also has a mandate to lend
investment
cided to help countries launch an initiative to the private sector up to 10 percent of its
to train their judges in commercial law mat- resources. Private sector lending supports
projects. It also
ters. Fortunately, many countries in Central infrastructure projects, local capital market
and Eastern Europe were independently be- development, and trade finance. The Bank
provides policy-
ginning to establish judicial training centers expects private sector lending to increase
to train new judges and provide judges with in the next few years.
based loans,
continuing education. EBRD has cooperated IDB loans, whether public or private, are
with these training centers, which are usu- primarily for investment projects. It also
which entitle
ally placed under the authority of the minis- provides policy-based loans, which entitle
ter of justice. The first EBRD commercial law countries to disbursements for completion
countries to
training project will take place in the Kyrgyz of specified changes to country policy. IDB
Republic with the cooperation of Interna- also provides technical assistance.
disbursements
tional Development Law Organization Since 1994, one of IDB’s main goals has
(IDLO) in Rome, an organization which has been to support efforts by its borrowing
for completion
been involved in training initiatives for law- member countries in the area of the mod-
yers and judges around the globe. ernization the state. A new model of gover-
of specified
In sum, the EBRD’s mission to develop nance is needed in order for the state to
the private sector and market-based econo- fulfill its new role. To support these neces-
changes to
mies, while different from ADB’s emphasis sary governance reforms, IDB supports ex-
on public sector development, neverthe- ecutive, legislative, and judicial reforms
country policy.
less requires legal and judicial reform to geared towards the modernization of the
create a legal environment that is condu- state. IDB’s efforts are strongly supported
IDB also
cive to investment, entrepreneurship, and by civil society in its member countries, the
economic growth. To this end, EBRD has free press, and the governments themselves.
provides
sponsored and will continue to sponsor le- These efforts are reflected in IDB’s Modern-
gal and judicial reform programs. ization of the State strategy, approved by
technical
its Board of Executive Directors.
In reforming the executive branch, IDB
assistance.
seeks to promote the responsiveness of gov-

IDB’s Efforts in ernments’ audit capacity and strengthen

their controller capacity. IDB advocates
■

Legal and Judicial transparency in the budget process and

control mechanism. In legislative reform,

Reforms
JAMES SPINNER
1
The Agreement establishing the Inter-American Development
General Counsel, Inter-American Bank is found at www.iadb.org/leg/Documents/Pdf/Convenio-
Development Bank (IDB) Eng.Pdf
2
IDB’s non-borrowing member countries are: Austria, Belgium,
Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Israel,
Italy, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain,

T
Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and the
he Inter-American Development United States.
Bank (IDB) 1 is an institution 3
IDB’s borrowing member countries are, according to IDB’s
percentage of project financing for the country: Argentina,
very similar to ADB. It is a re- Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia,
gional development bank with Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador,
Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nica-
forty-seven shareholders from ragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad and To-
the countries of the Americas, Europe, Ja- bago, Uruguay and Venezuela.

International Collaborations in Justice Reform 33

Larry Ramos

states. Judicial reform projects have also

“IDB’s mandate now goes beyond provided courts with equipment, facilities,
simply creating an enabling and administrative support for case load
management and to support judicial inde-
environment for invest-ments. The pendence.
IDB now counts poverty reduction, In its initial efforts, IDB deliberately did
not involve itself in any element of criminal
James Spinner encourage-ment of social equity, law. Traditional thinking at the time was that
General Counsel
Inter-American and environmentally sustainable criminal law reform did not directly support
Development Bank economic growth among its goals.” economic and social development. As IDB’s
funds were available exclusively for pur-
poses of economic development, criminal
Mr. J. James Spinner is General Counsel of the Inter-American Development
Bank (IDB). His career in IDB’s Legal Department included assignments in the law reform was deemed to fall outside IDB’s
Operational Division, working with Central America; the Institutional Office, mandate.
working on the Bank’s procurement of goods and services, tax matters, and However, IDB policy on criminal law re-
issues related to the Bank’s privileges and immunities; the Financial Office, form has changed over the last few years.
working on IDB’s issuance of securities in capital markets around the world, its
financial operations, and its periodic capital increases; and as Deputy General IDB has acknowledged that in order to de-
Counsel. Before joining IDB, Mr. Spinner practiced law in Washington, D.C. He velop a modern society where there is
holds a J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and a Bachelor of Arts economic and social equality for all, the
degree, with highest honors, in History from Lehigh University. criminal law system, criminal law proce-
dures, the police, the prosecutors and the
penal system must be reformed as well.
IDB’s activities frequently concentrate on Changing the criminal justice system, defin-
ensuring transparency in the legislative pro- ing the role of the police, and providing in-
cess, encouraging the participation of civil dividuals with access to courts are all re-
society, and strengthening the links be- forms that are critical to achieving
tween federal and state legislative entities. economic and social development. IDB has
expanded its efforts to improve criminal
Legal and Judicial Reform at IDB justice even further to support a program
IDB’s Modernization of the State mandate to prevent community violence, specifically
includes support of judicial reform and law violence among teenagers and in the streets,
reforms. IDB’s programs identified different as well as domestic violence. The program
areas of the law where reform was needed consists of establishing community centers,
and worked with international standards training programs, and community police
and methods to increase the competitive- organizations to bring communities to-
ness of its member countries in these areas. gether to prevent violence and crime. Crimi-
Most of the countries in Latin America have nal law reforms and community action pro-
legal systems based on French or Spanish grams are a necessary element in today’s
civil law systems. There is a move under- holistic view of the ways in which economic
way in many of these countries to move from development can be supported.
their traditional systems to ones that in- It has also invested in improving public
clude common-law-like characteristics. Ex- information about the law, ensuring access
amples incude a move towards oral hear- to the courts, and promoting public under-
ings and towards an accusatory system, standing of the function and financing of le-
rather than a system where judge is both gal systems. IDB has provided support for
prosecutor and adjudicator. alternative dispute resolution mechanisms
IDB’s judicial reform agenda includes and other methods for achieving resolution
court reform. To ensure the efficiency of of disputes that do not depend on the courts.
court systems, IDB has funded, among other
things, the establishment of administrative Lessons Learned
systems to support existing judiciary insti- IDB has learned several lessons from its ex-
tutions, speed up processes, and ensure that periences with legal reform. First, legal re-
judges dedicate their time to their form is never easy. Second, it is not always
caseloads. Other programs have trained agreed that legal reform is a priority to be
judges in international standards and pro- placed on the financing agenda by a bor-
vided education on the national law of other rowing member country. Third, in develop-

34 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
ing reform programs, one size does not fit need administrative support and training
all. Fourth, legal reform is insufficient by it- to ensure their independence and to main-
Meaningful
self, and must be accompanied by other re- tain the public’s respect in the courts.
forms that strengthen the state’s role. Meaningful legal and judicial reform
legal and judicial
Legal and judicial reform is no longer does not come quickly. It is important to
merely aimed at providing a legal environ- take a multi-lateral approach that involves
reform does not
ment that could support foreign and domes- chambers of commerce, governments, and
tic investments. Judicial reform is an inte- for civil society to play an active role and
come quickly. It
gral part of IDB’s modernization of the state, provide an oversight for the government’s
with poverty reduction, encouragement of tasks. ADR mechanisms should be devel-
is important to
social equity, and environmentally sustain- oped to alleviate the congestion in the
able economic growth among its goals. courts. It should be kept in mind that cer-
take a multi-
Capacity building and legal and judicial tain of these are quick fixes, less than ideal
reform must go beyond simply providing solutions implemented because the basic
lateral approach
judges with computers and other technical underlying structure is not working. In or-
equipment. While computer systems are der to support conditions conducive for
that involves
necessary to keep good records and man- economic and social development our ef-
age case flow, the computers are useless forts must provide long-term sustainable
chambers of
without staff trained to use them. Judges reforms as well as immediate solutions.
commerce,

governments,

and for civil

society to play

an active role

and provide an

oversight for the

government’s

tasks.
■

International Collaborations in Justice Reform 35

During recent

years, the

President and the

Parliament [of
Chapter 4
Indonesia] have
Improving the Police’s Role
increased the

police budget by and Performance in Protecting

300 to 400 percent,
Human and Economic Security
which not only

finances the ■ Ideas in Police Reform: General Overview

• Police Reform: The Indonesian Context
reform effort, but
• Police Reform: A Bangladesh Context
also boosts the • Looking Back, Moving Forward: A Brief History of Ideas and Events Relevant to
Pakistan’s Police System
confidence and ■ Police Effectiveness and Accountability: Ideas to Launch Police Reform
• The Philippine National Police: Transformation and Reform
morale of the • Implementation of Police Reforms
• Access to Justice and the Urgency of Police Reform: Bangladesh Perspectives
police.

Ideas in Police Historical Background

During the era of President Suharto, from

Reform: General approximately 1967 to 1997, the police was

a branch of the military. They were deployed

Overview to conflict areas and could be killed as com-

batants. They were deployed to prevent
uprisings in communities. The police were
Police Reform: The Indonesian Context known to abuse their power and there was
much corruption. Consequently, public per-
ADRIANUS E. MELIALA ception of the police was very negative. At
Adviser to the Chief, Indonesian National the end of the Suharto era, there were inter-
Police, and to the Security Police Reform Prog- nal and external factors pushing for police
ram of the Partnership for Governance Reform reform. Many young officers wanted the
police force to be separated from the mili-
tary, because they felt that they were dis-

T
he Indonesian police force, with criminated against within the military. Also,
approximately 300,000 person- the public wanted a better and more de-
nel, is one of the biggest police pendable police, primarily because they
organizations in the world. The were looking for alternatives to the military.
police force is currently under
the control of the President of the Repub- Initial Reforms
lic, as the police transitions from its former In 1999, the Indonesian National Police be-
status as a branch of the military to execu- gan a reform program, which addressed the
tive control. structural, ethical (referred to as “instru-

36 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
mental”), and cultural aspects of the police closely examine the Indonesian National
force. The police organization was removed Police (INP) agenda. The concern is that if
Strong leader-
from the military and placed under the the police are free to set their own reform
President’s control. The ethics and code of agenda, they will use the funding to increase
ship within the
conduct were rewritten to capture the new their salaries and power, but will be reluc-
civilian mission. The reforms attempted to tant promote police accountability, over-
police that is
change the culture of the organization from sight, and police ethics.
one that was perceived to be arrogant, vio-
supportive of
lent, and trigger-happy, to an organization The Reform Agenda
that is focused on service to the commu- Indonesia started its police reform process
reform is
nity. five years ago. It is pursuing strategies to
The reform efforts, though necessary, enhance the effectiveness and accountabil-
essential to
were not sufficient. Accountability and bud- ity of the INP. These are: (a) developing in-
getary control, for example, were not ad- ternal capacity; (b) providing professional
implementing
dressed at all. It was unclear whether the support and technical assistance; (c) using
reforms would actually lead to profession- the partnership model of policing; (d) pro-
any reform
alism and police responsiveness to public viding more external controls; (e) auditing
demands. These were the issues that the police finances; (f) establishing the National
program.
press and non-government organizations Police Commission; and (g) establishing a
(NGOs) wanted answered. local police complaint board.
Indonesia is
Catalysts and Obstacles to Police Reform Improving Accountability
fortunate to
Strong leadership within the police that is There has been a new movement to evalu-
supportive of reform is essential to imple- ate the effectiveness and accountability of
have two police
menting any reform program. Indonesia is the Indonesian police force by analogizing
fortunate to have two police chiefs who are it to a private corporation. Corporations and
chiefs who are
pro-reform. Political will is also critical, as the police are similar to the extent that
reforms depend on increased spending and when we invest in them, we expect some-
pro-reform.
supportive legislation. During recent years, thing in return. Increased accountability
the President and the Parliament have in- means holding the police responsible for
■
creased the police budget by 300 to 400 delivering better results and maintaining
percent, which not only finances the reform high standards. In a democratic system, the
effort, but also boosts the confidence and public invests in the police force that then
morale of the police. External pressures serves the public. The police force must be
from the media, NGOs, and university stu- not only fiscally accountable, but it must
dents, particularly with respect to police be accountable for behaviorist deeds as
violence and corruption, strengthens incen- well. To this end, the police force should
tives for reform. have a dialogue with the community so as
There are many obstacles to implement- to be most responsive to community needs.
ing any reform agenda. The military has
made attempts to draw the police back into Developing Internal Capacity
its former functions. Without a comprehen- The INP has been developing internal ca-
sive reform plan and with staff and leader- pacity by developing new laws, codes of
ship turnover, there is inconsistency of ap- conduct, budgetary systems, internal con-
proach. It is difficult to promote consistent trol mechanisms, and modes of action, par-
and comprehensive reforms because of the ticularly in handling riots. Indonesian schol-
uneven dispersal of resources across the ars have also conducted research on how
system. For example, the police-to-popula- the Indonesian paramilitary police devel-
tion ratio in Bali is 1 to 300, but in Kaliman- oped techniques to control demonstrations.
tan, it is 1 to 2,500. Accountability mecha- The INP has adopted universal standards
nisms are still not fully in place. From 1999 and procedures for internal investigations,
up to the present, at least 40 foreign parties which incorporate human rights values.
and international organizations have do-
nated to police reform, with the number of Providing Support and Technical Assistance
donors doubling after the Bali bombing in International and multilateral donors play
2003. However, these foreign donors do not an important role in providing financial sup-

Improving the Police’s Role and Performance in Protecting Human and Economic Security 37
Larry Ramos

Establishing External Control

“There has been a new The police need external control to ensure
effectiveness and accountability. The police
movement to evaluate the is surrounded by many institutions that
effectiveness and accountability monitor its performance. We have an Om-
of the Indonesian police force by budsman, but that office has not involved
itself with police operations. The parliament
analogizing it to a private exercises political control, and the Minis-
Adrianus E. Meliala
Adviser to the Chief,
corporation....Increased try of Finance and the Bureau of Auditing
exercises budgetary control over the police.
Indonesian National accountability means holding the The Bureau of Auditing monitors police ex-
Police, and the Security
Police Reform Program police responsible for delivering penditures to help the police manage their
of the Partnership for resources and prevent abuse.
Governance Reform
better results.”
The press, non-government organiza-
Dr. Adrianus E. Meliala is an adviser of the Chief of the Indonesian National tions (NGOs), and the private sector, par-
Police and adviser of the Security Police Reform Program of the Partnership for ticularly students, also exercise significant
Governance Reform in Indonesia. Dr. Meliala lectures at the Institute of Police informal control on police power, because
Science and is part of the academic staff at Faculty of Social and Political Sci-
ences University of Indonesia, Jakarta. Mr. Meliala has a Ph.D. from the Univer- they act as whistle-blowers for police mis-
sity of Queensland, Australia. He has published several articles in international conduct, violence, and other inappropriate
policing journals as well as Indonesian-language books on policing. police actions. The local government, the
business sector, and donor agencies like the
Asian Development Bank (ADB) also serve
port and technical assistance to INP. as external controls over the police.
Through technical assistance, INP gains ac- The existing formal and informal con-
cess to consultants and advisers who bring trols, while necessary and helpful, are in-
to INP the international best practices in sufficient. We need a local police complaint
policing. Support and technical assistance board that will have power to oversee the
should be structured with a focus on creat- police’s execution of their duties and their
ing sustainable solutions. Donors must real- internal disciplinary proceedings. Also, a
ize that addressing police reform requires National Police Commission has been pro-
more than just providing technical assis- posed to provide further political oversight
tance and funding. They need to ensure that and high-level managerial control. However,
the police are held to account for the re- the bill creating the Commission, which is
sources and technology provided to them. still awaiting the President’s signature, lim-
its the Commission’s role to that of an advi-
Engaging the Public through sory body to the President.
the Partnership Model
Despite significant accomplishments toward Conclusion
police reform, the INP suffers from low pub- The Indonesian National Police has come a
lic trust. We need to continue with our re- long way from its days as a paramilitary or-
form program in order to regain the support ganization under the Suharto regime. The
and confidence of the public. The partner- reforms that have been undertaken have
ship model to enhance police effectiveness improved the system, but there are still fur-
and accountability has been promoted by ther reforms to be implemented. Future re-
the Partnership for Governance Reform in In- forms must focus on increasing the effec-
donesia and the United Nations Dev- tiveness and accountability of the police.
elopment Fund (UNDP). The idea is to pro- Sustainable reforms can only take place
mote partnership and cooperation between with political and public support and with
the public and the police so that there is less the help of the international community.
public resistance to police action. Sensitive Together, we will modernize the Indonesia
issues such as corruption can be dealt with National Police to provide security for our
more effectively if the police and the public citizens and create an environment that will
are partners in the enforcement process. promote economic growth.

38 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 physical security. Police reform should im-
Police Reform: A Bangladesh Concept prove the efficiency and effectiveness with
ASM SHAHJAHAN which the police fulfills its constitutional
Former Inspector General of Police, mandate to promote respect for fundamen-
Bangladesh tal human rights, ensure equitable access
to justice, and observe the rule of law.

E
very government is expected to Police History
provide a safe and secure envi- Bangladesh’s colonial history continues to
ronment. Every community impact the attitude, behavior, and culture
needs an efficient and effective of the police force. Bangladesh’s police law
police force. Every citizen wants and regulations, as well as major criminal
quick police response and easy access to laws like the Penal Code, Evidence Act, and
justice. Criminal Procedure Code, are products of the
The United Nations Development 19th century colonial era. The Bangladesh
Programme (UNDP) has reported on police force was created by the Police Act Less
Bangladesh twice, noting the importance of of 1861, three years after the Sepoy Mutiny than
human security generally and the lack of or first serious rebellion against British rule. US$1.50
human security in Bangladesh. According It has not been changed, despite the chang- Yearly per capita
to a 1996 report on “Human Development ing needs of society. It emphasizes the exer- spending on police
in Bangladesh: A Pro-poor Agenda”: cise of authority rather than accountability. service in
It does not conceive of the concept of polic- Bangladesh (95
Human Security, achieved through the establish- ing as a service or as a profession. The Po- taka). The police
ment of law and order, enables people to exer- lice Act of 1861 was designed for a colony, budget is less than
cise their choices safely and freely, and with the and does not meet the needs of an indepen- 3 percent of the
confidence that opportunities they have today are dent democracy in the 21st century. Even national budget. Of
not totally lost tomorrow…Clear laws, enforced after independence, the police has contin- this, only 0.19
justly, transparently, and efficiently, are neces- ued to be used in the colonial fashion. Suc- percent of the
sary to create an enabling, predictable, and se- cessive governments required the police to police budget is
cure living and working environment…This, in perform functions that, for decades, earned spent on training,
turn, requires (a) that the laws are known; (b) them the hostility of the community. Gradu- and almost nothing
that they are enforced in an equitable and timely ally, mistrust and suspicion developed be- is allocated to
manner; (c) that an independent and credible tween the police and the community. Police research.
judiciary operates to resolve conflicts and make success substantially depends on a support-
binding decisions; and (d) that laws can be re- ive community with respect for the law, so
vised if/when they cease to serve the purpose for that a central part of any reform agenda must
which they were intended.1 be reinvigorating public trust for and confi-
dence in the police.
In a September 2002 report, “Human
Security in Bangladesh—In Search of Jus- Resource Constraints
tice and Dignity,” UNDP obser ved that Police efficacy is constrained by lack of fi-
“Bangladesh today is weighed down by a nancial, technological and human re-
significant level of human insecurity.”2 sources. Government funding for the police
Human insecurity does not stem from a is completely inadequate. In Bangladesh,
single sector of the community. The prob- per capita spending on police service is ap-
lem cannot be solved by the government or proximately 95 taka (less than $1.50 US dol- Anamul Haque Anam
the criminal justice system alone. Every sec- lars) a year. The police budget is less than 3
tor of society must work together effectively percent of the national budget. The police
to solve the problem. However, the police budget itself does not allocate resources
have a direct responsibility for ensuring well. Only 0.19 percent of the police budget
is spent on training, and almost nothing is
1
United Nations Development Programme, 1996 Report on allocated to research. Insufficient funding
“Human Development in Bangladesh: A Pro-poor Agenda” results in insufficient technological re-
(1996), available at www.un-bd.org/undp/info/hsr/
Preface.pdf sources. Police weapons and equipment are
2
United Nations Development Programme, Human Security in outdated, and there are too few transport
Bangladesh: In Search of Justice and Dignity (2002), avail-
able at www.un-bd.org/undp/Human%20Security vehicles at the police station level. The qual-

Improving the Police’s Role and Performance in Protecting Human and Economic Security 39
Larry Ramos

police alone. It also has to create a vision

“Police reform should improve that will provide the community with value
for their money. The community wants to
the efficiency and effectiveness see their police as a source of visible reas-
with which the police fulfills its surance. Police reform mechanisms should
constitutional mandate to emphasize those factors that make them
responsive to the community and account-
promote respect for fundamental able for their actions. These reforms should
ASM Shahjahan
Former Inspector General human rights, ensure equitable consider the following aspects:
of Police, Bangladesh
access to justice, and observe the A. ORGANIZATIONAL REFORMS
rule of law.” • Removal of organizational constraints.
The police has inherited political and
Mr. ASM Shahjahan is a former Inspector General of Police of Bangladesh with
a career in the police service spanning almost four decades. As Inspector Gen- organizational constraints over the de-
eral, Mr. Shahjahan oversaw 100,000 police officers and was responsible for cades. Management should value and
maintaining the internal security and law and order in Bangladesh. Mr. Shahjahan empower its personnel, encourage staff
also served as an adviser to the Non-Party Caretaker Government of Bangladesh initiative and teamwork, allow commit-
in 2001, and was in charge of the Ministries of Education, Primary and Mass
Education Division, Science and Technology, and Youth and Sports. Mr. Shahjahan ted leadership to reward good work, and
has a Master of Commerce Degree from the University of Dhaka. punish lazy and ineffective personnel
appropriately. All efforts should be
made to promote organizational dev-
ity of investigations is poor, partly because elopment.
there are no facilities for forensic and scien- • Competent leadership. In a labor-inten-
tific analysis. The police also lack human sive institution like the police, leader-
resources. They are overworked and under- ship plays an important role, so that
staffed. The national police to population competent police leadership must be
ratio is only 1:1300, and at the sub-district fostered.
level it is as low as 1:8000. Most police offic- • Status improvement. It is necessary to im-
ers are required to work thirteen to fourteen prove the social, economic, and official
hours a day and on weekends and holidays. status of the police, especially the con-
stables. The criteria for the selection of
Reform Attempts police officers should be transparent
Since the country’s liberation in 1971, over and merit-based.
a half dozen committees and commissions • Culture of quality. Conservative, cautious,
have been formed to diagnose the police and authoritarian management styles
ills and to come up with specific recommen- must be replaced with the concept of
dations. These initiatives have been fruit- Total Quality Management (TQM).
ful to the extent that the reports were com- • Morale boosting measures. A police force
piled, but unfortunately the recommenda- that is competent, courageous, and con-
tions they carried have not been imple- fident will be more efficient and effec-
mented. Scarce resources, mixed incentives tive than one with low morale.
and vested interests prevented the reform
agenda from being implemented. B. STRUCTURAL REFORMS
• Coping with increased demands. The de-
Reform Agenda mands on the police increase every day
Government agencies that spend taxpayers’
money, such as the police, are considered
service providers. Money is spent to pro-
FIGURE 1: POLICE AS SERVICE PROVIDER
duce an output, in this case police services
in preventing and investigating crime, and COST ➔ POLICING ➔ OUTPUT
this output must be directed to the needs (Police (Community
of the community that provided the fund- Budget) Satisfaction)
➔

ing for the service (see Figure 1).

The police organization exists to deliver Taxpayers’ Money
services to the community. Any reform (Based on The Accountability Trap for Police by Tim A. Hooke)
agenda must go beyond transforming the

40 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 with the increasing complexities of so- for crime prevention;
ciety. Reform efforts must determine • improved scientific investigation;
A project titled
which core functions fall within the ex- • better use of resources;
clusive responsibility of the police and • human resource management;
“Strengthening
which should be contracted out or taken • due emphasis on modern training pro-
up by the private security industry. cedures and methodologies;
Bangladesh
• New training philosophy. The Bangladesh • anti-corruption; and
police need to be exposed to new train- • performance measurement and over-
Police” has been
ing philosophies, procedures, practices, sight.
and methodologies. In order to fully dis-
launched to
card the remnants of the colonial sys- Sustaining Police Reform
tem, supervisory leaders as well as sub- The success of an essential national issue
improve police
ordinate ranks need to unlearn many like police reform depends on uniform sup-
things while trying modern ideas. port at the highest levels. In a multi-party
efficiency,
• Research. Adequate funding should be democracy, the consensus of leading politi-
made available for research. Every ma- cal parties and leaders is crucial to the suc-
effectiveness,
jor police unit should have a research cess of a project. Mere political will or in-
branch to help it develop effective meth- tention is not enough to guarantee imple-
and account-
ods of policing and adopt new tech- mentation. The sustained implementation
nologies. Experts and resource persons, of reforms across electoral cycles is ex-
ability. This
in addition to standard police person- tremely important to the success of any re-
nel, should also be utilized. form initiative. Political differences be-
three-year
tween outgoing and incoming governments
C. COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIP must not in adversely affect reform actions
project is in
• Strengthening police-community part- pursued by the outgoing government nor
nerships. The police culture should be should they slow down the continued
collaboration
based on mutual support and trust implementation process pursued by the in-
within the organization and with mem- coming government.
with the
bers of the community. The police Creating a sense of ownership over a re-
should work with the community to pre- form program is vital. All reform processes
Ministry of
vent crime and to solve problems that should be participatory with a clear sense
adversely affect the safety and security of strategic direction. Reforms must ensure
Home Affairs
of the community. the operational independence of the police
• Improvement in police response time. and involve the community in the discharge
(MOHA), UNDP,
An effective emergency response system of its services.
must exist so the police could respond
and the UK
to community needs in a timely manner. Conclusion
Reforming a century-old police organization
Department of
Latest Reform Initiatives is not an easy venture. Any reform agenda
In November 2003, the UNDP submitted a is likely to encounter resistance because
International
Needs Assessment Report for reforming the people with vested interests will be disad-
Bangladesh police with a view to strength- vantaged by the reform effort. Even after a
Development
ening human security. reform agenda is launched, immediate re-
Now, a project titled “Strengthening sults should not be expected because
(DFID), with the
Bangladesh Police” has been launched to changing the institutional culture of the
improve police efficiency, effectiveness, and police simply takes time. Further, sustain-
initial phase
accountability. This three-year project is in able reform cannot be achieved without
collaboration with the Ministry of Home continuous allocation of adequate funds.
costing US $13
Affairs (MOHA), UNDP, and the UK Depart- Notwithstanding, funding should also be ac-
ment of International Development (DFID), companied by appropriate performance
million.
with the initial phase costing US $13 mil- measurements to ensure satisfactory value
lion. The project aims to facilitate access to for the investment.
■
justice for the vulnerable groups (women, Promoting human security must go be-
children, the poor) and focuses on: yond reforming the police’s services to the
• police professionalism; public. If we intend to secure improved fun-
• promoting interaction with community damental human rights of people, we must

Improving the Police’s Role and Performance in Protecting Human and Economic Security 41
 respect the rights of the police themselves. revenue administration system.
Police reforms, therefore, should include in- In Calcutta, Bombay and Madras, where
The origins of
creasing salaries and assuring that the po- a majority of the British in India lived, the
lice enjoy reasonable living and working city police forces were reorganized and pat-
the Pakistani
conditions. These benefits should be pro- terned after the London Metropolitan Po-
moted in conjunction with strict discipline, lice. The police forces were separated from
police system lie
accountability, and oversight. Benefits for the district collector’s office. The Torture
police personnel should be implemented Commission’s recommendations triggered
in a system
without sacrificing resources which should the enactment of a new police law in Ma-
be allocated to ensuring adequate funds for dras—the Madras District Police Act of 1859,
created by the
sustained reform initiatives, enhancing su- which recognized the principle of separation
pervisory and managerial competencies, in- of the judiciary from the executive. However,
East India Com-
stituting morale boosting measures, remov- in the aftermath of the “mutiny” of 1857, the
ing opportunities for corruption and abuse Madras District Police Act was not accepted
pany that placed
of power, and ensuring operational freedom. as a model law for the rest of British India.
The police force in Bangladesh has The Police Commission of 1860, overturning
overwhelming
much to learn from its colonial origins, but the Torture Commission’s recommenda-
must take care to not to become entrenched tions, supported “temporary” continuation
primacy on the
in the past. Police reforms should focus on of police and judicial powers in the hands
increasing effectiveness, efficiency, and of the district collectors. As a result, the Po-
office of the
economy while maintaining the notion of lice Act of 1861 was enacted instead.
police as public service. The Police Act of 1861 placed the dis-
district collector.
trict police under the general direction and
control of the district collector-magistrate.
...The collector
This arrangement created a “junction of the
was armed with Looking Back, Moving Forward: thief-catcher with the judge,” and was widely
A Brief History of Ideas and Events criticized. It elevated the district magistrate
both police and Relevant to Pakistan’s Police System into a “local governor empowered to use
DR. MUHAMMAD SHOAIB SUDDLE the police and courts at will for the mainte-
Director General, National Police Bureau nance of the British rule.” Sir James Stephen,
magisterial
Ministry of Interior & Narcotics Control law member of the Governor-General’s Coun-
Islamabad, Pakistan cil (1870–71), propounded the philosophy
powers. Police
of the district administration in the follow-
ing words:
powers allowed
1765–1947

T
he origins of the Pakistani po- The administration of justice is not in a satisfac-
the collector to
lice system lie in a system cre- tory state in any part of the Empire but the first
ated by the East India Company principle to be borne in mind is that the mainte-
obtain revenue
that placed overwhelming pri- nance of the position of District Officers is abso-
macy on the office of the district lutely essential to the maintenance of British rule
by subjecting
collector. In this system, the collector was in India and that any diminution in their influence
armed with both police and magisterial pow- and authority over the natives shall be dearly
“natives” to
ers. Police powers allowed the collector to purchased even by an improvement in the admin-
obtain revenue by subjecting “unwilling istration of justice.
untold atrocities.
natives” to untold atrocities. Since the col-
lector held magisterial powers as well, no The Police Commission of 1902 grap-
■
other body checked the collector’s abuses. pled with the problems inherent in the dual
The collector’s oppressive practice of ob- role played by the district magistrate. It
taining revenue from people by torture at- observed that “there is no necessity for the
tracted the notice of the British House of dual control and undue interference of the
Commons. A commission created to exam- district magistrate.” However, the Commis-
ine allegations of torture (the “Torture Com- sion fell short of recommending any amend-
mission”) was convened in Madras in 1855. ment to the Police Act of 1861.
It recommended to the British House of
Commons the creation of a district police 1947–1999
organization that was independent from the After Pakistan gained independence in 1947,

42 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
a bill filed in the Legislative Assembly capable of meeting the growing law and or-
passed a bill on 7 February 1948 that aimed der challenges, especially in Pakistan’s ma-
to transform the police in Karachi from an jor urban centers. The committee recom-
instrument to keep citizens on a tight leash mended that the fundamental restructuring
into a public-friendly agency staffed by pro- of the existing system, especially for capi-
fessionals tasked with preventing and de- tal cities and major towns with a popula-
tecting crime and enforcing the law with tion of over 500,000. A Ministerial Commit-
justice and impartiality. However, this bill tee approved the recommendation. How-
was never authenticated by the governors ever, it was decided instead to send a del-
general.1 The same—powerful—vested in- egation consisting of a Member/Secretary
terests ensured that subsequent police re- of the Ministerial Committee and the Addi-
form initiatives were unsuccessful. In 1951, tional Secretary of the Ministry of Interior
a committee headed by Sir Oliver Gilbert to India and Bangladesh to study the re-
1985
Grace, then Inspector General of Police of forms proposed by the Police Committee.4
The year the Police
the North Western Frontier Province The delegation returned convinced that the
Committee in
(NWFP), recommended that the organiza- Police Committee’s proposal merited imple-
Pakistan was
tion of the police in Karachi should be fun- mentation in Karachi, Lahore and Islam-
mandated to
damentally changed. However, no headway abad on priority basis. However, before any
examine whether
could be made because of strong opposi- headway could be made in this regard, the
the existing police
tion by the bureaucratic elite. The Pakistan prime minister was dismissed in May 1988,
system based on
Police (Constantine) Commission of 1960– and police organizational reform suffered a
the Police Act of
61 specifically went to India to study met- serious setback yet again. After the new
1861 was capable
ropolitan police system for Karachi, but the elected government was installed in 1989,
of meeting the
commissioners chose not to make any rec- the prime minister announced that the old
growing law and
ommendation in this regard.2 The Pay & Ser- police system would be reorganized on an
order challenges,
vices Re-organisation Committee (1961–62), experimental basis in selected cities of Pa-
especially in
headed by Justice Cornelius, recommended kistan. Another delegation,5 headed by the
Pakistan’s major
in clear terms the introduction of metropoli- Interior Secretary, was sent to India and
urban centers.
tan system of policing for cities like Karachi Bangladesh preparatory to the proposed
and Lahore, but the recommendation was reform. The delegation returned with a defi-
not accepted. The issue was again taken up nite recommendation to amend the Police
by yet another Police Commission (1969– Act of 1861.
70), headed by Major General Mitha. The Several foreign missions to Pakistan
commission concluded: also echoed the need for police reforms in
Pakistan. A British delegation headed by Sir
The need is for establishing clearly and unmistak- Richard Barrat, the Chief Inspector of Con-
ably the fact that the Superintendent of Police in a stabulary of the United Kingdom, which vis-
district is the undisputed head of the police force ited Pakistan from 21 to 26 January 1990, Muhammad Bilal
in his district and that the district magistrate must recommended that the entire philosophy of
not interfere in the day to day or internal adminis- policing in Pakistan needed to be changed
tration of the police force. in the manner suggested by the Police Com-
mittee of 1985. The delegation observed:
In 1985, the Police Committee3 was man-
dated to examine whether the existing po- The central problem surrounding police…in Pa-
lice system based on Police Act of 1861 was kistan is that the present system was created many
years ago under colonial rule and has not been
1
The governor-general’s office returned the bill apparently refined or evaluated to keep pace with the chang-
for rectification of certain typographical errors, but it seems ing face of the country in the last decade of the
that this was a ploy to gain time, as the governor-general’s
fast deteriorating health was making it increasingly impos- twentieth century….Police…throughout Pakistan
sible for him to attend to his official duties. have clung to the role envisaged by the Police Act
2
They felt that as, by then, Karachi had ceased to be the capital
of Pakistan, the issue was no longer relevant. of 1861, in which the main functions were the
3
The author was a member/secretary of the 1985 Police Com- maintenance of law and order and preservation
mittee.
4
It is worth recalling that Bangladesh—which was East Paki- of the status quo by methods of suppression and
stan until 1971—had already changed the 1861 system of control.
policing in Dhaka (1976), Chittagong (1978) and Khulna
(1987).
5
The author was part of this delegation. A UN Mission led by Vincent M. Del

Improving the Police’s Role and Performance in Protecting Human and Economic Security 43
Larry Ramos

A team of experts from the Japanese

“People perceived the police as police, which visited Pakistan in April 1996,
recommended that the police should envis-
agents of the powerful, not as age itself as a public service institution. It
members of an organization also recommended that police reforms in
publicly maintained to enforce Pakistan should focus on building trust be-
tween citizens and the police. It identified
rule of law. The police needed to the following action areas to be crucial in
Dr. Muhammad be reorganized into a modern, building trust between citizens and the po-
Shoaib Suddle lice: (1) the creation of institutional struc-
Director General contemporary organization tures that ensure political neutrality and
National Police Bureau
Ministry of Interior capable of policing free democratic control of the police; (2) the
& Narcotics Control
societies.” proper sharing of responsibilities between
Islamabad, Pakistan the federal government and the provincial
Dr. Muhammad Shoaib Suddle is the Director General of the National Police governments; (3) the adoption of unified
Bureau, Ministry of Interior & Narcotics Control in Islamabad, Pakistan. Prior to chain of command; and (4) the establish-
this, he served as Inspector General of Police in Balochistan, Pakistan. He is also ment of recruitment and selection system
the President of the International Police Association, Pakistan Section, and Inter-
of personnel based on merit.
national Director of the Asia Crime Prevention Foundation in Tokyo, among
many other positions in various professional organizations. He holds a Ph.D. in Based on the Japanese team’s report,
White-Collar Crime and an M.Sc. (Econ.) in Criminology, both from the Univer- Pakistan’s Good Governance Group of the
sity of Wales. 2010 Programme recommended that
Pakistan’s police forces be depoliticized, and
their recruitment, postings, transfers, train-
Buono, UN’s Interregional Advisor for Crime ing and career development, ensured on
Prevention and Criminal Justice, which vis- merit.
ited Pakistan from 26 March to 10 April 1995, A team of experts from Colombia em-
made a number of observations including phasized the urgency of these and similar
the following: reforms. It observed in a report on Sustain-
able Peace in Karachi (1999): “If a profes-
Since 1960, there have been eleven separate sionally competent, politically neutral and
committees or commissions established by gov- democratically controlled Karachi Metro-
ernments in Pakistan and four international mis- politan Police Force is not formed, there will
sions requested by the Government of Pakistan probably be no police reform or reconstruc-
which have recommended major reforms of po- tion of the public sector, both of which are
licing in Pakistan. These have for the most part essential elements for sustainable peace.”
been ignored and the remedies suggested have
been unimplemented. Had the proposed reforms 1999–Present
been undertaken, much of the present crisis could In November 1999, the government decided
have been avoided….The present police system, to set up the Focal Group on Police Re-
which has been allowed to deteriorate so badly forms.6 It asked the Focal Group to suggest
by successive governments and been so abused how to restructure the police. The Focal
for political patronage, has not yet completely bro- Group submitted its recommendations in
ken down due to the dedication, integrity, initia- February 2000. These were enthusiastically
tive and professionalism of a large number of received and intensely debated by members
individual officers and constables. In spite of their of civil society as well as the media.
best efforts, policing will collapse not only in The National Reconstruction Bureau
Karachi but also in other parts of the country un- (NRB), which was set up with the mandate
less law enforcement institutions are strengthened to, among other things, recommend mea-
immediately. sures for ensuring good governance and de-
politicization of state institutions, deliber-
It recommended that Pakistan’s politi- ated on various aspects of the Focal Group’s
cal leadership should declare, as fundamen- blue print of police reforms and formed a
tal policy, that an effective, viable, indepen- Think Tank on Police Reforms that con-
dent but publicly accountable police was
crucial to the development of stable demo- 6
The author was a member of the Focal Group on Police Re-
cratic government institutions. forms.

44 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
sulted with the police and stakeholders tional neutrality, among other things?
from the government, private sector and As a result of its members’ discussions,
“Putting the
civil society.7 the Think Tank identified the following criti-
While deliberating on the Focal Group’s cal steps toward police reform:
customer first”
recommendations, the Think Tank noted
that Pakistan’s police had increasingly been 1. The police hierarchy needs to be made
and responding
called upon to act as agents of the political responsible not only for the organiza-
executive rather than of a democratic state. tion and the administration of the po-
to public
Selective application of law against oppo- lice force, but also for other matters
nents, whether due to political expediency connected with maintenance of law
expectations of
or at the behest of persons of influence, be- and order. The fractured chain of com-
came the norm rather than an exception. mand will need to be fully restored so
what a good
Political and personal vendettas were that policing operations could no longer
waged and won through manipulation of be subjected to extra-departmental par-
police force
the instruments of state. Whatever safe- tisan influences.
guards existed against the floodgates of
would be like
pressure, inducement or threat from crimi- 2. The police needs to be insulated from
nals or ethnic, sectarian or other powerful political interference, and apolitical
will improve
elements were virtually obliterated. As a public safety commissions at the na-
result, people perceived the police as agents tional, provincial and district levels
public
of the powerful, not as members of an could meet this objective. These inde-
organisation publicly maintained to en- pendent bodies would be assigned to
confidence in
force rule of law. The police needed to be oversee critical aspects of police func-
reorganized into a modern, contemporary tioning—approve the annual plan of the
the police.
organization capable of policing free soci- police and monitor delivery of perfor-
eties, not natives. mance targets. They would also be in-
■
Key issues debated by the Think Tank volved in selecting police chiefs.8
included: (1) How should the Pakistan Po-

Muhammad Bilal
lice be organized in order to best meet the 3. It is crucial to bring police under a sys-
law and order challenges of the 21st cen- tem of external accountability that en-
tury? (2) What model would be most suited joys public confidence. This could be
in bringing about a radical change in the achieved by establishing an indepen-
high level of police-public estrangement? dent statutory body called the Police
(3) How can we “police the police”—that is, Complaints Authority. All serious com-
subject the organization to effective demo- plaints against police should fall within
cratic control, and yet ensure its opera- the purview of this authority.

4. The role, duties and responsibilities of

7
The NRB’s Think Tank on Police Reforms comprised senior
the police need to be redefined so that
police administrators who knew the police best--what worked, public service takes precedence over all
what didn’t, and how police reforms should be launched. The other considerations, and the preven-
Think Tank sought the view of the judiciary, and experts of
other criminal justice subsystems. It held discussions with tion and detection of crime is carried
top business leaders who had used innovative management out in view of its social purpose. The
practices to turn their organizations into successful enter-
prises. It consulted public administration experts who knew voluntary support and cooperation of Police professionalism
how best to apply the principles of reinventing public sector citizens in preventing and detecting
organizations to improve police services. The author was a can be enhanced
member of the Think Tank. crime was recognized, and the police through training
8
The proposed independent bodies would be patterned after would do well to act proactively in ush- programs and perfor-
the Japanese public safety commissions. Commenting on the mance audits.
improvement in police behaviour that resulted after the in- ering an era of community policing in
troduction in 1947 of the public safety commission system in Pakistan.
Japan, David Bayley, a noted social scientist and police histo-
rian thus observes:

The fact is that a transformation did occur in police

5. Police professionalism needs to be en-
behaviour in Japan in a relatively short period of hanced through the introduction of
time immediately after World War II. It is associated functional specialization, in separating
with democratization and in one of the most prized
developments of the post war period. Japan's con- the police’s investigative and “watch
temporary record of excellence with respect to police and ward” functions. This would ensure
behaviour is striking not only in relation to the United
States but also in relation to its own past. quality investigations by a cadre of spe-

Improving the Police’s Role and Performance in Protecting Human and Economic Security 45
 cialist investigators. The measure will will, if properly implemented, enable police
also be a major step toward introduc- to function in a new environment, free from
Law enforce-
ing modern technologies in police work the debilitating effects of old outmoded co-
and establishing standard criminal in- lonial system of policing designed in 1861
ment modern-
vestigation practices. to control the “natives.” However, the imple-
mentation process is inseparably tied to
ization is one of
6. An independent inspectorate of inspec- changes in the wider institutions of society
tions tasked with conducting perfor- as well as the provision of adequate man-
the greatest
mance audits of the police should be power and financial resources, especially at
established. This would enable the gov- the level of police stations. Without a realis-
challenges
ernment and other stakeholders to re- tic police structure, adequate compensation
ceive an independent assessment of and benefits10 and adoption of effective ac-
confronting us, a
police performance. countability and other measures, the out-
come of any structural reforms will remain
challenge that
7. “Putting the customer first” and respond- elusive.
ing to public expectations of what a Law enforcement modernisation is one
can and must be
good police force would be like will im- of the greatest challenges confronting us, a
prove public confidence in the police. challenge that can and must be met. There
met. There are
Historically, senior officers in the police are no short cuts, and no easy answers. Like
hierarchy have been reluctant to recog- an old Chinese saying, a journey of a thou-
no short cuts,
nize the need to view police forces as sand miles begins with the first step. Let us
organizations that are fundamentally no take the first steps with commitment and
and no easy
different from any other enterprise or determination and complete the journey.
business. In particular, they have tended There is not a moment to lose.
answers.
to not push for internationally accepted 9
Under the new law, various public safety commissions will
compensation levels, and have not ac- evaluate police performance for the delivery of targets, while
■ also acting as “sounding boards for local opinion.” There
tively sought to change oppressive work- would be a system of independent performance audit of po-
ing conditions, which are a common ex- lice performance. The head of the police would be operation-
cuse for poor police performance. ally independent, but would be accountable to the commu-
nity. The investigation of criminal cases will be the responsi-
bility of a distinct cadre of specialist investigators. The ex-
These steps were considered while ternal oversight of serious complaints of police excesses will
lay the foundation of eventual transformation of police from
drafting the new Police Order of 2002.9 Al- a coercive arm to an accountable and responsive service
though not all principles were entirely ac- enjoying confidence and trust of the people.
3
These would include allowances, provision of accommoda-
cepted, the reforms in the new Police Order tion, an eight-hour workday and a day off each week.

Organization and Administration of Pakistan Police

Each of Pakistan’s provinces has control over its police forces. who is either an Assistant Superintendent of Police or a Deputy
Although the federal government exercises no direct control over Superintendent of Police, supervises police stations located within
the provincial police forces, it can take over the administration of the jurisdiction of a sub-division and is directly responsible to the
a province (and therefore, control over the provincial police) in district superintendent of police.
situations of grave emergency. In cases of internal disturbances Each police station is under the charge of a police officer
that are beyond the provincial government’s control, the federal with the rank of inspector, known as the Station House Officer.
government also exercises its authority. Under each Station House Officer are sub-inspectors, assistant
At the provincial level, the inspector-general serves as chief sub-inspectors, head constables and constables. Among the dis-
of the police forces. He or she is assisted by such number of trict police’s functions is the investigation of criminal cases.
additional inspectors-general, deputy inspectors-general and as- The district police retain a prosecution branch that prosecutes
sistant inspectors-general of police as the provincial government cases in courts of magistrates.2 In some districts, however, gov-
may determine as necessary.1 Police forces under the district level ernment attorneys have been appointed to prosecute such cases.
are answerable to the inspector-general and his or her deputies. —DR. MUHAMMAD SHOAIB SUDDLE
For convenient administration, three to four districts have been
grouped into a police “range.” Each range is placed under the
control of a deputy inspector general of police. 1
Until recently, each village in a rural police station had one or more village watchmen who
assisted the police in performance of law and order duties. Today, the village police is practically
At the district level, the district superintendent is the head defunct.
of the police forces. Each district has been divided into three to 2
There are sessions courts and courts of magistrates that try criminal cases within each district.
four sub-divisions, and each sub-division has been placed under A district and session judge heads the district judiciary, but a district magistrate controls execu-
tive magistrates that try cases punishable up to three years’ imprisonment. Criminal cases in
the charge of a sub-divisional police officer (SDPO). An SDPO, sessions courts are prosecuted by public prosecutors, and not by the district police.
46 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
OPEN FORUM
On Improving the Police’s Role and
Performance in Protecting Human and
Economic Security: Ideas in Police Reform

Participants consider
how community
involvement in police
reforms translate into
concrete benefits to
police forces and
society.
Larry Ramos

Approaches to Police Reform

There are several models that may be used to approach police reform:
• Criticism of the Police: Criticizing the police and demanding reforms is generally not an effective ap-
proach and may breed backlash from the closely-knit police organization.
• The “Santa Claus” Model: Under this approach, the police are given funding for equipment and other
resources so that they can perform better. This model frequently fails to reform the underlying structure
of the police and the existing problems continue to persist once the donations stop.
• Engaging the Police: This model seeks to bring a non-threatening reform agenda to the police, which
empowers them to pursue reforms by providing them with appropriate information and incentives.

Depoliticization of the Police

• Police reform cannot be left entirely to the police, nor should it be left entirely to the politicians. The best
approach involves both politicians and the police working together. The community must also be involved
in critical decision-making about police reforms.
• Police appointments should not be politically controlled, but should be delegated to an independent board
or commission, which either has representation from multiple parties, or is completely apolitical boards.
• Police chiefs must be given fixed tenure. It is important that the chief feels that he is secure in his
position, otherwise he will focus on maintaining his position and will not be motivated to pursue reforms.
For example, in an effort to curry favor with his political superiors, he may recruit personnel based on
social considerations and recommendations, instead of based on merit.
• The intervention of civil society to stop political influence on the police is important. Foreign-funded
NGOs can play an important role, but domestic civil society must also be involved in order for police
reforms to be sustainable. Community involvement in human rights activism can also support police
reforms.

Levels of police accountability

There must be two levels of police accountability: internal and external.
• An independent internal accountability mechanism, such as a police complaint authority, should be acces-
sible to both the police and the community.
• Other branches of the criminal justice system, including the prosecution and the judiciary, must be
reformed so that these institutions can act in concert as an external accountability mechanism.

Improving the Police’s Role and Performance in Protecting Human and Economic Security 47
 Police Effectiveness comprehensive diagnostic study and formu-
lation of a multi-year PNP transformation

and Accountability: and public investment program. We envi-

sion this program to be in keeping with the

Ideas to Launch PNP’s vision of a professional, dynamic, and

highly motivated police force working in

Police Reform partnership with a responsive community

towards the attainment of a safe place to
live, work, and invest in.
The Philippine National Police: Last year, we conducted several focus
Transformation and Reform group discussions where our police offic-
GEN. EDGARDO AGLIPAY ers and civilian stakeholders worked to-
Director General, Philippine National Police gether to identify and analyze the issues and
problems confronting the PNP and to iden-
tify workable solutions to these problems.

W
hen I began my career, the This exercise provided us with diagnostic
police was part of the De- material based on the experience, percep-
partment of National De- tion, and perspective of the stakeholders
fense. On 13 December and claim holders. For example, there is a
1990, Congress passed into tension between high community expecta-
law Republic Act No. 6975, “An Act Estab- tions of the police and the resources avail-
1:1,400 lishing the Philippine National Police under able to meet those expectations. Currently,
The Philippine a Reorganized Department of the Interior and our police to population ratio is 1:1400,
police to population Local Government, and for other Purposes,” which is far too low to meet the demands
ratio. which made the PNP a civilian entity under place on the police. Thirty percent of our
the Department of the Interior and Local policemen do not have firearms. Also, we
30% Government (DILG). The law created a po- have only fulfilled 9 percent of our commu-
The percentage of lice force national in scope and civilian in nication needs and 60 percent of our mobil-
Philippine police- character, which was administered and con- ity needs. In order to meet community ex-
men who do not trolled by the National Police Commission. pectations for police performance, we must
have firearms. The primary duty of the police force is provide the police with increased resources.
to serve and protect members of the com- A multi-stage technical assistance
9% munity. The community and the police project will assess precisely what reforms
The percentage of force have reciprocal rights and obligations. are necessary. The project will undertake a
communication The community has the right and privilege holistic assessment of the PNP institutional
needs that have to demand that the police provide a safe framework, operating system, and its hu-
been fulfilled. and secure environment. On the other hand, man, physical, technological, and financial
the community has the responsibility to resources, and conduct a SWOT (Strengths
-36% support and assist the police in many ways. Weaknesses Opportunities Threats) analy-
The approval rating Most crimes are solved only with the coop- sis of the PNP. On the basis of these assess-
of the Philippine eration of the community, as it provides the ments, the technical assistance project will
National Police. information that guides the investigation then define the direction and focus of the
process and leads to the solution of the PNP transformation program. In keeping
crime. But, of course, the community can with articulated direction and focus, the
perform its role effectively if a credible po- project will identify and define the various
lice force exists. One of the primary goals of reforms that will achieve the PNP vision, and
our reform agenda is to establish and foster ensure that the PNP transformation pro-
the collaboration of the professional police gram complements the reforms to the other
force with the community. pillars of the criminal justice system.1
The technical assistance project will
Transforming the PNP produce (a) a diagnostic study of the PNP
The PNP reform program is now in its diag- transformation program, and (b) a pilot
nostic and program formulation phase. With
technical assistance from the United Na-
1
tions Development Programme (UNDP) Gov- In the Philippines, the pillars of the criminal justice system
include the community, the police, the prosecutors, the courts,
ernance Portfolio, we have embarked on a and the penal system.

48 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
project called “Safer Philippine Cities and
Communities” for implementation in se- “One of the primary goals of
lected cities before its national implemen-
tation.
our reform agenda is to
The PNP transformation program establish and foster the
adopts a holistic and seamlessly integrated collaboration of the
approach that: (a) addresses policy and leg-
islative reforms by updating law and crimi- professional police force with
nal law enforcement; (b) rationalizes the the community.”
government’s law enforcement institutional Gen. Edgardo Aglipay
framework relevant to the PNP’s functions; General Edgardo Aglipay is the chief of the Philip- Director General
(c) undertakes a comprehensive reengineer- pine National Police. He entered and graduated Philippine National Police
ing of the PNP’s organizational structure, from the Philippine Military Academy. He earned
a degree in military arts and sciences from the U.S. Army Command and Gen-
staffing, operating systems, technologies, eral Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, U.S.A. He went on to obtain an
and resources; and (d) builds capabilities M.A. in Business Administration from the University of the Philippines and an
of the PNP personnel and institutes appro- LL.B. from the Ateneo de Manila. As a young lieutenant, he was awarded the
priate reforms to the motivational, integrity, Gold Cross Medal. He was adjudged the best sector commander of the Metro-
politan Command for four consecutive years. Under his leadership, the Laguna
and competence systems to ensure the re- PC/INP Command was adjudged the best provincial command in the Philippines
cruitment and maintenance of quality po- in 1989. He was also adjudged as the best provincial director in 1991. Under his
lice manpower. The program will implement command, the special action force was awarded the best national operational
reforms to improve the PNP’s resource base unit in 1994. As regional director, he was commended for successfully securing
the Asia Pacific Economic Council Summit in Subic, Olongapo as Subic Task
and resource management system, reduce Force Commander in 1996.
resource-related politicization, and im-
prove resource generation and manage-
ment. It will considerably upgrade criminal nisms to address social issues such as pro-
management technologies, both in relation viding drug rehabilitation services and com-
to the crime information management sys- munity counseling for youth offenders. The
tem and police equipment. project will also focus on providing ad-
As earlier noted, one of the specific ini- equate policing and surveillance, using col-
tiatives of the transformation program is the laborative policing with the community to
“Safer Philippine Cities and Communities” ensure a 24-hour police patrol for the entire
pilot project. This project will test a prepa- community. We will encourage community
ratory and coordinated approach in the city participation and initiate a community-
and community levels to maintain a culture based information dissemination program
of peace and to prevent and combat crime. in parishes, schools, community organiza-
Some of the project’s core components are tions, and barangays.2 We will request local
crime mapping, community crime analysis, governments to enact regulations to create
and environmental design. It adopts a loca- an environment conducive to peace. Our
tion-specific community layout plan to pre- project will require the participation of vari-
vent crime. This will include measures such ous stakeholders: the business sector, local
as street lighting, increased police pres- government units, schools, civil society
ence, and converting dark unused places groups, and the community partners of the
into well-lit parks. PNP.
Other project initiatives include the
adoption of a community economic dev- Police Initiatives
elopment program to mobilize the business The PNP chiefs have initiated independent
sector, the local government, and the na- projects to improve the police force. In my
tional government agencies to improve em- capacity as the Police Director General, I de-
ployment, encourage entrepreneurship and cided to adopt the strategic goals set by my
manage credit. We will implement mecha- predecessor, former Police Director General
Hermogenes E. Ebdane, Jr. for organizational
reform, neighborhood partnership, educa-
2
A barangay is the smallest local government unit in the Phil- tion, and training. I decided to adopt his pro-
ippines and is very similar to a village. Municipalities and
cities are composed of barangays. gram after reviewing a survey conducted by
3
The Philippine National Police Reform Commission, chaired the Ordoñez Commission3 which found that
by former Justice Secretary Sedfrey Ordonez, was created
in 2003 to address major grievances in the police force. the people want their policemen to be

Improving the Police’s Role and Performance in Protecting Human and Economic Security 49
 friendly and humble, visible, effective, and Implementation of Police Reforms
law-abiding. Currently the PNP has a bad pub- in Bangladesh
Most of the
lic approval rating, -36 percent, as compared ASM SHAHJAHAN
to -27 percent approval rating for Congress. Former Inspector General of Police,
members of the
To address these concerns, I have come Bangladesh
up with a project called CARE, which stands
PNP, especially
for Courtesy, Action, Results, and Example.

O
Courtesy means every policeman must show ne of the most important is
the supervisors
respect and basic courtesy to every citizen, sues for police reform and
especially the common man. Action requires other law reform efforts is
and leaders,
visible policemen enforcing the law to the implementation. Once the re-
fullest. Every policeman is accountable for form programs have been for-
were former
any failure in the delivery of police services mulated, once the laws have been rewrit-
to the people in his area of responsibility. ten, how can we ensure that the reforms take
military men
Results require all police stations to make effect?
an inventory of unsolved cases, including Many of our laws as they currently
who began their
the list of criminal syndicates and wanted stand, if followed, would constitute reforms
persons. Each police station must resolve in effect. Our constitution emphasizes that
service during
at least five percent of unsolved cases per everyone should be treated equally and that
month. The police are no longer rated on all decisions should be made without fear
the Philippine
the basis of how good their crime statistics or favor. If this could be achieved, we would
are. Instead, they are rated on how well they be halfway to achieving the reforms we de-
Martial Law
comply with the requirement that, every sire. However, the laws and regulations are
month, they apprehend 5 of every 100 full of exceptions and loopholes so that, to
years. Our goal
wanted persons, solve 5 unsolved cases, the extent that they are enforced at all, dis-
and imprison or otherwise render 5 out of cretion becomes the rule. There are several
is to change the
every 100 criminals incapable of commiting ways in which the implementation of our
crimes. Finally, the police chiefs lead the or- laws as they currently exist as well as future
mindset of the
ganization by example. PNP Commanders reform efforts can be strengthened:
should be exemplars of what a policeman
police, to make
should be physically, mentally, and morally. • Community Involvement: Successful po-
We must embrace humble public service as lice reform programs promote a sense
them feel that
an example to our police force and avoid of community ownership and participa-
wasting police resources by, for example, tion by those affected by reforms. The
they are
using unnecessary motorcycle escorts. Most police and the community must consult
of the members of the PNP, especially the with one another and work together in
servants of the
supervisors and leaders, were former mili- order to achieve effective reform. The
tary men who began their service during the demand for access to justice must spring
people and not
Philippine Martial Law years. Our goal is to from the people affected.
change the mindset of the police, to make
the other way
them feel that they are servants of the • Transparency: In order for the commu-
people and not the other way around. There- nity and the police to work together and
around.
fore, its leaders must lead not by rule but by have mutual respect, police recruitment
example and by maintaining good relation- and interim review must be transparent
■
ships with the people. and merit-based.

Conclusion • Political Neutrality: The police must be

This is just the beginning of the PNP’s trans- insulated from political pressures and
formation program and we are committed other influences of those with vested
to implementing the next stage. While many interests.
reform efforts have been implemented in the
past, this is the first well-planned, well-de- • Accountability: The police must be held
signed, and well-sequenced series of reforms strictly accountable for any breach in
that will achieve our vision to provide our their code of conduct. Accountability
people with a safe and secure environment. and oversight mechanisms must be ap-
plied to all ranks of the police force.

50 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
• Adequate Resources: The police need ad- rupt practices are encouraged. In response
equate financial and technical re- to these problems, more funds have been
The police must
sources and improved working condi- made available to all the police stations in
tions to provide them with a functional the country for criminal investigations. The
continue to
environment. We should focus not on government has also addressed the lack of
the conditions of the high-ranking of- access to justice for the poor by passing the
become more
ficers but those of the police stations. Legal Aid Services Act in 2000.
The police officers cannot perform their The police force in Bangladesh is not
pro-active,
jobs effectively if they do not have a only under-funded but also understaffed.
good working environment with the Other developing countries with socio-
people-friendly,
necessary supplies and equipment. economic conditions similar to those in
Bangladesh have a police-to-population ra-
motivated,
Any change in the police force or in so- tio of 1:600 and 1:700, yet the police-to-
ciety at large effects morale, but we must population ratio in Bangladesh is 1:1300. I
dependable and
not let this discourage us. Instead, we would be the happiest man if we achieve a
should encourage changes in attitude and police-to-population ratio of at least 1:1000.
most especially,
continue to move forward. We should Despite these shortcomings, the
strengthen our police force by ensuring Bangladesh police has recovered from its
sensitive to the
transparency, consulting with the commu- public image crisis. We, as a public-service-
nity, and remaining consistent and commit- minded organization, are trying to be more
needs of
ted to our program of reform. responsive to citizen complainants, to pay
special attention to the rights and privi-
women, children,
leges of women and children, and to deal
with offenses committed against women
and senior
Access to Justice and and children more carefully. In order to do
the Urgency of Police Reform: this, we try to motivate our members and
citizens.
A View from Bangladesh develop pride in the profession. We recog-
MD. ASHRAFUL HUDA, PPM nize that to ensure the success of this en-
■
Inspector General of Police, Bangladesh deavor, we will need a good working envi-
ronment, logistical support, the latest tech-
nology, a minimum means of subsistence,

Anamul Haque Anam

O
ne challenge confronting the and training.
police force in Bangladesh is One area of reform that is close to my
its lack of adequate resources. heart is the development of better relations
This lack of resources ham- between the police and the media. The po-
pers police performance. It is lice needs to improve its relationship with
hard to expect a poor policeman to chase a the media because media can play a signifi-
criminal and apprehend him using only a cant role in bringing the police and public
.303 mm rifle and a worn-out jeep, which, closer. It is unfortunate that the press may
until recently, were used by the Bangladesh at times misinterpret the police’s views.
police. The present democratic government Nonetheless, it is worth the effort to bridge
has provided the police with improved the gap between the police and the public. Sensitivity to the needs
of children is one major
weapons and vehicles in spite of limited re- I believe that a free and civilized coun- requirement from the
sources available. Modern automatic and try must guarantee the rights of its citizens. police.
semi-automatic weapons have replaced the This requires democratic policing based on
.303 mm rifles that were first issued during human rights, transparency, equality, ac-
the Second World War, and a huge fleet of countability, and clarity. The police must
new cars has replaced our worn-out ve- continue to become more pro-active,
hicles. But many other reforms are needed. people-friendly, motivated, dependable and
Crime investigations are so expensive most especially, sensitive to the needs of
that the cost to investigate a single crime women, children, and senior citizens. We
frequently exceeds the entire annual bud- need to improve our response time, appre-
get allocation for a police station. Under hend convicts, acquire skills for effective
these conditions, the economic and per- investigations, and prosecute criminals be-
sonal interests of poor people are less likely fore the courts of law. We need to reorient
to be protected than those of the rich. Cor- our legal, structural, and organizational fo-

Improving the Police’s Role and Performance in Protecting Human and Economic Security 51
Larry Ramos

from friendly nations, development part-

“One area of reform that is ners, and donor agencies. The Asian Dev-
close to my heart is the elopment Bank (ADB) is positioned to play
a leading role in this process.
development of better relations We must appreciate that in today’s glo-
between the police and the bal era, policing is no longer merely a na-
media. The police needs to tional issue. In this age of the information
Md. Ashraful Huda, PPM
superhighway, free trade, open economies,
Inspector General of
Police, Bangladesh
improve its relationship with the free borders, and increasing regionalism and
media because media can play a internationalism, present-day policing must
also take advantage of opportunities for
significant role in bringing the global cooperation. I can assure you that
police and public closer.” we are eagerly looking forward to such co-
Md. Ashraful Huda, PPM is the Inspector General of Police of Bangladesh. operative efforts.
The government of Bangladesh and the
police force seek to ensure a crime-free so-
cus from the colonial premises to modern ciety for the whole nation. Given adequate
democratic norms and concepts. This large- support, the continued commitment of the
scale reform requires funding, expertise, government, and the efforts by the indi-
time, and uncompromising political com- vidual members of the police, we will be able
mitment. These are the areas where we can to face the challenges to implementing po-
benefit from assistance and cooperation lice reforms.

OPEN FORUM
On Enhancing Police Effectiveness
and Accountability:
Ideas to Launch Police Reform
Challenges to Police Reform
• Police reform is an integral part of wider public sector reforms. It should be considered a developmental
investment and a necessary complement to other public service reforms. The goal for police reform, as for
other public sector reforms, should be to render the institution effective and efficient.
• Police reform should not focus exclusively on increasing the size of the police force. There is no direct
correlation between a larger police force and better law enforcement.
• A balance between appropriate respect for police authority and trust in the police force must be struck in
order for the police to be able to effectively enforce the law. The public should be mindful of the fact that the
police will enforce the law impartially. The public should not, however, fear abuse in the hands of the police.
• Police testimony needs to be accepted as credible in court. One of the reasons why the criminal conviction
rate in Pakistan has been very low, is that police testimony had low credibility. In the Philippines, the
Philippine National Police (PNP) addressed a similar credibility problem by creating a separate unit called
the Scene of the Crime Operations (SOCO), composed of criminology graduates. The local police would be
responsible for cordoning off the scene of the crime, while the gathering of evidence and taking of witness
statements would be delegated to the SOCO. The investigator and the SOCO would then collaborate in
preparing the case with the prosecutor.

Strategies for Community Policing and Involvement

• Community Policing means partnership between the community and the police, with the understanding
that it is the joint responsibility of the police and the community to maintain safety and security. The
community has the duty to support the police and the police have the duty to listen to the community. There

52 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 must be mechanisms in place so that members of the community can communicate with the police. The
police must understand and appreciate that safety and security can be more effectively maintained in
cooperation with the community.

• In the Philippines, the PNP law gives the local leaders the authority to choose their policemen and even
chiefs from a selection provided by the PNP. Community participation is fostered by local peace and order
councils, which have representatives from civil society as well as government offices, and operate at every
level, from the municipalities through the national government.
The PNP works with religious leaders and ecclesiastical communities to educate the people on the ill
effects of criminality and drugs. The PNP has also requested that citizens report the presence of criminals.
Community leaders have been trained on how to disseminate information, how to prevent crime in their
community, how to identify what information is useful to the police, and how to gather and transmit this
information to the PNP.

Civilian Oversight
• Former and current chiefs of police both emphasized the need for effective internal and external oversight
mechanisms and civilian oversight bodies. In certain developed countries, the chiefs of police have not been
supportive of civilian oversight bodies and have been active and effective in getting rid of them.
Donor organizations should be aware that civilian oversight bodies are a very controversial issue. The
police is effected whenever a civilian oversight body exposes police misconduct such as torture or custodial
deaths. Police frequently do not like civilians telling them what to do, as they believe that they have superior
knowledge and specialization in the field.

• Civilian oversight is an important factor to support police accountability, but should be limited to the policy
level and the prioritization of programs. It should not include providing input on operational procedures,
which should be left to the professional judgment of the police themselves.

National Police Commissions

THE PHILIPPINES
• The National Police Commission is a collegial body composed of a Chairman and four regular commissioners.
The powers of the Commission include:
a. Exercising administrative control over the Philippine National Police;
b. Developing policies, rules, and procedures to improve police services;
c. Establishing, examining, and auditing the standards for performance, activities, and facilities of
police agencies throughout the country;
d. Preparing a police manual prescribing rules and regulations for efficient organization, administra-
tion, and operation, including recruitment, selection, promotion and retirement; and
e. Establishing a system of uniform crime reporting.

PAKISTAN
• A National Commission is composed of twelve members, six of which are members of the Parliament, with
both political parties equally represented. The bipartisan approach sends a message that policing is not a
politically driven issue. A three-member selection panel comprised of the president, the prime minister, and
lead by the chief justice of the supreme court, selects the remaining six. The president nominates one
member of the Commission, the prime minister nominates another, and the panel must to agree unani-
mously on the nominees.
Police or public safety commissions are one element of a police reform program, but even constitu-
tional bodies like the Philippine National Police Commission have not been fully effective in providing
services to the people. Such commissions may be more flexible and effective if they were bodies created by
statute rather than by the Constitution, as it is easier for the legislature to amend the law, than it is to amend
the Consitution. However, given the power and independence of the police, a commission may not provide
a sufficiently direct check on the police’s power to maintain administrative control of the police force.

Political Pressure and Public Accountability

• Political pressure is a problem faced by the police of many countries, particularly Bangladesh, Indonesia,
Pakistan and the Philippines. While the Philippine National Police Commission supervises the administrative

Improving the Police’s Role and Performance in Protecting Human and Economic Security 53
 and the operational aspects of the PNP in order to minimize political influence, the fact is the Commission
itself is made up of politicians who select the police force leadership. To minimize the effects of political
involvement, the PNP engages in community dialogue and strives for transparent operations. These mecha-
nisms keep the issues in the open and encourage the public to engage in dialogue with the police, thus
preventing politicians from exerting unchecked influence over the police.
Political interference with police investigations prevents effective deliverance of justice, as shown by
a UNDP study. Political interference takes several forms. For example, in Bangladesh police First Informa-
tion Reports (FIR) detailing crimes are not accepted in any police station without political clearance. This
allows politicians to prevent the investigation of certain crimes.

Protection of Vulnerable Groups

• Women, children and the poor make up the groups most vulnerable to the deficiencies in the police
institutions. For example, in Bangladesh, between eight- and nine-hundred women and children have been
imprisoned despite insufficient evidence, simply because they did not have adequate representation and
the resources to defend their rights.
• Several countries have taken these vulnerable groups into consideration when launching or implementing
reforms:
a. In the Philippines, the PNP established a women’s and children’s desk ten years ago. Investigations
of women and children are now conducted in a separate room by specially trained police officers.
There have also been changes in the procedure of examining rape victims, so that the police now
utilize a system supported by the United Nations.
b. In Indonesia, the INP established a special council inside the police investigation office to provide
services to vulnerable groups, including women, children, and the elderly. All female officers are
required to undergo special training to deal with female victims. Over 4,000 male officers have also
undergone sensitivity training to better process crimes involving victims who are members of
vulnerable groups.

Donor Involvement
• Donors are involved in police reform efforts in various ways in many countries. Donations are not always as
beneficial as they should be. Lack of donor coordination with the local government, competition among
donors, and self-interested donor agendas can impair the efficacy of donor support. There are few evalua-
tions of donor support for police reform. Without comprehensive follow-up evaluation, donor agencies and
the recipient countries are vulnerable to repeating mistakes or renewing ineffective programs.
• For example, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) started a large-scale police
reform program three years ago, in which Kyrgyzstan, an ADB DMC, was the host of the flagship program.
The program was poorly designed and within a few months’ of its launch triggered a vehement protest by
civil society and non-governmental organizations against the program. Reform programs will be much more
successful if they build on past experiences and lessons learned by previous reform efforts.
ADB emphasizes the connection between law enforcement the reduction of poverty and economic
development. The study of lessons learned in effecting police reform in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and other
countries will be crucial in designing and implementing future reform programs in these countries and
elsewhere.

54 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
Chapter 5
Because of the all-

encompassing and

metamorphosing

effect of the
Enhancing the Effectiveness judiciary on the

and Accountability of the lives of our

people, there has

Judiciary been an ever-

growing call for

■ Access to Justice in the Philippines: A Prerequisite to Prosperity
more trans-
■ Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms in Bangladesh
■ Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms in Pakistan parency on its
■ Judicial Reform in Indonesia
part. In response,

the doors of the

judicial fortress
Access to Justice in ground of “grave abuse of discretion.”1 Pur-
suant to such plenary authority, the Court
have been
the Philippines: has, on many occasions, struck down laws
that contravened the Constitution,2 execu-
partially lifted and
A Prerequisite to tive and administrative orders issued with-
out lawful authority,3 and mega contracts
the gods have
Prosperity entered into with grave abuse of discretion
by the officials concerned.4
HON. ARTEMIO V. PANGANIBAN Indeed, the judiciary has a vital role in become a bit more
Associate Justice the development of the country; it reaches
Supreme Court of the Philippines not only the traditional domains of peace accessible. Both
and order, but almost every aspect of na-
tional and community life—be it social, their persons and
economic, political or humanitarian. More-
their work have

I
n the distant past, the highest court in over, the judiciary stands as the last bulwark
the Philippines (and in many parts of of democracy and the ultimate recourse of
the world) was shrouded in mystery. the people in redressing grievances not at- been subjected to
Its processes were secretive, its ses- tended to or, worse, committed by other
sions private, and its members agencies of government. more rigid public
shielded from public scrutiny. It has been
described as a fortress, a Mount Olympus The Need for Transparency scrutiny.
where the gods were unapproachable and in Judicial Processes
untouchable. Because of the all-encompassing and meta- ■
Despite its sometimes mysterious ways, morphosing effect of the judiciary on the
the Philippine Supreme Court is treated as lives of our people, there has been an ever-
a coequal of the Executive Branch and Con- growing call for more transparency on its
gress. It is vested by the Constitution with part. In response, the doors of the judicial
the solemn duty to nullify any act of any fortress have been partially lifted and the
branch of government—including those of
the President and of Congress—on the *
See endnotes on page 58.
Larry Ramos

like the World Bank (WB) and the ADB. They

“Since I oppose the death realize that stability in the rule of law and
predictability in the rendition of decisions
penalty, I personally welcomed are indispensable to investor confidence
the Mateo ruling. It gives death and economic development, and ultimately
convicts an intermediate layer of to good governance.
Today, there is growing interest in how
Hon. Artemio V.
review to ensure an error-free the judiciary can show its pro-people orien-
Panganiban judgment. Death convicts must tation—how it dispenses justice to the
Associate Justice marginalized and the disadvantaged. In-
Supreme Court of the be given the same opportunity deed, access to justice especially by the
Philippines
for multiple review as those poor is as essential to good governance, as
convicted of lesser crimes.” investor confidence is to the economy.

Justice Artemio V. Panganiban chairs the Third Division of the Supreme Court of The Pro-Poor Bias of
the Philippines. Concurrently, he is chairman of the House of Representatives our Constitution and Laws
Electoral Tribunal (HRET). He also heads seven major committees tasked
The Philippine Constitution is pro-poor, pro-
mainly with the implementation of the Judicial Reform Program initiated by Chief
Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. (Computerization; Public Information; Judicial Ex- labor and pro-human rights. Having arisen
cellence; Legislative-Executive Relations; Raffle for Division Cases; Justice for from the ashes of an authoritarian regime,
All Through Education; and Access to Justice for the Poor.) At the same time, he our 1987 Constitution is a document that is
is also a consultant of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC). Justice Panganiban
international in outlook,10 promotes social
served as vice president of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
Governor of the Management Association of the Philippines, and president of justice,11 respects human rights,12 responds
the Tourism Organization of the Philippines. He also served as president of the to the role of women,13 protects labor,14 and
Philippine Daily Inquirer, the country’s most widely circulated newspaper and of is cognizant of the rights of indigenous cul-
the Rotar y Club of Manila, the first and largest civic club in Asia. Justice
tural communities.15
Panganiban completed his associate in arts with highest honors and his law
degree cum laude aside from being named “most outstanding student.” He This Constitution spells out in neat de-
placed sixth among 4,216 examinees in the bar examinations of 1960. tail the rights of persons accused of crimes16
and assures them of free access to the courts
and adequate legal assistance, which “shall
gods have become a bit more accessible. not be denied to any person by reason of
Both their persons and their work have been poverty.”17 Furthermore, it clearly provides
subjected to more rigid public scrutiny. what are known as the Miranda rights of ac-
Verily, the judicial enclave has been in- cused persons.18 In all criminal prosecutions,
vaded by the transparency requirements of due process and the right to “competent and
the Constitution, 5 the Ethical Standards independent counsel” are guaranteed.19
Law,6 the Canons of Judicial Ethics7 and the Furthermore, social justice is given high
New Code of Judicial Conduct for the Phil- priority in our constitutional hierarchy.20
ippine Judiciary.8 The democratic space and To implement these pro-poor constitu-
libertarian spirit that the Supreme Court has tional mandates, Congress has passed sev-
repeatedly espoused in its judgments of eral laws, among which are those that aim
other government institutions have seeped to do the following:
into its own functions and activities. a. define the rights of persons arrested or
Indeed, the information revolution has detained; 21
permeated the judiciary. Our people no b. protect women and children from do-
longer accept judicial doctrines they do not mestic violence;22
understand. Neither do they blindly defer c. protect children from abuse, exploita-
to judgments that do not explain their ra- tion and discrimination;23
tionale. For its part, media has persistently d. penalize violations of basic human
knocked on the ramparts of the judicial for- rights;24
tifications and climbed the steep gorges of e. settle disputes amicably at the barangay
Mount Olympus. “[T]he invasive power and level; 25
influence of media have penetrated the f. enhance the capability of law-income
thick walls of the judicial fortress.”9 groups to acquire low-cost housing;26
Because of its vital role in the life of the g. develop agriculture and to empower
nation, the judiciary has become the focus small farmers;27 and
of many credible developmental agencies h. accord protection to labor.28

56 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
The Supreme Court’s Role marginalized and underrepresented in the past—
in Fostering Social Justice the farm hands, the fisherfolk, the urban poor,
The information
The Supreme Court has played a direct role even those in the underground movement—to
in fostering social justice by opening the come out and participate, as indeed many of them
revolution has
justice system to indigents through these came out and participated during the last elec-
measures: tions. The State cannot now disappoint and frus-
permeated the
a. exempting them from the payment of trate them by disabling and desecrating this so-
docket and other fees and transcripts cial justice vehicle.
judiciary. Our
of stenographic notes;29
b. providing protection to and enforce- Nowhere is the protection of the Court
people no
ment of the constitutional rights of the for the weak clearer than in its labor law
accused;30 decisions. Under its watchful eyes and
longer accept
c. granting free legal counsel to steady hands thrived and bloomed the
indigents;31 and seeds sown in 1940 by Calalang v. Williams.35
judicial doctrines
d. requiring lawyers to provide free repre- For sure, some of the battles36 that have
sentation to poor litigants32 been waged in this front still rage to this
they do not
day. Thus, the Court has steadfastly ruled
In addition, pro bono legal services are that:
understand.
provided by several non-governmental a. workers may be dismissed from work
groups, like (a) the Integrated Bar of the Phil- only upon (1) either a valid or authorized
Neither do they
ippines, to which the Supreme Court gives cause, and (2) upon observance of due
an annual grant to fund its Free Legal Aid process;37
blindly defer to
Program; and (b) the Free Legal Assistance b. illegally dismissed workers are entitled
Group (FLAG), which focuses on public, to reinstatement, damages and back
judgments that
rather than private, issues. wages;38
To attend to Muslim Filipinos, the Supreme c. strict technical legal requirements may
do not explain
Court had authorized the organization of be disregarded whenever they are used
the Shari’ah Appellate Court,33 which was to deny substantial justice to workers;39
their rationale.
established by Rep. Act No. 6734, the Or- d. employees, though dismissed for a just
ganic Act for the Autonomous Region in cause, may be awarded separation pay
For its part,
Muslim Mindanao. Of late, the establish- on the grounds of equity and social jus-
ment of a Shari’ah court in Metro Manila is tice, except when they have been dis-
media has
being considered to serve the growing Mus- missed for serious misconduct or some
lim population. other cause reflecting on their moral
persistently
In a long line of decisions, the Supreme character;40
Court has been unabashedly pro-poor, pro- e. workers’ quitclaims and waivers are
knocked on the
labor and pro-human rights. generally not binding and should not
In Ang Bagong Bayani-OFW Labor Party bar employees from claiming what is
ramparts of the
v. Commission on Elections,34 the Supreme legally due them under the law;41
Court held that the Filipino-style party-list f. employees in the private sector can,
judicial
system is reserved for the poor and the subject to reasonable restrictions,
marginalized. In the decision that I had the picket and strike to protect themselves
fortifications
honor to write, the Court observed: against exploitation and to seek better
conditions of employment;42
and climbed the
It is ironic…that the marginalized and underrep- g. local recruitment companies may be li-
resented in our midst are the majority who wal- able for violation of the labor contracts
steep gorges of
low in poverty, destitution and infirmity. It was for of overseas Filipino workers;43 and
them that the party-list system was enacted—to h. labor doctrines are extended to civil ser-
Mount Olympus.
give them not only genuine hope, but genuine vants who have been dismissed from
power; to give them the opportunity to be elected the service when less punitive penalties
■
and to represent the specific concerns of their would have sufficed.44
constituencies; and simply to give them a direct
voice in Congress and in the larger affairs of the The foregoing discussion is by no means
State. In its noblest sense, the party-list system exhaustive.
truly empowers the masses and ushers a new The magnitude and viciousness of hu-
hope for genuine change. Verily, it invites those man rights violations in our recent history

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 57

 enthused the Court to strengthen the pro- pered in disciplining erring employees who
tection of our people’s fundamental rights. could harass them through neverending
Our judiciary has
It has been uncompromising in (a) penaliz- strikes, pickets, media attacks, or com-
ing judges who failed to inform uneducated plaints to the National Labor Relations Com-
steadfastly
accused persons of their rights to counsel,45 mission.
(b) annulling lower court judgments in Despite these occasional laments, our
maintained its
which the judge failed to conduct a “search- judiciary has steadfastly maintained its so-
ing inquiry” whenever the accused had cial justice orientation, because our Con-
social justice
waived their right to be heard and plead stitution and laws require it, and because
guilty to the charge against them,46 (c) void- an opposite policy would alienate the
orientation,
ing judgments that do not conform with the marginalized. If denied access to the demo-
constitutional standards as to form and sub- cratic institutions of justice, they may be
because our
stance47 and (d) extending the protection tempted to take the law into their own
of the Universal Declaration of Human hands.
Constitution and
Rights to everyone, including aliens.48
Restoration of the Death Penalty Conclusion
laws require it,
Notwithstanding the restoration of the To sum up the balancing role of the ju-
death penalty,49 which the Court declared to diciary in our government, may I quote my
and because an
be constitutional50—despite my unyielding recent book, Leveling the Playing Field:55
personal opinion that it is not51—the Court The Supreme Court safeguards not only
opposite policy
has been strict in reviewing the death sen- food but also freedom; not only jobs but
tences imposed by lower courts. As a result, also justice; not only indulgences but also
would alienate
less than one third of such judgments have integrity; not only development but also de-
been affirmed.52 Recently in People v. Mateo,53 mocracy; not only prosperity but also peace.
the margin-
the Supreme Court has held it “wise and com- Indeed, there can be no prosperity or
pelling” to have the Court of Appeals review progress without affording justice and
alized. If denied
all death and life sentences before they are peace to all, especially to the underprivi-
elevated to the Supreme Court. leged and the disadvantaged.
access to the
Consistent with Mateo, the Court
amended certain portions54 of the Revised
democratic Endnotes
Rules of Criminal Procedure to simplify the 1
CONST. art. VIII, sec. 1. Judicial power includes the duty of the
appeal of capital offenses by requiring a courts of justice to settle actual controversies involving rights
institutions of which are legally demandable and enforceable, and to deter-
notice of appeal to the Court of Appeals.
mine whether or not there has been a grave abuse of discre-
Since I oppose the death penalty, I per- tion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of
justice, they may any branch or instrumentality of the government.
sonally welcomed the Mateo ruling. It gives
death convicts an intermediate layer of re- 2
The Court nullified Rep. Act No. 8180 (1996), “Downstream
be tempted to Oil Industry Deregulation Act of 1996,” the first oil deregula-
view to ensure an error-free judgment. Death
tion law, because it violated the Constitution. Specifically, it
convicts must be given the same opportu- found that three provisions of the law obstructed the entry of
take the law new oil companies into the Philippines, thereby perpetuat-
nity for multiple review as those convicted
ing a monopoly of the so-called Big Three Oil companies—
of lesser crimes. Petron, Shell and Caltex. Tatad v. Secretary of Energy, 346
into their own Phil. 321 (1997).
Because of the Supreme Court’s many
The Court voided sec. 26 and sec. 31 of Rep. Act No. 6975
decisions favoring the poor, the oppressed (1990), “Local Government Act of 1990,” which empowered
hands. the Commission on Appointments to confirm the appoint-
and the disadvantaged, it has oftentimes
ments of public officials whose appointments were not re-
been criticized. Guilty parties are some-
■ quired by the Constitution to be confirmed. Manalo v. Sistoza,
371 PHIL. 165 (1999).
times acquitted because of the stringent
Several portions of Rep. Act No. 9189 (2003), “The Over-
requirements of evidence to convict—proof seas Absentee Voting Act of 2003,” were declared unconstitu-
beyond reasonable doubt—and because of tional for being repugnant to sec. 1, Art. IX-A of the Constitu-
tion, mandating the independence of constitutional commis-
the inadmissibility in Philippine courts of sions; such as the Commission on Elections. Macalintal v.
illegally obtained evidence. I remember the Comelec, G.R. No. 157013, 10 July 2003, 405 SCRA 614.
Stressing that the determination of just compensation was
lament of a foreign diplomat who wryly com- a judicial function, the Court voided Pres. Dec. No. 1533, which
mented that in his country—unlike in eliminated the Court’s discretion to appoint commissioners,
pursuant to the then Rule 67 of the Rules of Court. The provi-
ours—no guilty person, whether rich or sions of Pres. Dec. Nos. 76, 464 and 794 regarding executive
poor, had ever been acquitted on a mere determination of just compensation were also nullified. Ex-
port Processing Zone Authority v. Dulay, G.R. No. L-59603, 29
technicality of the law. April 1987, 149 SCRA 305.
Also because of our labor laws, many 3
Exec. Order No. 284 (1987), which allowed government offi-
businessmen complain that they are ham- cials to hold multiple positions in government was declared

58 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 unconstitutional for being contrary to sec. 13, art. VII of the Constitution. Civil of the law of the land and adheres to the policy of peace, equality, justice,
Liberties Union v. Executive Secretary, G.R. No. 83896, 22 Feb. 1991, 194 SCRA freedom, cooperation, and amity with all nations.
317.
11
Adm. Order No. 308, which established a “National Computerized Identifi- CONST. art II, sec. 9. The State shall promote a just and dynamic social order
cation Reference System” or national ID system, was declared void because that will ensure the prosperity and independence of the nation and free the
it (a) involved a subject that was not appropriate to be covered by a mere people from poverty through policies that provide adequate social services,
administrative order, but by a law enacted by Congress; and (b) placed the promote full employment, a rising standard of living, and an improved quality
right to privacy in clear and present danger. Ople v. Torres, G.R. No. 127685, 23 of life for all.
July 1998, 293 SCRA 141. CONST. art. II, sec. 10. The State shall promote social justice in all phases of
The Court struck down COMELEC Resolution No. 2347, which prohibited the national development.
use of campaign decals and stickers on privately owned cars, because the
12
restriction was so broad that it encompassed even the citizen’s private prop- CONST. art. II, sec. 11. The State values the dignity of every human person and
erty; no substantial governmental interest justified the restriction. Adiong v. guarantees full respect for human rights.
Commission on Elections, G.R. No 103956, 31 March 1992, 207 SCRA 712.
13
Dept. Order No. 119, creating the Marawi Sub-District, Engineering Office CONST. art. II, sec. 14. The State recognizes the role of women in nation-build-
which had jurisdiction over infrastructure projects within Marawi City and ing, and shall ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and
Lanao del Sur, was declared void for being violative of the provisions of E.O. men.
No. 426. Disomangcop v. Secretary of the Department of Public Works and
14
Highways (DPWH), GR No. 149848, 25 Nov. 2004. The 1987 Constitution is replete with state policies favoring labor. These
include: CONST. art. II, sec. 9. supra; CONST. art. II, sec. 10. supra; and CONST. art.
4
Some recently voided contracts include the following: II, sec. 18. The State affirms labor as a primary social economic force. It shall
The AMARI Contract. The Court ruled that the Joint Venture Agreement be- protect the rights of workers and promote their welfare.
tween the Public Estates Authority (PEA) and the Amari Coastal Bay and Dev- Sec. 3 of art. XIII (Social Justice) of the Constitution likewise provides that
elopment Corporation for the reclamation of certain portions of Manila Bay “The State shall afford full protection to labor, local and overseas, organized
violated the constitutional ban against the sale of reclaimed foreshore lands and unorganized, and promote full employment and equality of opportunities
to and the reclamation of still submerged foreshore lands by a private corpo- for all.
ration. Chavez v. Public Estates Authority, 433 PHIL. 506 (2002); G.R. No. 133250, “It shall guarantee the rights of all workers to self-organization, collective
6 May 2003, 403 SCRA 1; and G.R. No. 133250, 11 Nov. 2003, 415 SCRA 403. bargaining and negotiations, and peaceful concerted activities, including the
The PIATCO Contract. It was held that the “Build-Operate-and-Transfer” Con- right to strike in accordance with law. They shall be entitled to security of
tract for the construction and operation of Terminal III of the Ninoy Aquino tenure, humane conditions of work, and a living wage. They shall also partici-
International Airport (a) violated the anti-monopoly provisions of the Consti- pate in policy and decision-making processes affecting their rights and ben-
tution because it gave the Philippine International Air Terminals Company, efits as may be provided by law.
Inc. (PIATCO) the exclusive right to operate a commercial passenger termi- “The State shall promote the principle of shared responsibility between
nal within the island of Luzon; and (b) transgressed the fair competition es- workers and employers and the preferential use of voluntary modes of set-
sence of the law in granting PIATCO substantially more benefits than those tling disputes, including conciliation, and shall enforce their mutual compli-
allowed by the bidding rules. Agan v. PIATCO, G.R. No. 155001, 5 May 2003, 402 ance therewith to foster industrial peace.
SCRA 612 and Jan. 21, 2004. The State shall regulate the relations between workers and employers, rec-
The MEGA PACIFIC Contract. In setting aside the contract for the supply of ognizing the right of labor to its just share in the fruits of production and the
automated counting machines for the elections, the Court held, among others, right of enterprises to reasonable returns on investments, and to expansion
that it had been awarded in contravention of the bidding rules laid down by the and growth.”
awarding agency itself, the Commission on Elections. Information Technology
15
Foundation v. COMELEC, G.R. No. 159139, 13 Jan. 2004, 419 SCRA 317. CONST. art. II, sec. 22. The State recognizes and promotes the rights of indig-
The SAGE Contract. The contract granting a private company, the Sports and enous cultural communities within the framework of national unity and dev-
Games and Entertainment Corporation (SAGE), authority to operate on-line elopment.
Internet gambling was voided because the charter of the government-owned
16
Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) prohibited it from CONST. art. III, sec. 14. (1) No person shall be held to answer for a criminal
delegating its franchise to other entities. Jaworski v. Pagcor, G.R. No. 144463, offense without due process of law.
14 Jan. 2004, 419 SCRA 317. (2) In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall be presumed innocent
until the contrary is proved, and shall enjoy the right to be heard by himself
5
The Constitution provides as follows: and counsel, to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation against
CONST. art. II, sec. 28. Subject to reasonable conditions prescribed by law, the him, to have a speedy, impartial, and public trial, to meet the witnesses face to
State adopts and implements a policy of full public disclosure of all its trans- face, and to have compulsory process to secure the attendance of witnesses
actions involving public interest. and the production of evidence in his behalf. However, after arraignment, trial
CONST. art. III, sec. 7. The right of the people to information on matters of may proceed notwithstanding the absence of the accused provided that he has
public concern shall be recognized. Access to official records, and to docu- been duly notified and his failure to appear is unjustifiable.
ments, and papers pertaining to official acts, transactions, or decisions, as well
17
as to government research data used as basis for policy development, shall be CONST. art. III, sec. 11.
afforded the citizen, subject to such limitations as may be provided by law.
18
CONST. art. XI, sec. 1. Public office is a public trust. Public officers and em- CONST. art. III, sec. 12. (1) Any person under investigation for the commission of
ployees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost an offense shall have the right to be informed of his right to remain silent and
responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and jus- to have competent and independent counsel preferably of his own choice. If the
tice, and lead modest lives. person cannot afford the services of counsel, he must be provided with one.
These rights cannot be waived except in writing and in the presence of counsel..
6
Rep. Act No. 6713 (1989), “Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public (2) No torture, force, violence, threat, intimidation, or any other means
Officials and Employees.” which vitiate the free will shall be used against him. Secret detention places,
solitary, incommunicado, or other similar forms of detention are prohibited.
7
CANONS OF JUDICIAL ETHICS, Canon 30. It is not necessary to the proper perfor- (3) Any confession or admission obtained in violation of this or Section 17
mance of judicial duty that judges live in retirement or seclusion; it is desir- hereof shall be inadmissible in evidence against him. ...
able that, so far as the reasonable attention to the completion of their work will
19
permit, they continue to mingle in social intercourse, and that they should not CONST. art. II, sec. 14, supra, and CONST. art. III, sec. 16. All persons shall have the
discontinue their interest in or appearance at meetings of members of the bar. right to a speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial,
or administrative bodies.
8
A. M. No. 03-05-01-SC (1 June 2004). The Code is based on the universal decla-
20
ration of standards for ethical conduct embodied in the Bangalore Draft as CONST. art. XIII, sec. 1. The Congress shall give highest priority to the enact-
revised during the Round Table Conference of Chief Justices at The Hague. It ment of measures that protect and enhance the right of all the people to human
stresses independence (Canon 1), impartiality (Canon 2), integrity (Canon 3), dignity, reduce social, economic, and political inequalities, and remove cul-
propriety (Canon 4), equality (Canon 5), and competence and diligence (Canon tural inequities by equitably diffusing wealth and political power for the com-
6). A Code of Conduct for Court Personnel (AM No. 03-06-13-SC) was also insti- mon good.
tuted effective June 1, 2004. To this end, the State shall regulate the acquisition, ownership, use and dis-
position of property and its increments.
9
PANGANIBAN, TRANSPARENCY, UNANIMITY & DIVERSITY 57 (2000). Sec. 2. The promotion of social justice shall include the commitment to cre-
ate economic opportunities based on freedom of initiative and self-reliance.
10
CONST. art II, sec. 2. The Philippines renounces war as an instrument of national Sec. 3. supra.
policy, adopts the generally accepted principles of international law as part Sec. 4. The State shall, by law, undertake an agrarian reform program

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 59

 founded on the right of farmers and regular farmworkers, who are landless, to Canon 14 of the same Code states “A lawyer shall not refuse his services to
own directly or collectively the lands they till or, in the case of other the needy.”
farmworkers, to receive a just share of the fruits thereof ... Rule 14.01 A lawyer shall not decline to represent a person solely on ac-
Sec. 9. The State shall, by law, and for the common good, undertake, in coop- count of the latter’s race, sex, creed or status of life, or because of his own
eration with the public sector, a continuing program of urban land reform and opinion regarding the guilt of said person.
housing which will make available at affordable cost decent housing and basic Rule 14.02 A lawyer shall not decline, except for serious and sufficient cause,
services to underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban centers and re- an appointment as counsel de oficio or as amicus curiae or a request from the
settlement areas. It shall also promote adequate employment opportunities to Integrated Bar of the Philippines or any of its chapters for rendition of free
such citizens. In the implementation of such program the State shall respect legal aid.
the rights of small property owners. Rule 14.03 A lawyer may not refuse to accept representation of an indigent
Sec. 10. Urban or rural poor dwellers shall not be evicted nor their dwellings client unless:
demolished, except in accordance with law and in a just and humane manner. (a) he is not in a position to carry out the work effectively or competently; or
No resettlement of urban and rural dwellers shall be undertaken without ad- (b) he labors under a conflict of interest between him and the prospective
equate consultation with them and the communities where they are to be re- client, or between a present client and the prospective client.
located. Rule 14.04 A lawyer who accepts the cause of a person unable to pay his pro-
Sec. 12. The State shall establish and maintain an effective food and drug fessional fees shall observe the same standard of conduct governing his rela-
regulatory system and undertake appropriate health manpower development tions with paying clients.”
and research, responsive to the country’s health needs and problems. ...
33
Sec. 14. The State shall protect working women by providing safe and health- AM No. 99-4-06-SC, June 8, 1999.
ful working conditions, taking into account their maternal functions, and such
34
facilities and opportunities that will enhance their welfare and enable them 412 PHIL. 308 (2001).
to realize their full potential in the service of the nation. ...
35
Sec. 17. (1) There is hereby created an independent office called Commis- 70 PHIL. 726 (1940). The case laid down the definition of “social justice,” which
sion on Human Rights. ... is immortalized in countless decisions. Said the Court:
Sec. 18. The Commission on Human Rights shall have the following powers Social justice is “neither communism, nor despotism, nor atomism, nor an-
and functions: ... archy, but the humanization of laws and the equalization of social and economic
(3) Provide appropriate legal measures for the protection of human rights forces by the State so that justice in its rational and objectively secular con-
of all persons within the Philippines, as well as Filipinos residing abroad, and ception may at least be approximated. Social justice means the promotion of
provide for preventive measures and legal aid services to the underprivi- the welfare of all the people, the adoption by the Government of measures
leged whose human rights have been violated or need protection; ... calculated to insure economic stability of all the competent elements of soci-
ety, through the maintenance of a proper economic and social equilibrium in
21
Rep. Act No. 7438 (1992), “An Act defining certain rights of person arrested, the interrelations of the members of the community, constitutionally, through
detained or under custodial investigation as well as the duties of the arresting, the adoption of measures legally justifiable, or extra-constitutionally, through
detaining and investigating officers, and providing penalties for violations the exercise of powers underlying the existence of all governments on the
thereof.” time-honored principle of salus populi est suprema lex. xxx”
22 36
Rep. Act No. 9262 (2004), “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children In Chap. VIII of my book BATTLES IN THE SUPREME COURT (1998), I narrated my
Act of 2004.” efforts to accord greater benefits to workers whose services had been termi-
nated for cause but without due process.
23
Rep. Act No. 7610 (1992), “Special Protection of Children against Child Abuse,
37
Exploitation and Discrimination Act.” See also, Rep. Act No. 8353 (1997), “Anti- Bolinao Security and Investigation Servince, Inc. v. Toston, GR No. 139135, 29
Rape Law of 1997”; Rep. Act. No. 9231 (2003) “An Act Providing for the Elimi- Jan. 2004, 421 SCRA 406; Mendoza v. NLRC, G.R. No. 131405, 20 July 1999, 310
nation of the Worst Forms of Child Labor and Affording Stronger Protection for SCRA 846; Pascua v. NLRC, 351 PHIL. 48 (1998); and Pacific Maritime Services,
the Working Child, amending for this purpose Republic Act No. 7610;” and Rep. Inc. v. Ranay, 341 PHIL. 716 (1997).
Act No. 9208 (2003), “Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003.”
38
Paguio Transport Corporation v. NLRC, 356 PHIL. 158 (1998); Mabuhay Dev-
24
REV. PEN. CODE, Book II, Chap. One, Title II (Crimes Against Fundamental Laws elopment Industries v. NLRC, 351 PHIL. 227 (1998); Magcalas v. NLRC, 336 PHIL.
of the State), Arts. 124—133. Specifically, the crimes punished are arbitrary 433 (1997); and AHS/Philippines, Inc. v. Court of Appeals, 327 PHIL. 129 (1996).
detention; delay in the delivery of detained persons to the proper judicial
39
authorities; delaying release; expulsion; violation of domicile; malicious pro- Tanjuan v. Philippine Postal Savings Bank, Inc., G.R. No. 155278, 16 Sept. 2003,
curement of search warrants and abuse in the service of those legally ob- 411 SCRA 168; Philimare Shipping & Equipment Supply, Inc. v. NLRC, 378 PHIL.
tained; searching domicile without witnesses; prohibition, interruption and 1131 (1999); Samar II Electric Cooperative Inc. v. NLRC, 337 PHIL. 24 (1997);
dissolution of peaceful meetings; interruption of religious worship; and of- Aurora Land Projects Corp. v. NLRC, 334 PHIL. 44 (1997); The New Valley Times
fending religious feelings. See also, Rep. Act No. 7438 (1992), supra, and Rep. Press v. NLRC, G.R. No. 100482, 15 July 1992, 211 SCRA 509.
Act No. 9262 (2004), supra.
40
This rule was laid down by the Court en banc in Philippine Long Distance
25
Rep. Act No. 7160 (1991), “The Local Government Code” and Pres. Dec. 1508, Telephone Co. v. NLRC, G.R. No. L-80609, 23 Aug. 1988, 164 SCRA 671. See also
“The Katarungan Pambarangay Law.” Gabuay v. Oversea Paper Supply, Inc., GR No. 148837, 13 Aug. 2004, 436 SCRA
514; Philippine National Construction Corporation v. NLRC, 366 PHIL. 678 (1999);
26
Rep. Act No. 7835 (1994), “The Comprehensive and Integrated Shelter Financ- United South Dockhandlers, Inc. v. NLRC, 335 PHIL. 76 (1997); and Del Castillo,
ing Act); Rep. Act No. 6846 (1990), “The Social Housing Support Fund Act;” and Jr. v. NLRC, G.R. No. 75413, 10 Aug. 1989, 176 SCRA 229.
Rep. Act No. 7279 (1992), “The Urban Development and Housing Act of 1992.”
41
Emco Plywood Corp. v. Abelgas, GR No. 148532, 14 April 2004, 427 SCRA 496;
27
Rep. Act No. 7607 (1992), “An Act Providing a Magna Carta for Small Farmers.” Anino v. NLRC, 352 PHIL. 1098 (1998); Alcosero v. NLRC, G.R. No. 116884, 26
March 1998, 288 SCRA 129; Agoy v. NLRC, 322 PHIL. 636 (1996); Cariño v.
28
Pres. Dec. 442, as amended (1974), “The Labor Code” and Rep. Act No. 8042 ACCFA, 124 PHIL. 782 (1966).
(1995), “The Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipinos Act of 1995.”
42
Pasvil/Pascual Liner, Inc. Workers Union v. NLRC, 370 PHIL. 473 (1999); Na-
29
RULES OF COURT, rule 3, sec. 21 and AM No. 04-2-04-SC. tional Federation of Sugar Workers v. Ovejera, 199 PHIL. 537 (1982).
30 43
RULES OF COURT, rules 112-127. ABD Overseas Manpower Corporation v. NLRC, 350 PHIL. 92 (1998); PI Man-
power Placements Inc. v. NLRC, 342 PHIL. 414 (1997); Zurbano Sr. v. NLRC, G.R.
31
RULES OF COURT, rule 116, sec. 7, rule 122, sec. 13, and rule 124, sec. 2. The Court No. 103679, 17 Dec. 1993, 228 SCRA 556.
also appoints the Public Attorney’s Office to represent the poor in all relevant
44
litigations. Neeland v. Villanueva Jr., AM No. P. 99-1316, 31 Aug. 2001, 364 SCRA 204.
32 45
CODE OF PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITY. Canon 2. A lawyer shall make his legal Gamas v. Oco, AM No. MTJ-99-1231, 17 March 2004, 425 SCRA 588.
services available in an efficient and convenient manner compatible with the
46
independence, integrity and effectiveness of the profession. People v. Besonia, GR Nos. 151284-85, 5 Feb. 2004, 422 SCRA 210; People v.
Rule 2.01 A lawyer shall not reject, except for valid reasons, the cause of the Bodoso, G.R. Nos. 149382-83, 5 March 2003, 398 SCRA 64; People v. Aranzado,
defenseless or the oppressed. G.R. Nos. 132442-44, 24 Sept. 2001, 365 SCRA 649; People v. Durango, 386 PHIL.
Rule 2.02 In such cases, even if the lawyer does not accept a case, he shall 202 (2000); People v. Nadera Jr., 381 PHIL. 484 (2000); People v. Abapo, 385
not refuse to render legal advice to the person concerned if only to the extent PHIL. 1175 (2000); People v. Tizon, 375 PHIL. 1096 (1999); and People v. Bello,
necessary to safeguard the latter’s rights. 375 PHIL. 277 (1999). The Court stressed that the accused must be properly

60 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 accorded their fundamental right to be informed of the precise nature of the RULES OF COURT, rule 122, sec. 3(d), as amended, now reads: Sec. 3(d). No
accusation against them and of the consequences of pleading guilty thereto, notice of appeal is necessary where the Regional Trial Court imposed the
which is an integral aspect of the due process clause under the Constitution. death penalty. The Court of Appeals shall automatically review the judgment
as provided in Section 10 of this Rule;
47
Velarde v. Social Justice Society, GR No. 159357, 28 April 2004, 428 SCRA 283; RULES OF COURT, rule 122, sec. 10, as amended, now reads: Sec. 10. Transmis-
People v. Ferrer, G.R. No. 148821, 18 July 2003, 406 SCRA 658; Yao v. Court of sion of records in case of death penalty. - In all cases where the death penalty
Appeals, G.R. No. 132428, 24 Oct. 2000, 344 SCRA 202; People v. Dumaguing, is imposed by the trial court, the records shall be forwarded for automatic
G.R. No. 135516, 20 Sept. 2000, 340 SCRA 701; Madrid v. Court of Appeals, 388 review and judgment within twenty days but not earlier than fifteen days from
PHIL 366 (2000); People v. Bugarin, 339 PHIL. 570 (1997). CONST. art. VIII, sec. the promulgation of the judgment or notice of denial of a motion for new trial
14 states that “[no] decision shall be rendered by any court without express- or reconsideration. The transcript shall also be forwarded within ten days
ing therein clearly and distinctly the facts and the law on which it is based.” after the filing thereof by the stenographic reporter;
RULES OF COURT, rule 122, sec. 10, as amended, now reads: Sec. 10. Transmis-
48
Domingo v. Scheer, GR 154745, 29 Jan. 2004, 421 SCRA 468. sion of records in case of death penalty. - In all cases where the death penalty
is imposed by the trial court, the records shall be forwarded for automatic
49
Rep. Act No. 7659 (1993), “An act to impose the death penalty on certain hei- review and judgment within twenty days but not earlier than fifteen days from
nous crimes, amending for that purpose the Revised Penal Code, as amended, the promulgation of the judgment or notice of denial of a motion for new trial
other special penal laws, and for other purposes.” or reconsideration. The transcript shall also be forwarded within ten days
after the filing thereof by the stenographic reporter;
50
People v. Echegaray 335 Phil. 343 (1997). RULES OF COURT, rule 124, sec. 12 reads: Sec. 12. Power to receive evidence.—
The Court of Appeals shall have the power to try cases and conduct hearings,
51
In my Dissenting Opinion in People v. Echegaray, I argued passionately that receive evidence and perform all acts necessary to resolve factual issues
based on the age, language and socio-economic profiles of convicts then in raised in cases falling within its original and appellate jurisdiction, including
death row, Rep. Act No. 7659 had militated against the poor and the powerless the power to grant and conduct new trials or further proceedings. Trials or
in society. hearings in the Court of Appeals must be continuous and must be completed
within three months, unless extended by the Chief Justice;
52
This has been consistently shown by court statistics as reported in several of RULES OF COURT, rule 124, sec. 13 provides: Sec. 13. Certification or appeal of
my books. See Chap. 21, LEVELING THE PLAYING FIELD (2004); Chap. 14, THE BIO-AGE case to the Supreme Court.—(a) Whenever the Court of Appeals finds that the
DAWNS ON THE JUDICIARY (2003); Chap. 22, REFORMING THE JUDICIARY (2002), Chap. penalty of death should be imposed, the court shall render judgment but re-
14, A CENTENARY OF JUSTICE (2001); Chap. 16, TRANSPARENCY, UNANIMITY AND DIVER- frain from making an entry of judgment and forthwith certify the case and
SITY (2000); Chap. 6, LEADERSHIP BY EXAMPLE (1999) and Chap. 4, BATTLES IN THE elevate its entire record to the Supreme Court for review; (b) Where the
SUPREME COURT (1998). judgment also imposed a lesser penalty for offenses committed on the same
occasion or which arose out of the same occurrence that gave rise to the more
53
People v. Mateo, GR Nos. 147678-87, 24 July 7, 2004, 433 SCRA 640. severe offense for which the penalty of death is imposed and the accused
appeals, the appeals shall be included in the case certified for review to the
54
Sections 3(d), 3(d) and 10 of Rule 122 and Sections 12 and 13 of Rule 124, as Supreme Court; (c) In cases where the Court of Appeals imposed reclusion
follows: perpetua, life imprisonment or a lesser penalty, it shall render and enter judg-
RULES OF COURT, rule 122, sec. 3(c), as amended, now reads: Sec. (c). The ment imposing such penalty, it shall render and enter judgment imposing such
appeal in cases where the penalty imposed by the Regional Trial court is penalty. The judgment may be appealed to the Supreme Court by notice of
reclusion perpetua, life imprisonment or where a lesser penalty is imposed for appeal filed with the Court of Appeals;
offenses committed on the same occasion or which arose out of the same RULES OF COURT, rule 124, sec. 13 provides: Sec. 13. Certification or appeal
occurrence that gave rise to the more serious offense for which the penalty of of case to the Supreme Court.—(a) Whenever the Court of Appeals finds that
death, reclusion perpetua, or life imprisonment is imposed, shall be by notice the penalty of death should be imposed, the court shall render judgment but
of appeal to the Court of Appeals in accordance with paragraph (a) of this refrain from making an entry of judgment and forthwith certify the case and
Rule (emphasis supplied); elevate its entire record to the Supreme Court for review; (b) Where the
RULES OF COURT, rule 122, sec. 3(c), as amended, now reads: Sec. (c). The judgment also imposed a lesser penalty for offenses committed on the same
appeal in cases where the penalty imposed by the Regional Trial court is occasion or which arose out of the same occurrence that gave rise to the more
reclusion perpetua, life imprisonment or where a lesser penalty is imposed for severe offense for which the penalty of death is imposed and the accused
offenses committed on the same occasion or which arose out of the same appeals, the appeals shall be included in the case certified for review to the
occurrence that gave rise to the more serious offense for which the penalty of Supreme Court; (c) In cases where the Court of Appeals imposed reclusion
death, reclusion perpetua, or life imprisonment is imposed, shall be by notice perpetua, life imprisonment or a lesser penalty, it shall render and enter judg-
of appeal to the Court of Appeals in accordance with paragraph (a) of this ment imposing such penalty, it shall render and enter judgment imposing such
Rule (emphasis supplied); penalty. The judgment may be appealed to the Supreme Court by notice of
RULES OF COURT, rule 122, sec. 3(d), as amended, now reads: Sec. 3(d). No appeal filed with the Court of Appeals.
notice of appeal is necessary where the Regional Trial Court imposed the
55
death penalty. The Court of Appeals shall automatically review the judgment PANGANIBAN, supra note 36, at 59.
as provided in Section 10 of this Rule;

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 61

 Philippine Action Challenges Facing the Philippine Judiciary
The Philippine judiciary suffers from two

Program for Judicial overriding problems: court congestion and

limited financial resources.

Reform Case congestion and delay have always

been and continue to be a matter of great
EVELYN DUMDUM import for the court, because the degree of
Program Director, Action Program for delay in disposing of cases reflects the effi-
Judicial Reform (APJR) ciency or inefficiency of the administration
of justice. As of 31 July 2004, an astounding
815,431 cases were pending at all levels of
The Philippine judiciary faces many ob- the judiciary. The regional trial courts, with
815,431 stacles to its efficient performance. The approximately 343,875 cases pending be-
cases are pending Action Program for Judicial Reform has fore them, accounted for the largest portion
at all levels of the taken concrete steps to establish a strong of these pending cases.
judiciary in the foundation for its long-term reform and dev- The limited financial resources avail-
Philippines, as of 31 elopment. able to the judiciary prevent it from open-
July 2004. ing new courts and hiring competent and
Structure of the Philippine Judiciary highly qualified individuals for the bench.
0.88% Under the Philippine Constitution, the ju- Even the courts that have been provided
The portion of the diciary is the third branch of government. for by Congress have not all been estab-
national budget The Philippine court system has four lev- lished due to lack of funding. Whereas Con-
allocated to the els: The first level is composed of metropoli- gress provided for 2,153 first- and second-
judiciary. tan and municipal trial courts. The second level courts, only 2,064 have been organized.
level is composed of regional trial courts, As of September 2004, nearly 33 percent of
222,000 which have general original jurisdiction as the total judicial positions were vacant. All
Pesos are spent per well as appellate jurisdiction over the lower but one of these vacancies are in the first-
year for each courts. The court of appeals has jurisdic- and second- level courts. There are simply
employee of the tion to review cases from both tiers of lower too few judges. There are 18 justices or
judiciary, as courts. The Supreme Court is the highest judges for every 1 million Filipinos. In Aus-
opposed to the court in the country. tralia, there are 41 judges per million, in the
P332,520 spent per The municipal and regional trial courts UK there are 51, in Canada there are 75, and
employee per year include 950 regional trial courts, 1,124 mu- in the United States there are 107 judges for
in the executive nicipal level courts, 51 circuit courts, and every million citizens.
branch, and the five Shari’a (Islamic law) district courts. The Not only is the Philippine Judiciary un-
P641,000 spent per Court of Appeals currently has sixty-three der-funded, but it receives proportionately
employee in the associate justices and one presiding justice. much less government funding than the
legislative branch. The Philippine Supreme Court is com- other branches of government. For the last
posed of fifteen justices; a chief justice and six years, the Philippine Judiciary’s share in
fourteen associate justices. They decide the national government budget has been
cases en banc, with five justices presiding continually declining. In 2000, the judiciary
simultaneously. The Supreme Court exer- budget accounted for just over 1 percent of
cises adjudicatory, disciplinary, and rule- the total national budget, and in 2005, it ac-
making powers. While its chief function is counted for only 0.88 percent. For the pe-
to adjudicate civil and criminal actions and riod 1998–2003, the national government
special proceedings, it also has administra- has spent an average of 222,000 pesos per
tive supervision over all courts and person- year for each employee of the judiciary. Dur-
nel, including the power to discipline law- ing this time, it spent 332,520 pesos per em-
yers for violations of the Code of Profes- ployee of the executive branch, approxi-
sional Responsibility. The Supreme Court mately 150 percent of the amount spent per
also has the power to promulgate rules con- employee in the judiciary. In the sharpest
cerning the protection and enforcement of contrast, the government spent 641,000 pe-
constitutional rights, pleading, practice, sos per employee of the legislative branch,
and procedure in all courts, admission to almost three times the spending per em-
the practice of law, the Integrated Bar, and ployee for the judiciary. The discrepancy
legal assistance to the underprivileged. also permeates the budgetary support for

62 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
maintenance and operating expenses. The with representatives from the legal commu-
budgets of both the executive and legisla- nity, civil society, academia, private sector,
The Action
tive branches of the government have and the media.
grown much faster than that of the judiciary The APJR seeks to achieve the follow-
Program for
over the last five years. ing goals:
Beside these two pervasive problems, a. impartiality, access to, and speed of ju-
Judicial Reform
several other problems must be addressed dicial systems;
in order to maximize judicial efficiency: (a) b. judicial autonomy and self-governance;
(APJR) builds on
outdated court technologies and facilities; c. streamlined institutional structure and
(b) lack of human resource development, operations;
previous reform
particularly for the non-judicial personnel; d. decentralization;
(c) perceived corruption in the judiciary, e. information systems-based operations,
efforts by the
which brings into question its integrity and planning, performance, management
quality of decisions; (d) perceived limited and decision-making;
Supreme Court,
access to justice by the poor and margin- f. competitive and equitable remunera-
alized sectors of society; and (e) institu- tion;
including the
tional deficiencies which are best charac- g. continuing capability improvement;
terized by the highly centralized operation h. transparency and accountability in ap-
technical assis-
of administrative and financial transactions pointments to the Bench; and
in the Supreme Court. i. consensus-building and collaboration
tance on justice
with civil society.
Action Program for Judicial Reform
The Action Program for Judicial Reform Factors Influencing the Success of Reforms
and develop-
(APJR) has adopted various strategies and The success or failure of a reform program
identified specific programs, projects, and rests on the foundation on which it is built.
ment programs
activities to address the challenges faced Reform programs must begin with a com-
by the Philippine judiciary and to improve prehensive diagnosis that sets the param-
funded by the
delivery of judicial services. The APJR is eters for effective management of program.
founded on the vision and mission es- In the case of the Philippine Supreme Court,
United Nations
poused by Chief Justice Hilario G. Davide Jr. it undertook a comprehensive review of the
This a vision for a judiciary that is indepen- present state of the Philippine judicial sys-
Development
dent, effective, efficient, and worthy of pub- tem with the help of judiciary officials and
lic trust and confidence; and a legal profes- external experts. They assessed the judici-
Fund (UNDF),
sion that provides quality, ethical, acces- ary’s institutional capacity to effect and ab-
sible, and cost-effective legal service to our sorb change, and analyzed its strengths,
which produced
people, and is willing and able to answer weaknesses, opportunities, and challenges
the call to public service. The program ad- to reforms. The diagnostic studies under-
the blueprint of
dresses six areas: (1) Judicial Systems and taken by the Supreme Court included (a) an
Procedure; (2) Institutions Development; (3) assessment of past judicial reforms; (b) a
action for the
Human Resource Development; (4) Institu- review of the criminal justice system; (c) a
tional Integrity Development; (5) Access to review of the alternative dispute resolution
judiciary.
Justice by the Poor; and (6) Reform Support mechanisms; and (d) an assessment of the
Systems. impact of judicial education and directions
■
The APJR builds on previous reform ef- for change and development. These diag-
forts by the Supreme Court, including the nostic studies revealed the nature, causes,
technical assistance on justice and dev- and impact of strengths and weaknesses on
elopment programs funded by the United the judicial system. They also established
Nations Development Fund (UNDF), which the foundation for the development of con-
produced the blueprint of action for the ju- crete projects and activities to realize the
diciary, as described above. Diagnostic stud- judiciary’s vision.
ies, funded by the World Bank, provided the A successful reform program must in-
data which formed the basis for the dev- volve participation by the stakeholders.
elopment of specific reform programs. The From the very beginning, Chief Justice
APJR is the product of extensive consulta- Davide, whose leadership and political will
tions over the last years with stakeholders, largely made the reform program possible,
not just within the judicial sector, but also insisted that the success of the program de-

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 63

Larry Ramos

Development, US Agency for International

“The success or failure of a Development, and The Asia Foundation.
There must be a global perspective to
reform program rests on the implementing reform programs. A compara-
foundation on which it is built. tive analysis of the successful reform pro-
Reform programs must begin grams of other countries helped the Philip-
pine Supreme Court develop its own pro-
with a comprehensive diagnosis gram. The Court also avoided costly reform
Evelyn Dumdum that sets the parameters for pitfalls by drawing lessons from relevant
international experiences and practices.
Program Director,
Action Program for
effective management of The APJR articulates certain consider-
Judicial Reform (APJR) program. In the case of the ations that should guide program implemen-
Philippine Supreme Court, it tation to best achieve the programs goals.
The factors identified are as follows:
undertook a comprehensive a. Reforms must restore public trust and
review of the present state of confidence in the justice system;
b. Reforms will require significant re-
the Philippine judicial system sources, but will be implemented and
with the help of judiciary officials pursued within the context of severe
and external experts. ” national government resource con-
straints;
c. Judicial independence will be pursued
Evelyn Toledo-Dumdum is the program director of the Philippine Supreme Court’s
Action Program for Judicial Reform. Previously, she was a consultant to the in a traditionally centralized environ-
World Bank. Ms. Dumdum has two master’s degrees in management from the ment;
University of the Philippines. She has two bachelor’s degrees (A.B. Social d. The judiciary must take the lead in pur-
Science and B.S. Foreign Service) both from the University of the Philippines. suing, synchronizing, and sustaining
the various reforms, several of which
will require administrative cooperation
pended on how the Court could manage, with other departments and sectors;
combine, and synchronize the efforts of the e. Reform implementation must be pro-
judiciary and its stakeholders. grammed in accordance with the capac-
The success of judicial reforms depends ity for change by the judiciary and its
partly on the perception of the public and stakeholders;
the legal community. The Court conducted f. The judiciary must ensure continuous
perception surveys that gauged how judges, development and the institutionaliza-
court personnel, and external stakeholders tion of capacities in order to sustain the
viewed the gravity of the problems with the gains made by the reforms; and
judiciary. These surveys included: (a) a sur- g. Reforms will require top-level support
vey of private legal practitioners to moni- and commitment within a political en-
tor access to justice by the disadvantaged; vironment where achieving broad and
(b) the 2003 assessment of the public continuing consensus require persis-
attorney’s office; (c) the national survey on tent efforts and where there is inad-
inmates and institutional assessment; and equate appreciation of the role of the
(d) a survey on the state of the legal profes- justice system in socioeconomic dev-
sion and the state of the judiciary. elopment.
In order to make the most of technical
assistance and funding donations for judi- The implementation of judicial reforms
cial reforms, the reform program must effec- is expected to lead to a well-functioning ju-
tively coordinate with and manage contri- dicial system, which is efficient and fair, ac-
butions from donors. Many donor institu- cessible and transparent, and independent
tions assist the Supreme Court in imple- and autonomous. In turn, this is expected
menting its reform projects. These include to lead to a socioeconomic environment
the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, that is stable and predictable, which are the
United Nations Development Programme, basic requisites for both domestic and for-
Canadian International Development eign investors to invest in the Philippines.
Agency, Australian Agency for International The comprehensive approach taken by the

64 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
APJR and the support of many of our lead- offenses such as murder, rape, drugs, illegal
ing justices form a solid foundation for sys- arms, and explosives. In the last eighteen
Lawyers in
tematic reform of the judicial system in the months, these tribunals have disposed of
Philippines. 500 cases and 186 people were sentenced
Bangladesh
to death. The average length of time needed
to dispose of a case has been reduced from
were originally
five to seven years to five to seven months.
This represents a fantastic success.
resistant to the
Challenges in The success of the efforts to speed reso-
lution of criminal cases was due to an ac-
introduction of
Implementing countability program and to the formation
of special courts to systematically process
alternative
Access to Justice specific types of cases. The judicial account-
ability program requires a judge to report
dispute resolu-
Reforms in in writing to the Supreme Court every time
he does not dispose of a case within a time
tion (ADR)
Bangladesh frame provided. Similarly, the prosecution
and the investigating officers must answer
mechanisms in
MOUDUD AHMED to their superiors if they are unable to pre-
Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary pare a case to be tried before the court in
Affairs, Bangladesh
family courts;
keeping with the schedule. The new crimi-
nal courts for minor and major offenses do
however, after
not handle any other cases. As opposed to

T
here is a nexus between an ef traditional district level courts, in which a
fective and meaningful legal
months of work-
judge tries all kinds of cases, these special-
system and a countr y’s eco- ized courts only try a particular type of case
nomic growth. One cannot
shops and
so that they can systematize their processes
speak of good governance with- for greater efficiency. In addition, unlike the
out the rule of law, and one cannot speak of
seminars, they
typical lower courts that enjoy a one-month
the rule of law without having an effective vacation in December, these tribunals re-
legal system. Bangladesh has seen many sig-
began to accept
main open and continue to try cases
nificant judicial reforms and has success- throughout the year.
fully dealt with some of the challenges fac-
the new
ing those reforms. The backlog of cases has Focus for Further Reforms
become smaller and cases are being pro-
mechanisms.
Despite the progress the judiciary has made
cessed more quickly, but there is still much in processing the backlog of cases and
■
work to be done to improve the criminal speeding up the litigation process for new
justice system and increase judicial inde- cases, there are many reforms that still re-
pendence and accountability. main to be implemented, including improv-

Anamul Haque Anam

ing prosecution for criminal trials and im-
Speedy Implementation of Justice proving judicial independence and ac-
In Bangladesh, there are about one million countability.
cases pending for resolution. Of these,
about 550,000 are criminal and 450,000 are IMPROVING CRIMINAL JUSTICE DELIVERY
civil cases. Ninety percent of the total cases The criminal justice system in Bangladesh After ADR was
are pending in the subordinate courts while requires reform in four major areas: investi- successfullyintroduced
the remaining ten percent are pending be- gation, witness protection, prosecution, in the family courts, it
was introduced in the
fore the either the High Court or the Appel- and trial. Criminal investigations should not civil courts.
late Division of the Supreme Court. be the responsibility of the already overbur-
Formerly, criminals were not deterred dened police force, but should be allocated
by the possibility of punishment because to a separate, independent and profession-
investigations and trials were lengthy and ally trained investigation department. Mem-
not certain to result in convictions. This per- bers of this department may come from the
ception no longer exists, due to newly in- police force but would not be assigned rou-
troduced speedy trial courts for minor of- tine police work. These investigators would
fenses, and speedy trial tribunals for major be able to focus all their time on assembling

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 65

Larry Ramos

to the executive branch of government, the

“Despite the progress the judiciary judiciary is otherwise fully independent
from executive control. To ensure the sepa-
has made in processing the ration of the judiciary from the executive,
backlog of cases and speeding up control of these magistrates must be trans-
the litigation process for new ferred to the judiciary.
Independence of the courts does not
cases, there are many reforms that mean, however, that the courts must answer
still remain to be implemented, to no one. Reform efforts must focus on pro-
Moudud Ahmed moting judicial accountability in order to
Minister of Law, Justice including improving prosecution check judicial independence. Article 102 of
and Parliamentary
Affairs, Bangladesh for criminal trials and improving the Constitution gives the High Court the
judicial independence and power to interfere in actions of the other
branches of government. The judges of the
accountability.” High Court are subject to disciplinary ac-
tion taken by a Supreme Judicial Council
Barrister Moudud Ahmed, M.P. is the Minister of Law, Justice and Parliamentary
Affairs of the Government of Bangladesh. He was elected a Member of the consisting of the Chief Justice and the next
Parliament five times (1979, 1986, 1988, 1991 and 2001). He has previously two senior judges. However, in the last 34
served as Vice President from 1989-1990, and Prime Minister and Leader of the years, only one judge has been removed
House from 1988-1989 in Bangladesh. As Minister, he has held the following
from office. An effective accountability
portfolios: Industries; Planning; Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs; Special
Affairs; Energy, Water Resources, and Flood Control; Communication-Railways, mechanism must be composed of members
Roads and Highways; and Post, Telegraph and Telephones. He was a Fellow at outside of the judiciary itself.
Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford University (1983); Harvard University Center
for International Affairs, (1980-1981); Fairbank Asia Center (1988); and South
Asian Institute, Heidelberg University (1976, 1980 and 1996). He has a B.A.
Challenges to Implementing Reforms
(Hons.) and an M.A. from Dhaka University and is a Barrister-at-Law, Lincoln’s The judiciary is particularly difficult to re-
Inn, England. form because it is one of the Bangladesh’s
most conservative institutions. There will
always be a people who do not want change
evidence and completely thorough investi- that might compromise their vested inter-
gations. Witness protection programs are ests. Education of interested parties can of-
currently inadequate and must be ex- ten ease transitions to new systems. Law-
panded so that investigators and prosecu- yers in Bangladesh were originally resistant
tors can process cases more efficiently. The to the introduction of alternative dispute
quality of prosecutors and trial judges must resolution (ADR) mechanisms in family
also be improved. In Bangladesh, the pros- courts, however after months of workshops
ecutors are all politically appointed, so that and seminars, they began to accept the new
One new prosecutors are appointed every time mechanisms. After successful introduction
million there is a change of government. Hence, of ADR in the family courts, it was intro-
The number of there is no continuity in service. The pros- duced in the civil courts. It is also impor-
cases in Bangladesh ecutors have neither the necessary skills tant to build positive public opinion before
that are pending for and training, nor the requisite accountabil- a law is introduced or amended. Consulting
resolution. ity. A system in which prosecutors were per- with stakeholders including lawyers, judges,
manent public servants that were educated, civil societies, and non-governmental orga-
500 well-trained, and accountable to the system nizations involved with the justice system
The number of would provide better prosecutorial services can be helpful for building widespread sup-
cases have been than the current political-appointee system. port.
disposed of in the Finally, trial judges would be better posi- In implementing new laws and reforms,
last 18 months. The tioned to provide justice if they were inde- it is important to remain open to sugges-
average length of pendent from political influence. tions and feedback from the judiciary and
time needed to Currently, the executive branch has in- the legal community. For example, the Civil
dispose of a case fluence magistrates exercising judicial func- Procedure Code was amended to impose
has been reduced tions. penalties on litigants who unnecessarily
from five to seven delayed cases by filing frivolous papers and
years to five to JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY pursuing empty allegations. Much of the
seven months. Although in Bangladesh magistrates exer- time it takes to resolve a case is spent on
cising judicial functions currently belong interlocutory orders. The penalties were

66 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
imposed to reduce interlocutory litigation was available for legal reforms. From 1947–
and speed resolution of the primary suit. A 1997 funding for legal reforms was scarce,
Large-scale
penalty of 100,000 taka was imposed on a but after 1997 period substantial funds for
party found to have made false allegations legal reforms became available, culminating
reforms began
based on falsifies documents. A penalty of ultimately in the Access to Justice Program
50,000 taka was imposed on a party that funded by the Asian Development Bank.
only after 1997,
obtained an injunction on a baseless claim, Before Pakistan’s independence, the
in addition to the defendant’s right to sue only significant law reform effort was the
when funding
for damages. Initially, critics of the new pen- establishment of the Civil Justice Commit-
alties maintained that they would frustrate tee, headed by Justice George Clause
started to be-
justice. After the amendment was passed, Rankin, in 1923. Despite the Committee’s
the Ministry of Law held meetings and semi- report and the limited reforms that followed,
come more
nars with the district bar presidents, secre- the judiciary remained inefficient because
taries, and Supreme Court association presi- the reforms were unable to speed the pro-
available. Ini-
dents. While the discussions resulted in a cessing of cases to alleviate congestion in
reduction in the amounts of the penalties, the courts. For the first fifty years after the
tially, the re-
the original principles were retained. nation’s independence, funding for the ju-
Legal reform always depends on the in- diciary was severely limited resulting in an
forms focused
dividual judges and lawyers for effective inadequate number of judges, courthouses,
implementation. There must be support for and other support facilities. Large-scale re-
on the commer-
the reforms from within the system if reforms forms began only after 1997, when funding
are to succeed. The leadership of every dis- started to become more available. Initially,
cial sector, then
trict judge who has to implement a particu- the reforms focused on the commercial sec-
lar new law is important. System reform tor, then they moved to the civil judiciary,
they moved to
never brings quick results. A stable govern- before finally being consolidated in the
ment that provides continuity of gover- comprehensive Access to Justice Program
the civil judi-
nance facilitates the process, and the longer (AJP) that affects nearly every aspect of the
the reforms are allowed to entrench them- judiciary.
ciary, before
selves in the system, the more positive the
net effects will be. The legal reform programs Retention of the Positive Elements
finally being
currently being implemented in Bangladesh from the Colonial System
aim to ensure access to justice: easy, inex- Although the statutes and systems that
consolidated in
pensive, and speedy justice in the courts. were established during colonial rule are
generally discredited, there are some good
the comprehen-
practices that should be preserved in our
reform efforts. Part of the reform program
sive Access to
Challenges in should be to implement those positive as-
pects of the colonial statutes that have not
Justice Program.
Implementing previously been enforced. For example:
• Inspections of the District Courts by High
■
Access to Justice Court judges. Despite the fact that exist-
ing law provides for regular court in-

Reforms in Pakistan
Muhammad Bilal
spection, there are district courts that
have not been inspected for over ten
HON. SHAFIUR RAHMAN years. Although sporadic inspections
Former Justice, Supreme Court of Pakistan sometimes take place, they are no sub-
stitute for regular inspections, which af-
ford a High Court judge the opportunity

L
aw reform in Pakistan has been a to interact with the subordinate judi-
continuing process, which began ciary, the bar, the litigants, and the dis-
long before the country’s indep- trict bureaucracy. Lawyers in Pakistan
endence in 1947. The reform ef • Inspections of the courts by the presiding stand to benefit from
forts can be divided into three officer. The current court rules require the reforms under the
phases: the pre-independence period (pre- that in the year in which the High Court Access to Justice
Program.
1947), and two post-independence periods, judge does not inspect the courts, the
distinguished by the amount of funding that head of district judiciary, i.e., the dis-

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 67

Larry Ramos

harsher the law, the more effective it will be

“Certain measures can be taken in achieving its objectives.
These notions are, of course, mistaken.
to ensure successful implemen- New and reformed laws are not automati-
tation of law reform, including cally implemented. There are several reasons
providing secure tenure for for this. First, the financial implications of
new laws are frequently not thought
judges, building capacity through through at the time the laws are drafted, and
Hon. Shafiur Rahman
training, improving public provisions are not made for the funds need-
ed to implement the law. The department res-
Former Justice, Supreme awareness, and improving ponsible for administering the law has to in
Court of Pakistan
internal accountability all likelihood make do with insufficient re-
measures.” sources, so that without additional funding,
new laws will simply be ignored. Also, inad-
Justice Shafiur Rahman served as Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan from equate and poorly trained human resources
1979-1994 and Justice of the High Court of West Pakistan/Punjab from 1969-
prevent laws from being properly imple-
1979. His career in the civil service and the judiciary, which spans over five
decades, includes stints as deputy secretary of the Home Department and Social mented. There is the lack of capacity to plan
Welfare Department of West Pakistan, registrar of West Pakistan's High Court, and utilize funds for the most optimal value.
law secretary of West Pakistan, acting Wafaqui Mohtasib (federal ombudsman), There is no scheme at either the federal level
member of the Pakistan Law Commission, and chairman of the Commission on
or at the provincial level to address the re-
Corporate Laws and Labor Laws of Pakistan. He has served as consultant to the
Asia Foundation and the Asian Development Bank for technical assistance on quirement of recruiting judges and staff and
legal and judicial reforms and the Access to Justice Program in Pakistan. providing adequate working conditions for
the subordinate judiciary. None of the courts
have any recruitment policy extending be-
trict and sessions judge, shall inspect yond the next five to ten years.
each of the courts in the district in a Successful implementation of laws re-
similar fashion. In addition, the judge quires monitoring, evaluation, and perfor-
of each court in the district is required mance review. However, no annual reports
to inspect his court once in a quarter on the subject are published and no effort is
and submit a report to his superior. made to elicit public opinion on law reforms.
• Submission of statistical reports on court The success of law reforms depends on
performance. The abstract order sheet consistency of vision within political lead-
of all civil and criminal cases pending ership. However, neither federal nor provin-
for over one year must be submitted by cial leadership has provided such a collec-
each court. Criminal cases that are pend- tive vision. Disparate incentives and institu-
ing for over four months have to be re- tional goals cause the head of each govern-
ported to the next higher authority. mental body to pursue his own designs and
These statistics must be collected ac- priorities without coordinating with other
curately and reported in the prescribed governmental bodies. Furthermore, changes
form in time to facilitate preparation of in office frequently mean changes in the vi-
annual reports. These annual reports sion of the political leadership. Accordingly,
had ceased to be published after 1973 there is little continuity or consistency in
and were revived as part of the Access the pursuit of reform programs and the pru-
to Justice Program. dent management of reform funding.
Nor has political leadership consis-
Challenges to Successful Implementation tently supported reform efforts at all. Re-
of Reforms tired Chief Justice of Pakistan Ajmal Mian,
Law reform involves more than simply pass- in his book A Judge Speaks Out, noted his
ing new laws. However, the Pakistani atti- experience of political opposition to judi-
tude is that laws take effect immediately cial reforms:
upon their placement in the statute books.
Pakistanis often believe that after the law is On the basis of more than twenty-one years of ex-
changed on the books, nothing more must perience as a member of the superior judiciary, I
be done to ensure implementation, so that can say without any fear of contradiction that none
even statutory rules and regulations are un- of the governments in Pakistan during my
necessary. In addition, it is believed that the tenure wanted an independent judiciary… I

68 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 had asked the President and the Prime Minister to pending, unattended, in the highest court
refer cases of judicial misconduct against the judges of the country for over 10 years, that fact
The Supreme
who did not enjoy a good reputation, but there was should be disclosed to the public. Similarly,
no response. It is, therefore, imperative to confer the judiciary should be placed under a
Court and civil
on the Supreme Judicial Council the power to ini- statutory obligation to hold annual confer-
tiate misconduct proceedings suo moto upon an ences and to publish periodic reports with
society organi-
application from an aggrieved party, provided the regard to the accomplishments of and prob-
application is bona fide and is supported by reli- lems facing the law reform agenda, as well
zations (CSOs)
able material, so that the judges of the superior as the demands and working conditions of
courts may become accountable.1 the judiciary. Dialogue among the members
have formulated
of the judiciary as well as between the judi-
Interference from the military has also ciary and the public is necessary for a coop-
“blueprints” for
impeded judicial reform efforts. For ex- erative and efficient reform effort.
ample, the military coerced resignations Finally, an effective internal grievance
reform, which
from a judge of High Court and from the Chief redress system should be instituted as part
Justice of the same High Court, instead of of the governance structure of the country.
are supported
seeking the appropriate institutional ac- An accountability mechanism must be
tions against them through the constitution- implemented both in the judicial sector and
by various
ally established Supreme Judicial Council. the rest of the bureaucracy to supplement
public awareness and provide for public
donors, which
Suggestions for Successful Implementation participation in the judicial reform process.
of Reforms When these reforms are instituted, Pa-
are intended to
Notwithstanding the serious issues facing kistan will be much closer towards a
the judiciary in Pakistan, certain measures smooth, well-functioning, effective and effi-
facilitate imple-
can be taken to ensure successful imple- cient judiciary.
mentation of law reform, including provid-
mentation of
ing secure tenure for judges, building ca-
pacity through training, improving public
awareness, and improving internal account- Judicial Reform in the one-roof
ability measures.
Judges, particularly of judges of supe- Indonesia system within
rior courts, should be granted secure ten- HON. MARIANNA SUTADI
the judiciary.
ure. If judges are confident that they will Vice Chief Justice
retain their jobs, they will be more willing Supreme Court of Indonesia
■
to implement reforms even in the face of
opposition.

T
Capacity building is essential to sustain- he law enforcement system in
able law reform. Training and technical as- Indonesia, from the police to
sistance by highly qualified and experienced the prosecutor to the courts, is
professionals is required for (a) fund man- perceived to be unjust and
agement of the Law and Justice Commission; there is little public confidence
(b) curriculum and training of the Federal in the legal system. In order to promote jus-
Judicial Academy; (c) operational efficiency tice and public and investor confidence in
of the website set up by the Ministry of Law; the legal system, further judicial reforms
(d) court management techniques; and (e) must focus on strengthening judicial inde-
record keeping and automation. pendence and accountability and improv-
In order to build public support for re- ing trial procedures.
forms and public confidence in the judicial Judicial independence is a pre-requisite
system, the performance of the judiciary to the rule of law and a fundamental guar-
should be periodically disclosed to the pub- antee of a fair trial. Judges must uphold and
lic. These performance reports will encour- exemplify the principles of judicial indepen-
age the judiciary’s accountability to soci- dence in both their individual and institu-
ety. If a petition for review has remained tional capacities. The Bangalore Principles
of Judicial Conduct1 provides that judicial
independence can be achieved by applying
1
AJMAL MIAN, A JUDGE SPEAKS OUT 347 (2004) (emphasis added). the following principles:

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 69

 • A judge shall exercise the judicial func- Anti-corruption legislation has been
tion independently on the basis of the passed as well. The Corruption Eradication
judge’s assessment of the facts and in Commission (KPK) proposed Law No. 30 in
accordance with a conscientious under- 2002, which mandated the establishment of
standing of the law, free of any extrane- the Anti-Corruption Court. This body spe-
ous influences, inducements, pressures, cially designed to hear corruption cases
threats or interference, direct or indi- handled by the Anti-Corruption Commis-
rect, from any quarter or for any reason; sion. The court has recently begun proceed-
• A judge shall be independent in rela- ings on alleged corruption in the procure-
tion to society in general and in rela- ment of military equipment. Other anti-cor-
tion to the particular parties to a dis- ruption programs that have been imple-
pute which the judge has to adjudicate; mented include: (a) training in anti-corrup-
• A judge shall not only be free from inap- tion techniques for the Anti-Corruption
propriate connections with, and influ- Court judges, prosecutors, and support staff;
ence by, the executive and legislative (b) the development of a recruitment sys-
branches of government, but must also tem for Anti-Corruption Court ad-hoc
appear to a reasonable observer to be judges; and (c) the preparation of a manual
free therefrom; on the administration of the Anti-Corrup-
• A judge shall make decisions indepen- tion Court.
20,000 dent from influences of his judicial col- In order to increase public and inves-
The number of leagues; tor confidence in the Indonesian legal sys-
cases that are in • A judge shall encourage and uphold tem, judicial independence must be in-
the backlog of safeguards for the discharge of judicial creased, trials must be made efficient and
Indonesia’s duties in order to maintain and enhance accessible, and corruption must be miti-
Supreme Court. the institutional and operational inde- gated. The legislation passed in recent years
pendence of the judiciary; is the first step, however. Further reform pro-
80% • A judge shall exhibit and promote high grams have been formulated and are in the
The percentage of standards of judicial conduct in order process of being implemented.
backlog that is to reinforce public confidence in the ju-
made up of civil diciary, with the understanding that Implementation of Reforms
cases. public confidence is a fundamental goal The Supreme Court and civil society orga-
of judicial independence. nizations (CSOs) have formulated “blue-
Measures to reduce prints” for reform, which are supported by
the backlog include Legislation Furthering Legal Reform various donors, which are intended to fa-
regulations on class Legislation has been passed since 1999 to cilitate implementation of the one-roof sys-
actions and court address 1) judicial independence, 2) trial tem within the judiciary. These reforms ad-
affiliated alterna- procedures, and 3) corruption. In 1999, Law dress personnel issues, case management,
tive dispute No. 35 was passed to amend Law No. 14 of and judicial accountability. The Supreme
resolution (ADR) 1970 on the Principal Provisions on Judi- Court has established a secretariat and a
that will provide cial Authority. This amendment established judicial reform team responsible for coor-
other channels of a “one roof” policy: resulting in the judiciary dinating and monitoring the implementa-
adjudication to being removed from the control of the ex- tion of the Supreme Court’s comprehensive
liticants to reduce ecutive branch and placed under the au- reform agenda. A Donor Consultation Fo-
crowding of the thority of the Supreme Court. Even this rum acts to ensure that programs spon-
court dockets. transfer of authority, by itself, has been in- sored by international and multi-lateral or-
sufficient to restore public confidence in ganizations are coordinated with each other
the judiciary. and the Supreme Court reform agenda.
Legislation has also been passed to pro- The Supreme Court agenda on court and
mote access to justice by providing for im- judicial personnel reforms addresses per-
proved trial procedures. Law No. 8 of 1981 sonnel organization, functions, recruitment,
on the Law of Criminal Procedure (KUHAP) promotion and rotation, and judicial super-
and Law No. 35 of 1999 replaced legislation vision, evaluation and discipline. The Asia
from 1970 and provide that the trial process
must be conducted in a quick, simple, low-
1
cost, open, honest, and impartial manner in THE BANGALORE PRINCIPLES OF JUDICIAL CONDUCT (2002),
available at www.unodc.org/pdf/crime/corruption/
all levels of trials. judicial_group/Bangalore_principles.pdf

70 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
Foundation and the Danish Government are
supporting a program to develop a system “Despite widespread support, the
of recruitment, promotion, and reallocation
of judges.
reform effort faces many chal-
The reform agenda addresses measures lenges. The inertia of institutional
to promote access to justice by reducing culture, limited human resources,
the Supreme Court’s backlog of 20,000 cases
(80 percent of which are civil). These mea- and the tsunami have all posed Hon. Marianna Sutadi
sures include regulations on class actions challenges to the speedy implem- Vice Chief Justice
Supreme Court
and court-affiliated alternative dispute reso-
lution (ADR) that will provide other chan-
entation of judicial reforms.” of Indonesia

nels of adjudication to litigants to reduce

crowding of the court dockets. Measures to Ms. Justice Marianna Sutadi is the Vice Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of
Indonesia. She began her 40-year career in the judiciary as a judge at the
improve the efficiency of the courts them- Jakarta Special District Court in 1964. She was promoted to Assistant Justice of
selves include funding and support infra- the Supreme Court in 1981, and served as High Court Judge at the Tanjungkarang
structure, case management, and informa- and Jakarta High Courts. She was appointed as Vice Chief of the Central
tion management of the Court. To this end, Kalimantan High Court in 1993, and of the Tanjungkarang High Court in 1994.
She was appointed Justice of the Supreme Court in October 1995. Justice Sutadi
the Asia Foundation and Asian Dev- graduated from the Faculty of Law of the University of Indonesia in 1964.
elopment Bank (ADB) are supporting the
Supreme Court’s efforts to establish an in-
formation management system for handling
cases and to establish a managerial system ist ideas and initiatives by disseminating
for legal cases as they travel through the information on all ongoing and planned re-
courts of first instance, appellate courts, form activities to members of the judiciary.
and the Supreme Court. Lack of human resources and inadequate
The Supreme Court has strengthened infrastructure limits the courts’ capacity to
internal and external oversight of individual implement the reform agenda. This con-
judges’ performance as well as institutional straint can only be resolved through con-
performance generally in order to improve tinuing training for judges and other judi-
accountability and transparency. Partner- cial staff tailored to meet the demands im-
ship for Governance Reform in Indonesia is posed by the reforms. Finally, the tsunami
supporting the development of an external disaster on 26 December 2005 in Aceh has
control system for improvement of the su- further slowed judicial reform efforts. Now,
pervision and control of the Supreme Court, in addition to the nationwide reform pro-
as the policy was adopted through Law No. grams, the judiciary must divert extra re-
22 of 2004. sources to Aceh, where the court system
must be completely rebuilt. The Supreme
Challenges to Reform Court has taken initial steps towards ad-
The reform programs have internal and ex- dressing this urgent problem, stretching the
ternal support. The Chief Justice Bagir already limited resources of the judicial sys-
Manan has been effective in mobilizing tem even thinner.
stakeholders’ support for judiciary reform Reorganization and reformation of the
within the judiciary. The strong partnership judicial infrastructure takes time. The
with CSOs to define and implement the re- implementation of the one-roof system,
form agenda through the blueprints has which was initiated in 1999, took five years.
consolidated support for reforms outside We cannot expect changes to happen
the judiciary. quickly, and must persevere with the reform
Despite widespread support, the reform agenda even if we do not experience imme-
effort faces many challenges. The inertia of diate results.
institutional culture, limited human re-
sources, and the tsunami have all posed Conclusion
challenges to the speedy implementation The pursuit of the goals set forth in the Su-
of judicial reforms. The culture of reform preme Court’s blueprints is an essential first
within the judiciary has not been internal- step in achieving an independent, modern,
ized. An important aspect of implementing ethical, transparent, and participative judi-
reforms is to expose the judiciary to reform- cial framework. In implementing the blue-

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 71

 prints, priority should be given to those the independent prosecutorial commis-
goals that will have an immediate effect on sion as a part of the effort to develop an
First, corruption
the development of an independent and im- external control mechanism for the
partial court. This can be best achieved by AGO.
within the
the establishment of an external supervi-
sory mechanism, as is currently being pur- Internal reforms in the AGO will address
Attorney public demands to establish an ethical,
sued by the Partnership for Governance
Reform. The Supreme Court should also con- transparent, participatory, and accountable
General's Office public prosecutor. The ADB-funded Gover-
tinue to partner with CSOs and reform-
minded academic circles so they can con- nance Audit of the Public Prosecution Ser-
(AGO) must be vice, as well as the National Development
solidate their expertise and experience in
implementing the reform agenda. Planning Agency’s national plan of action
eliminated, for combating corruption, will provide find-
ings and recommendations that will form
because such the basis for AGO reforms.
internal corrup- Reform A prosecutorial commission has been
proposed. If the President establishes the
tion renders law Developments in Commission, it will act as an external over-
sight body that will supervise and enhance
enforcement the Attorney the AGO’s performance. The Commission
will monitor and evaluate organizational
ineffective. General’s Office of conditions within the AGO. It will supervise
and evaluate prosecutors’ conduct and
Second, the AGO Indonesia make recommendations for reforms.
The AGO has involved independent le-
MAS ACHMAD SANTOSA gal experts and CSOs in two task forces: the
must be mobi- task force handling corruption cases and
Adviser, Partnership for Governance Reform
in Indonesia the task force for internal reform agenda.
lized to fight There are also plans to include CSO mem-
bers and independent experts in the selec-
corruption

P
ublic expectations for Indon- tion committee of the Prosecutorial Com-
esia’s public prosecutor’s office mission. This multi-lateral strategy is simi-
throughout the lar to Chief Justice Manan’s approach to de-
Attorney General’s Office (AGO),
are focused on the elimination fining and implementing the judicial reform
country, and agenda with the involvement of non-govern-
of corruption on two fronts.
First, corruption within the AGO must be mental organizations (NGOs).
bring to justice NGOs working on the judiciary reforms
eliminated, because such internal corrup-
tion renders law enforcement ineffective. formed a coalition called NGOs’ Coalition
the worst of- on Judiciary Monitoring. The NGOs’ involve-
Second, the AGO must be mobilized to fight
corruption throughout the country, and ment in the reform agenda included: (a) pro-
fenders. viding technical assistance, including con-
bring to justice the worst offenders, who
have embezzled government funds and ad- sulting service; (b) drafting Supreme Court
■
versely affected the image of the Republic. regulations and developing blueprints for
The AGO has four plans of action to reform; (c) compiling comparative research
meet these public expectations: on certain legal issues such as class action
a. To intensify the investigation and pros- suits and court-affiliated ADR; and (d) par-
ecution of corruption cases throughout ticipating in the selection process of jus-
Indonesia; tices. For example, there is a civil society
b. To review all cases that have ended in representative in the selection committee
an order to stop the investigation or of ad hoc judges for the Anti-Corruption
prosecution and expedite the enforce- Court. The NGOs also act as watchdogs by
ment of all cases that have attracted examining court decisions that trigger pub-
public attention; lic controversies and investigating candi-
c. To promote internal reform within the dates for appointment as justices or as mem-
AGO; and bers of the judicial commission. In sum,
d. To push forward the establishment of NGOs have had a significant role in promot-

72 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
ing judicial reforms and supplementing the
pro-active role and leadership of the Su- “The Attorney General’s Office
preme Court. The involvement of indepen-
dent experts and CSOs in the AGO reforms
has involved independent legal
should likewise promote the efficacy and experts and CSOs in two task
sustainability of the reform projects. forces: the task force handling
The multi-tiered AGO reform agenda, in
conjunction with the proposed prosecu- corruption cases and the task
Mas Achmad Santosa
torial commission, will do much to combat force for internal reform Adviser, Partnership for
both corruption that is internal to the AGO
and corruption in the rest of the govern-
agenda.” Governance Reform in
Indonesia
ment. Reforms that can make strides against
Mas Achmad Santosa is an Adviser for Legal and Judicial Reform in the Partner-
corruption and improve the law enforce- ship for Governance Reform in Indonesia, a non-governmental organization set
ment conditions in Indonesia will succeed up by the government of Indonesia and the United Nations Development Pro-
in responding to public demands and meet gram (UNDP), which is mandated to promote governance reform in Indonesia.
He is involved as an advisor in various efforts to reform the Supreme Court
public expectations for the AGO and law
(Mahkamah Agung) and the Attorney-General’s Office (AGO). Besides his teach-
enforcement in Indonesia generally. ing activities in the Law School at the University of Indonesia, he is also in-
volved in various NGOS, working for legal and judicial reform as founder and
senior researcher in the Indonesian Centre for Environmental Law (ICEL), as
well as the Indonesian Institute for Independence of Judiciary (LeIP), the Na-
tional Consortium on Legal Reform (KRHN) and the Indonesian Institute for
Conflict Transformation (IICT). He is also currently a member of the Governing
Board of the Indonesia-Australia Legal Development Facility (IALDF).

OPEN FORUM
On Enhancing the Effectiveness and
Accountability of the Judiciary
Judicial Independence and Accountability
REGION-WIDE OBSERVATIONS:
• The general public has little or no confidence in the judiciary.
• Even well-connected investors are extremely frustrated with unpredictable investment climates caused by
the unpredictable and inefficient judicial system.
• Developing countries cannot achieve sustainable economic growth, which is the key to poverty eradication,
without a well-functioning, efficient, and honest judiciary.
• Increasing judicial independence and accountability can transform judicial systems and provide the founda-
tion for sustainable economic growth.

CHALLENGES TO INCREASING JUDICIAL INDEPENDENCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY:

• Analytical studies and recommendations alone do not guarantee implementation of reforms.
• Without a stable, democratic, and clean political system, it is hard for the judiciary in any country to avoid
government interference.
• Judicial independence requires:
o strong leadership within the judiciary to overcome day-to-day interference from outside forces and
withstand the onslaught of vested interests;
o financial independence in order to avoid improper political influence and manipulation achieved
through budgetary pressure; and
o administrative support to maintain functional independence from the other branches of government.
• Members of the judiciary must be held accountable to an entity within the democratic institution, for
example: the parliament or civil society.
• A judicial ombudsman could be established to monitor the justices, as an alternative or supplemental

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 73

 accountability mechanism. There are, however, in certain jurisdictions, constitutional provisions that ensure
the independence of the judiciary, which may limit the scope or prohibit such establishment entirely.

Networking among Regional Judiciaries

• The Philippine Supreme Court, in cooperation with the World Bank and ADB, is organizing a regional
conference for members of the judiciaries, law professionals, and heads of judicial academies. The confer-
ence aims to facilitate the sharing of information and experiences about judicial reforms among the various
judicial systems and jurisdictions. The conference presupposes that:
o a functional and efficient judiciary is a necessary component of good governance and a precondition for
sustainable economic development, and
o the participating countries are all engaged in efforts to reform their judiciaries and legal systems with
the same guiding principles in mind.

Networking among regional judiciaries results in the identification of strategies for increased judicial
effectiveness and accountability.

74 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
Chapter 6
Participants

shared individual

country

experiences in
Operational Challenges in judiciary funding

Judicial Reform and reform;

identified

■ Plenary Report common practices

• Funding the Judiciary and Judicial Reform
• Judicial Ethics and Competence and issues related
■ Case and Case Flow Management to judicial funding
• Case and Case Flow Management in Islamabad
• Peshawar Solutions to Case and Case Flow Management and judicial reform
• East Karachi Operational Practices and Procedures to Case and Case Flow Management
• Case and Case Flow Management financing;
■ Improving Court Registries and Process Service
• Challenges to Improving Court Registries: The Peshawar Context discussed reform
• East Karachi Strategies for Improving Court Registries
goals, objectives
• Improving Court Registries and Process Service
and priority

reform areas; and

Plenary Report on Operational agreed on a set of
Challenges in Judicial Reform shared principles

A. Funding the Judiciary and Judicial Reforms and approaches

• Participants shared individual country experiences in judiciary funding and reform; identified common that could guide
practices and issues related to judicial funding and judicial reform financing; discussed reform goals,
objectives and priority reform areas; and agreed on a set of shared principles and approaches that could country-specific
guide country-specific reform initiatives.
reform initiatives.
• Participants highlighted the ways in which judiciaries are currently funded; the mechanisms that deter-
mine funding levels and structures; the institutional processes by which funds are remitted to or collected ■
by the judiciary; the accounting and reporting of judicial funds; the factors that influence judicial indepen-
dence, both institutional and individual, including: integrity, vulnerability, accountability, and efficiency of
internal resource management; and sources of funding for the judiciary, including: budget from the
national or local governments and grants or loans from donor or lending institutions.

• They also discussed matters relating to national and local judicial budgets.
o In most countries, the judiciary’s budget is proposed by the national or local executive department, and
approved by national or local legislature, respectively.
o Different budgets are allocated for the superior or high courts and the lower or district courts.
o Funds are released by the finance department of the relevant country or province.
 Challenge: Dependence of the Judiciary on the Executive
If the judiciary is not a high priority for the government, dependence of the judiciary on the executive can cause
the judiciary to be under-funded.
• Some countries have adopted judicial budget laws that allow courts to submit their own budget indepen-
dent of the executive department.
• A supreme court budget council, including both finance and justice ministers, discuss budget proposal and
settle on the appropriate judicial funding and allocation.
• The judiciary’s direct participation in the drafting of its proposed budget has resulted in improved funding
for the courts.
• International donations as supplemental judicial funding:
o Funds are not given directly to the courts, but to the implementing partner agency, usually a civil society
organization.
o Donated funding is frequently earmarked for programs that have not been allocated money in the
government budget.
o Lack of coordination between the governments, donor institutions, and the judiciary can result in
inefficient funding decisions. In some cases, certain judicial programs can receive budgetary allocations
and grants that overlap, while other programs remain under-funded.
o There needs to be better communication between governments, donor institutions, and the judiciary
regarding the precise funding needs of the judiciary.
• The auditor general periodically audits funds that have been released to the judiciary and reports on
excess resources and irregularities. Both governmental funding and donor funding which is processed
through government channels, as was ADB’s Access to Justice Program in Pakistan, are also subject to the
same audit procedures.
• The highest court has fiscal independence, in some countries. Therefore, the chief justice is entitled to
reallocate the funds as needed, in accordance with the needs of the judicial districts, its leaders, and the
allocated budget. However, in practice, the delays in processing reallocation requests can result in
delayed release of funds.
• Under-funding of judicial efforts is a major concern among the participating countries. The governments
of the participating countries frequently do not fully appreciate the link between the judiciary and
economic development, so that they do not consider funding judicial reforms as part of a long-term
development agenda.
• Funding is not the only factor—political will and proper incentives within the judiciary are equally
important to ensure the success of a judicial reform program.
• In discussing strategies to reform judiciary finance, the country representatives (a) defined the reform
goals and objectives; (b) discussed guiding principles; (c) addressed reform directions; and (d) discussed
areas for reform.

Proposed Solutions
• The judicial budget should be made a priority for development funding. Additionally, higher budgetary
allocations for the judiciary should be granted so it has the resources to better address the problems of case
congestion and delay by increasing the number of courts and judges. To ensure that governmental funding
for the judiciary is released regularly, the adoption of automatic remittance mechanisms was suggested.
• Loans intended for the judiciary should be released to the beneficiaries efficiently and there should be no
unnecessary intervention by government bureaucracy.
• The judiciary should be allowed to retain, for its own use, legal fees and charges paid by litigants as a way
to provide courts with an independent source of funding.
• Coordination between donor institutions and state budget ministries should be facilitated to avoid the
difficulties arising from conflicts between the government’s fiscal year and the donor’s project schedule.
• The judiciary should be granted control over its budget proposal and approval process.
• Executive discretion in determining the judicial funding and distribution of resources within the judiciary
should be removed.
• A separate and independent judiciary should be established, both for purposes of case adjudication and
also for internal affairs management.
• The judiciary’s resource management, capacity, and efficiency should be improved.
• The support of the local governments for judicial reform programs should be obtained.
• The increasing case load of courts should be managed.
• Public access to the courts should be increased, particularly for disadvantaged and vulnerable groups.
• Bar associations, business organizations, non-government organizations, and the media should be in-
volved in efforts toward judicial reforms.

76 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
B. Judicial Ethics and Competence
• The session aimed to discover, compare, and evaluate current judicial practices and reform programs;
provide suggestions for improvement; and identify best practices in the region.

• Participants tackled the recruitment and selection of judges; improvement of court services; corruption;
and grievance mechanisms citizens can access to report unethical judicial behavior.

• It was noted that judicial systems across the region shared common issues:
o A large number of vacant judgeships in the courts existed in many jurisdictions.
o Internal resistance to assessment and evaluation was also common.
o There is a lack of standardized qualifications and competencies for judges, as well as a merit-based
system for the assignment and promotion of judicial officers.
o Delegation of judicial authority to unqualified subordinates was common, as was corruption in the
handling of cases. Moreover, consultations with stakeholders were marred by political interests across
the region.

Proposed Solutions
• A fair, competitive examination conducted by supreme courts, judicial organizations or bar associations
should be insitutionalized. This would promote a transparent and merit-based selection and recruitment
process at the foundation of the legal system.
• A regular and rigorous evaluation system for judges and court personnel to evaluate their fitness for
service based on competence, intellectual ability, behavior, and attitude was also recommended.
• Best practices need to be identified and modified for each jurisdiction’s respective situation.
• Intensive training should be given to court personnel upon recruitment.
• Judges and court personnel should be provided with continuing education, training, and exposure to
conferences, symposia and opportunities to dialogue with judicial officers of other countries so that they
can be informed of new laws and procedures and become familiar with best practices.
• Merit-based promotions should be insititutionalized.
• The delegation of authority to unqualified subordinates should be avoided.

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 77

 At the time of
Case and Case Flow cant posts for judicial officers available in
the provincial judiciary that could be lever-

our assessment,
Management aged to decrease some of the case backlog
in the district courts. Following the proper
procedure for the appointment of judicial
Case and Case Flow Management officers, we approached the Provincial Pub-
there were in Islamabad lic Service Commission to request that the
HON. MIAN SHAKIRULLAH JAN posts be filled but we were informed that it
certain judiciary Judge, Supreme Court, Islamabad would take about two to four years to fill all
the vacancies. In view of the huge number
districts where
of pending cases, the court system could

W
hen I was a practicing at- not afford to wait. However, just at that time
each judge had
torney, I represented liti- ADB released the Access to Justice Project
gants who complained funds to the federal government and subse-
300 to 400 cases
about the long delays of quently to the provincial government. These
their cases. I resolved that funds enabled the creation of approxi-
pending before
if I ever had the opportunity, I would im- mately fifty new civil judgeships and fifty-
prove case flow management in the courts seven additional session judgeships. Every
him, while there
to alleviate these unnecessary delays. In appointment was made according to estab-
January 2002, around the same time that the lished procedures and the process was trans-
were other
Asian Development Bank (ADB) sponsored parent.
its Access to Justice Program in Pakistan, I With the understanding that judicial of-
districts where
was appointed Chief Justice of the North- ficers alone cannot change the system, we
West Frontier Province. As Chief Justice and focused on ensuring the quality of ministe-
each judge had
with generous resources from ADB, I had just rial and administrative staff. Our work be-
the opportunity to make a difference by gan with framing recruitment rules for the
as many as 900
helping to solve the problems with case flow ministerial staff. According to the rules, the
management in the Pakistani court system. selection committee was to be composed
cases on his
Our efforts at case flow management, includ- of the (a) district judge as the appointing
ing the establishment of specialized courts authority, (b) one of his nominees, and (c)
docket.
to adjudicate specific types of cases, re- one nominee of the high court.
sulted in a reduced caseload across the Although it was not possible for us to
■
courts in Pakistan. create many new ministerial posts with the
allocated budget, we were able to post one
Analysis of Case Load and officer as additional Member Inspection
Allocation of Resources Team (MIT). We upgraded some ministerial
In Pakistan, effecitve
At the time of our assessment, there were staff posts in the High Court and transferred
case and caseflow
management strategies certain judiciary districts where each judge competent judicial officers to the MIT.
have successfully had 300 to 400 cases pending before him, In addition to the redistribution and in-
reduced cases pending while there were other districts where each creases in staffing resources, we supple-
before the courts.
judge had as many as 900 cases mented facilities and technical equipment.
Muhammad Bilal

on his docket. This unequal dis- We provided the district judiciary with
tribution of cases could not be equipment, such as computers, air condi-
resolved by transferring cases tioners, furniture, fax machines, and photo-
from one district to another; so copiers, all of which was procured with
we transferred judicial officers funds provided by ADB. We also established
from one district to another. fully-equipped district libraries and confer-
Based on the Law Commis- ence rooms in various districts.
sion’s target caseload of a maxi-
mum of 450 cases per judge, we Incentives and Performance Review
calculated the number of addi- In an effort to foster involvement by the
tional judges needed to cope individuals in the reform process, we con-
with the current caseload ducted provincial judicial conferences and
based on the current number of workshops. We attended district judicial
judges and cases pending. We conferences and spoke with judicial offic-
found that there were thirty va- ers the problems they face in their courts

78 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
and actions they have already taken to
solve them. These interactions show respect “As Chief Justice and with
for judicial officers, who in turn take a
greater interest in the reforms they feel they
generous resources from ADB, I
are helping to shape. In a similar vein, we had the opportunity to make a
constituted a district criminal justice coor- difference by helping to solve the
dination committee, the citizen liaison com-
mittee, and the bench-and-bar committees. problems with case flow
These committees enable cooperative ef- management in the Pakistani Hon. Mian Shakirullah
forts in reducing case delays.
A rewards program was drafted with
court system. Our efforts at case Jan
Judge, Supreme Court
awards, certificates, and pay increases given flow management, including the Islamabad
to judicial officers who have performed well. establishment of specialized courts
At the same time, we lobbied for increased
compensation for judicial officers across to adjudicate specific types of
the board. It was proposed that the salary cases, resulted in a reduced
of a civil judge, which averaged approxi-
mately 27,000 Pakistani Rupees (PKR) in
caseload across the courts in
2002, be raised to a minimum of PKR 27,000. Pakistan.”
There were certain objections to this pro-
Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan was appointed as Chief Justice of North West
posal because the maximum salary for a dis- Frontier Province (NWFP) High Court of Pakistan on 10 January 2002 and was
trict judge was about PKR 40,000 or PKR elevated as Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on 31 July 2004. He was an
50,000. There was fear that other civil ser- Advocate of the Lower Courts in 1973; an Advocate of the High Court in 1975
and an Advocate of the Supreme Court in 1980. He was a Member of the
vants of the same grade would also demand
Executive Committee, Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan in 1993-94
the salary increase. A proposal to change (elected unanimously); member of the Provincial Bar Council, NWFP, Peshawar
the grade of judicial officers was made, but for the period 1989 to 1993 and Chairman of Free Legal Aid Committee of the
rejected because the change in grading sys- Council for 1990 (elected unanimously). He was Additional Advocate General
NWFP from July 1993 until his elevation as an Additional Judge of Peshawar
tem would effect other allowances that the
High Court on December 13, 1993. He graduated from Islamia College, Peshawar
judicial officers are entitled to. Ultimately, and obtained a Law Degree from the Khyber Law College, Peshawar University
it was decided that a monthly judicial al- in 1972.
lowance be allocated to the judicial offic-
ers, in addition to the allowance to which
they are already entitled as civil servants. reforms consistently. During our inspection,
We also established a judicial welfare fund we found that while there was a policy gov-
and are now planning a retirement system erning the handling of civil cases, there was
for judicial officers. no counterpart policy for criminal cases. We
Incentives and rewards for good perfor- framed and revised a policy on the proce-
mance must be accompanied by account- dural aspects of criminal cases. At the same
ability for poor performance. In order to time, we also issued a schedule for a pro-
improve performance review and account- gram to reduce case delays. According to
ability, we strengthened the office of the MIT. this policy, the oldest cases will be given
The MIT monitors court performance by priority, and hearings will proceed two days
conducting confidential annual reviews of a week in order to speed the resolution of
judges and investigating complaints from older cases.
the public against judicial officers. Proce-
dures for a grievance committee to address Results
such complaints were drawn up. We also At the end of my first year as Chief Justice,
launched a monitoring and evaluation sys- the number of appeals pending before the
tem whereby all the judicial officers are ex- High Court was reduced from about one
pected to report their compliance and fol- hundred to just fourteen. The remaining
low-up actions with respect to the imple- cases were left unresolved because they
mentation of reforms. were not procedurally situated for disposi-
tion. We launched cooperative efforts for
Uniform Policies reform, made good use of the funds made
Judicial officers and administrative support available by ADB to increase human re-
staff need uniform policies to implement sources and facilities, and analyzed the case

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 79

 backlog with a view to reducing every pursue their cases with the full assistance
court’s caseload and maintaining lower of their lawyers. There are an inadequate
One of the
caseloads in the future. Most importantly, number of judges to dispose of the number
we began efforts to reform the ways in which of cases, but the quality of adjudication in
challenges to
judges, court staff, and attorneys think each case must not be sacrificed simply to
about case flow management and set up the increase the number of cases processed.
effective case
incentives and accountability mechanisms The Code of Criminal Procedure (Amend-
necessary to ensure the sustainability of ment) Ordinance 2001 (Ordinance XXXVII of
management in
our other reform efforts. 2001) abolished the system of executive
magistrates (officers of the executive branch
the Peshawar
who heard and decided cases in a quasi-ju-
dicial capacity). All cases pending before the
District, specifi- Peshawar Solutions to Case Flow courts of the executive magistrates were
Management transferred to the judicial magistrates, dras-
cally, is the
MUHAMMAD SHER SHAH tically increasing the judicial magistrates’
Registrar, Peshawar High Court, Pakistan case loads without providing them with in-
weak institu-
creased capacity. The North Western Fron-
tier Province (NWFP) does not have any spe-
tional frame-

E
ffective case flow management is cialized civil, criminal, family or landlord-ten-
crucial to the reducing delays of ant courts to ease the case load in the pri-
work of the
particular cases, facilitating the mary courts and provide fora where judges
expeditious disposal of cases on with specific training in particular areas of
court system.
the court’s docket, and stream- the law can utilize their expertise in facili-
lining court administration and judicial pro- tating the flow of cases.
Unlike Austra-
cesses. Improved case and case flow man- Lack of training facilities and adminis-
agement is important to fulfill the Pakistan trative and technological support further
lian or American
constitutional requirement that the State hinders the adoption of modern case flow
shall ensure expeditious and inexpensive management techniques. Judges lack case
courts, there are
justice. flow management skills to enable them to
Part of Pakistan’s Access to Justice Pro- dispose of cases in a timely manner and
no statutes or
gram (AJP) focuses on reducing delays in avoid backlog. The lack of administrative
the processing of cases. Case delays can be support and the lack of information tech-
consolidated,
mitigated by eliminating the backlog of nology facilities result in courts without au-
pending cases and by reducing the case tomated systems to ensure the uniform num-
institutionalized
load of each court to a manageable size. bering of cases. The absence of standard-
ized forms to facilitate the processing of
rules that
Challenges to Case Flow Management cases institutionalized procedures for expe-
One of the challenges to effective case diting the receiving and processing of docu-
regulate case
management is the weak institutional frame- ments also inhibit efficient operation. Both
work of the court system. Unlike Australian legal and administrative personnel require
and case flow
or American courts, there are no statutes or training in the use of case flow management
consolidated, institutionalized rules that software to enhance their capacity to assess
management.
regulate case and case flow management. the status of cases and take steps to stream-
There are few rules that limit the amount of line the calendar of the court.
■
time allowable for each stage of a litigation, Frivolous litigation tactics also contrib-
for example, the rule that witness lists must ute to delays in case processing. Sometimes
be submitted within a determinate number entire cases are fabricated, and other times
of days after the filing of written statements. a genuine claim will be accompanied by
There is no systematic docket, and in each baseless supplemental claims included to
case at the High Court level, the assigned harass the other party.
docket number changes with every hearing.
Another challenge to effective case man- Reform Measures Undertaken
agement is the need to strike a balance be- The Peshawar High Court has implemented
tween the Court’s speedy resolution of cases several reform measures in order to improve
in order to meet their targets set by the High case flow management.
Court, and the need to enable litigants to

80 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
CAPACITY BUILDING
As part of the Access for Justice Program, “The reforms implemented in the
107 new civil and criminal courts were es-
tablished in major districts and the number
Peshawar courts have proven to
of judges was increased. Newly recruited be extremely successful in reducing
additional session judges and civil judges the backlog of cases.... [We] have
are receiving pre-service training while se-
nior judges undergo in-service training. The now disposed of a full 75 percent
judicial staff at both the High Court and dis- of the entire backlog of cases four
trict levels are also receiving training. An-
nual judicial conferences are being held to
years old or older. In the past two Muhammad Sher Shah
Registrar, Peshawar
discuss the ongoing concerns of the judi- years (2003–2004), the average High Court, Pakistan
ciary. rate of disposing of cases was 14
MONITORING AND INSPECTION percent higher than the rate at
The Peshawar High Court conducted initial which cases were filed. If this
inspections of the courts and prepared a
consolidated inspection report for circula-
pattern continues, the backlog of
tion to all courts. This report informed cases will be completely
courts of ways in which to monitor case flow remedied.”
and included standard checklists for cases
of different types to be maintained by the Mr. Muhammad Sher Shah is the Registrar of the Peshawar High Court in Paki-
courts and referred to at various stages of stan. He served as General Secretary of the District Bar three times and its
President four times. He was appointed as Additional District and Sessions
each case.
Judge in October 1993 until he was promoted to District and Sessions Judge in
A standard Annual Work Plan was 2001. In June 2002, he was part of the Member Inspection Team in the Peshawar
adopted for use by all courts. Each court is High Court until his posting as Registrar in November 2004.
required to prepare an annual work plan for
submission to the district judge who shall
consolidate these plans for submission to
the High Court. The Peshawar District Court INCENTIVE AND REWARD POLICY PROGRAM
has already submitted its work plan. The Incentive and Reward Policy was intro-
In July 2002, a Time-Bound Reduction duced to foster healthy competition bet-
Plan was implemented whereby each court ween judicial officers and motivate them to
was required to set a minimum number of improve their performance. Annual salary
cases to be decided each month. These pro- increases and other monetary and non-mon-
jections and the quantitative disposal of etary awards are given to judicial officers
cases are regularly monitored by the office of based on their performance in their
the Member Inspection Team (MIT), which monthly evaluations of the quantitative and
also monitors certain sensitive cases, such as qualitative disposal of cases and court man-
those of detained defendants that have not agement.
yet been tried and family cases. MIT officers
assist in speeding the resolution of cases by, EQUIPMENT
for example, placing calls to the court before To facilitate case and case flow manage-
which a detained defendant’s case is pend- ment, 155 courts were equipped with com-
ing to expedite the scheduling of the hearing. puters, printers, photocopiers, fax machines
and other necessary equipment. To date,
COMPLAINT AND GRIEVANCE CELL nearly half of the courts have been supplied
A Complaint and Grievance Cell in the of- with new equipment, and requisitions have
fice of the MIT was established as an ac- been made to ensure that the remaining
countability mechanism to entertain com- courts receive equipment as soon as it is
plaints by parties against judicial officers available. People trained in information
and to address grievances about delay in technology are also recruited to serve as
the disposal of cases. Between July 2002 to support staff to the courts.
December 2004, the new department re-
ceived 2,804 complaints and fully addressed BENCH-BAR LIAISON COMMITTEES
2,039 of them. A Bench-Bar Liaison Committee has been es-

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 81

 tablished in every district throughout the Karachi East Operational Practices
province. Each committee is headed by the and Procedures to Case and Case
district judge of that jurisdiction. Committee Flow Management
members meet quarterly to discuss strategies HON. ZAFAR AHMED KHAN SHERWANI
on how to improve judicial performance. District and Sessions Judge
CRIMINAL JUSTICE COORDINATING COMMITTEES Karachi East, Pakistan
Criminal justice coordinating committees
have likewise been established in each of

J
the provincial districts. These committees udicial reforms to achieve access to
are chaired by the district judge and staffed justice are a crucial element of the
by the district police officer, the district jail agenda to encourage economic
superintendent, the district public prosecu- growth and alleviate poverty. The
tor and the probation officer. They hold Asian Development Bank (ADB) has
monthly meetings to discuss the issues re- provided financial assistance to the govern-
lated to the criminal justice system and cre- ment of Pakistan for a multifaceted judicial
ate strategies to overcome them. reform program. The improvement of case
flow management in the courts is one of the
Conclusion central goals of the reform program.
89% The reforms implemented in the NWFP Case flow management is the manage-
of cases filed courts have proven to be extremely success- ment of the continuum of processes and re-
between 1971 and ful in reducing the backlog of cases. The sources necessary to move a case from fil-
1980 that have courts have now succeeded in disposing of ing to disposition, whether this disposition
been disposed by 89 percent of cases filed between 1971 and is by settlement, plea, dismissal, trial, or any
Peshawar courts. 1980, 81 percent of cases filed between 1981 other method. The goal of case flow man-
and 1990, and 67 percent of cases filed be- agement is to expedite the disposition of
81% tween 1991 and 1999. Peshawar courts have all cases in a manner consistent with fair-
of cases filed now disposed of a full 75 percent of the en- ness to all parties; to enhance the quality of
between 1981 and tire backlog of cases four years old or older. litigation; to assure litigants equal access
1990 that have In the past two years (2003–2004), the aver- to the adjudicative process; and to minimize
been disposed. age rate of disposing of cases was 14 percent the uncertainties associated with the pro-
higher than the rate at which cases were cessing of cases.
67% filed. If this pattern continues, the backlog East Karachi has adopted a two-tiered
of cases filed of cases will be completely remedied. approach to address the severe problem of
between 1991 and In accomplishing these reforms, NWFP case backlog in the courts of that jurisdic-
1999 that have courts relied on the committed leadership tion. Not only must the current backlog of
been disposed. of the Chief Justice, and the multi-tiered pro- cases be disposed of as swiftly as possible,
gram to educate and motivate judicial of- but effective case monitoring systems and
ficers to mobilize to improve case and case accessibility of case information must be
flow management. The reform program en- improved to maintain efficient case flow in
gages every court in the province and is the future. The first level of the program,
monitored very closely by the High Court. which has already been completed, in-
Due to the comprehensive approach and volved the definition of institutional goals
strong leadership, the NWFP reform pro- and establishment of priorities. The second
gram has been immensely successful in im- level, which is currently in progress, in-
proving case flow management and ulti- volves setting up an evolutionary informa-
mately access to justice. tion processing and dissemination model
at District Level Courts.

Establishment of Goals and Priorities

The first level involved the following strate-
gies: (a) promoting a paradigm shift among
the members of the judiciary; (b) prioritiz-
ing cases; (c) fixing time periods for the dis-
position of cases; (d) monitoring of the
courts; and (e) consulting with the Bar.

82 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
The paradigm shift requires a change in
the attitudes and approaches of the indi- “The paradigm shift requires a
vidual members of the judiciary and court
staff. While such a shift is intangible and
change in the attitudes and
difficult to measure, it is nonetheless a fun- approaches of the individual
damental element of implementing and sus- members of the judiciary and
taining any reform program. In the case of
the East Karachi judicial reform program, court staff. While such a shift is
the paradigm shift was achieved through intangible and difficult to measure,
dissemination of information on the pro-
grams accompanied by training. Judges were
it is nonetheless a fundamental Hon. Zafar Ahmed
Khan Sherwani
encouraged to welcome the reforms and pro- element of implementing and District and Sessions
vide assistance and cooperation to the new sustaining any reform program. In Judge, East Karachi
methods adopted to facilitate case flow. Pakistan
They were taught how to prioritize cases, the case of the East Karachi
beginning with the 30- to 35-year old cases judicial reform program, the
that had been transferred from the High
Court to the District Courts with the expan-
paradigm shift was achieved
sion of the latter’s jurisdiction. through dissemination of
The program’s goal was to clear the information on the programs.”
backlog within a period of two to three
years. A workshop was held with members Mr. Zafar Ahmed Khan Sherwani is a Districts and Sessions Judge of Karachi
of the judiciary where it was jointly decided East, Pakistan. He was formerly Registrar, Special Courts for Speedy Trials,
to clear the backlog at a rate of three per- Home Department of the Government of Sindh. He was also Deputy Chief Plan-
cent per month. A time limit was fixed for ning, Emergency Planning Cell, Home Department and Member Inspection Team,
then Registrar, of the High Court of Sindh. He was also involved in the Pilot
the disposal of each category of case and Project of the Access to Justice Project of the Asian Development Bank.
steps were taken to ensure the implementa-
tion of the scheme. Judges have been moni-
tored to ensure that they adhere to the statu- Karachi Central, the twenty-five judges as-
tory periods limiting the amount of time al- signed there were able to clear 70 percent
lowed to decide each type of case. For ex- of their backlog within thirty-two months.
ample, civil cases must be disposed of within Two factors counteracted the positive ef-
eight months, rent cases within five months, fects of the reforms and prevented the back-
and family cases within four months. log of cases from being disposed of as
In addition to setting limits on the quickly as it could have been. First, several
amount of time allowed for the disposal of courts were vacant because the presiding
each case, the program has introduced new judges had been transferred to new assign-
scheduling practices. Previously, the gen- ments. Second, extra-judicial duties per-
eral practice was for the court staff to fix formed by the judges, including the super-
the hearing dates. As a result, judges did vision of local elections, referendums, and
not know how many cases were scheduled general elections, prevented them from fo-
for a particular date nor did the staff know cusing all of their time on processing the
whether the judge was available on that date backlog of cases. While it is an important
or not. Now, judges have become more in- function of the judiciary to ensure indepen-
volved in setting the schedule of cases and dent elections, it nonetheless affects the pri-
are required to maintain their own court ap- mary functions of the courts.
pointment records. These new scheduling The same approaches and methodolo-
practices are intended to assure litigants gies to address the case backlog were imple-
and attorneys that cases will proceed as mented in Karachi East. In thirteen months,
scheduled. 40 percent of the backlog was cleared. The
Judges and their staff are monitored to number of pending cases was reduced from
see that proper court procedures are ob- 12,961 to 10,389 as of 1 January 2005.
served. There are also regular consultations
with members of the Bar who provided in- Improvement of Information
puts on the reform programs. Processing Techniques
After this program was followed in The second level of judicial reforms focuses

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 83

 on the introduction of improved informa- courts through a single interface through
tion processing techniques. the local area network. This makes it pos-
The effective-
The District Courts of Karachi East has sible for judges to monitor the entire pro-
embarked upon a groundbreaking program cess and identify the cases that are not pro-
ness of a court’s
of automating its case flow management, us- ceeding according to schedule.
ing Case Filer, a state-of-the-art software ap- The two-tiered program to alleviate
caseload man-
plication designed and developed by a Pa- case backlog and promote the speedy reso-
kistani company. This system enables the lution of cases over the long term has al-
agement often
court to automate case filing and tracking ready shown signs of success and promises
as well as to efficiently disseminate case lists to continue to improve the efficacy of the
depends greatly
and information related to specific cases. judicial system in Karachi in the future.
Case Filer allows litigants to make case in-
on the character
quiries via an information cell located on
the premises of District Court East. Parties
of the local legal
are now able to access searchable case lists, Case and Case Flow Management
judgments and basic rules and procedures RICHARD HOFFMAN
culture and the
on the Internet. Consultant, The Asia Foundation
An information technology training
attitudes and
center was established to enable judges and

C
their staff to receive basic training on com- ourts in Singapore, the Philip-
behaviors of
puter applications and accessing custom- pines, Pakistan and Bangladesh
ized court-related software. Private consult- have all developed and adopted
private attor-
ants were hired to conduct workshops and case and case flow management
symposia on the use of technology to facili- techniques, following the pat-
neys. Surveys
tate case and case flow management. The tern established in North America and West-
training center will train trainers for other ern Europe. In Bangladesh, for example, the
show that many
courts as well. World Bank has developed a project to get
A 50,000 volume law library has also an accurate count of the cases in every court
lawyers prefer
been established to provide judges access so that judges will have complete informa-
to legal materials, including journals, as well tion regard the cases on their dockets. The
good case flow
as providing Internet facilities. Case law is Asian Development Bank (ADB) is support-
available online and on CDs prepared by an ing preliminary work on case flow manage-
management in
electronic law journal. The library is run by ment in India, and the court system in Delhi
staff who are available to assist with the is now in the second phase of that project.
the courts be-
electronic as well as the traditional re- There are ten key elements to an effec-
sources. The library is available to all the tive case flow management program: (a)
cause it im-
judges in Karachi East, as well as to judges leadership; (b) clearly defined goals; (c) in-
from other districts. formation; (d) communication; (e) clear poli-
proves certainty
All the courts in the district, the infor- cies and procedures; (f) education and train-
mation technology training center, and the ing programs; (g) commitment by the admin-
within the
library are connected by a local area net- istrative staff; (h) accountability mecha-
work following the Integrated Information nisms; (i) judicial responsibility and com-
system.
Processing Monitoring Model. Information mitment; and (j) backlog reduction and in-
at all levels about bar and court manage- ventory control. The effectiveness of a
■
ment is now available to court users, liti- court’s caseload management often de-
gants, members of the bar, and judicial of- pends greatly on the character of the local
ficers and staff. The general public can also legal culture and the attitudes and behav-
access, first hand, current information iors of private attorneys. Surveys show that
about court rules, procedures, case lists, and many lawyers prefer good case flow man-
any other matter concerning the courts agement in the courts because it improves
through information kiosks. Parties may certainty within the system.
also file cases electronically by submitting Adopting case flow management prin-
forms available on the www.karachieast.org ciples is most effective when leadership
online. Judges can use the One-Point Access within the courts and the judicial system
to Information program to monitor all support the reforms. Principles and proce-

84 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
 Larry Ramos
dures for good case flow management can-
not be imposed from the outside. Leader- “Case flow management is
ship within the judiciary and the wider le-
gal community must appreciate the fact
important not only because it
that proper case flow management does not ensures timely disposition of
sacrifice justice but enhances it. Good case individual cases, but also
flow management prevents unnecessary
delays in litigation and ensures that cases because it can increase
are resolved while memories are fresh, evi- deference for the judicial system Richard Hoffman
dence is available, and the parties are alive.
In certain countries and jurisdictions, law-
as a whole and mitigate Consultant
The Asia Foundation
yers have been skeptical that case flow frivolous litigation. ”
could be effectively managed. However, af-
Mr. Richard Hoffman is a courts and justice system consultant based in Washing-
ter the implementation of reforms, lawyers’ ton, D.C. He is currently Team Leader for the Asia Foundation for the Improve-
behavior reflects their reliance on the cer- ment of the Administration of the Indonesian Supreme Court project in Jakarta.
tainty gained by way of case flow manage- He has helped formulate strategies to increase judicial independence and ac-
countability as well as design physical assets management systems in Philip-
ment. Attorneys no longer file cases unless
pine courts. In 2004, he conducted a study of the financing of the Serbian
they are ready to move to trial and disposi- Commercial Court and directed a criminal case flow management survey of the
tion, for example. Case flow management is Macedonian basic courts. He has set out a plan to improve case processing in
important not only because it ensures the High Court and Appellate division and to establish a national court adminis-
trative office in Bangladesh and examined information systems developments
timely disposition of individual cases, but
in Sri Lanka. While at the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, he helped
also because it can increase deference for draft the first Long Range Plan for the Federal Courts and trained more than 150
the judicial system as a whole and mitigate federal court administrators in strategic planning. He directed the preparation of
frivolous litigation. the final report of the Council on the Role of Courts at the U.S. Department of
Justice and conducted a wide range of court improvement projects for the Na-
Institution of case flow management
tional Center for State Courts. He graduated from Cornell University with a B.S.
principles must be treated as a continuing in industrial and labor relations, received a J.D. from Harvard University, and is
process, and not as a one-time remedy. Pro- a Fellow of the Institute for Court Management.
grams for the adoption of case flow man-
agement principles must not only be pi-
loted and implemented but also revisited tionalize the reforms process so that case
and reinforced. When courts adopt case flow management becomes entrenched in
flow management principles, they must con- the judicial culture and incoming judges
sistently review their performance in order and administrative staff simply proceed
to maintain the gains made by initial re- with the reformed principles and proce-
forms. The biggest challenge is to institu- dures.

Open Forum
On Case and Case Flow Management
Resistance to Case and Case Flow Management Reforms
• Participants expressed concern that judicial reform efforts might be met with resistance from the govern-
ment and from the judiciaries and members of the bar.
• Example: Peshawar, Pakistan. The government in Peshawar, Pakistan initially resisted reforms,
including the creation of additional posts and the grant of judicial allowances. Meetings between the
reform program designers and officers of the provincial governments from the chief secretary to the
lowest ranking official, led to agreement on the necessity of certain reforms.

Donor and Recipient Nation Relations

• Donor nations and foreign institutions that promote and fund judicial reform programs might be seen to
intrude on the domestic affairs of the recipient states and so undermine their sovereignty.

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 85

 • Recipient states must remain sovereign and independent, and be allowed to implement reforms on their
own.
• Rewards to recipient states for the successful implementation of reforms are acceptable, but imposing
penalties for unsatisfactory implementation is more problematic.

Bench and Bar Resistance

• In many South Asian countries, there generally is tension between the bench and the bar and common
resistance to reform efforts.
• Example: Delhi, India. Case hearings are often postponed because the vocal and aggressive Delhi Bar
treats adjournment of a case as a matter of right and not as a privilege.
• Solution: Peshawar, Pakistan. The Chief Justice visited each district to educate the judicial officers
about the need to implement the judicial reform program, emphasizing that the delay in implementation
of the reforms would be detrimental to the delivery of justice.
• Court representatives also met with members of the Bar to discuss the aims and purposes of the judicial
reform program and obtain their cooperation, particularly in helping reduce delay in the disposal of cases.
A Bench-Bar liaison committee was established to enhance the consultation process and encourage
frequent dialogues between representatives of both groups.
• Solution: East Karachi, Pakistan. The Court obtained the cooperation of the members of the bar in
implementing judicial reforms by fostering a shared sentiment that both the Bench and the Bar were
working in the interest of justice. The benefits to the public were emphasized. Attorneys understood that
reforms would facilitate their work, that speedy disposal of cases would expedite the payment of their
fees, increasing attorney incentives to support reform efforts.

Implemented Reforms
ISLAMABAD, PAKISTAN
a. Annual district conferences were institutionalized and held in the frontier provinces to give the subordi-
nate judiciary (i.e. district judiciary) an opportunity to convey their grievances to the High Court to which
they report administratively.
b. Grant funds were allocated for the Access to Justice Program and for the compensation and the establish-
ment of a rewards program for judicial officers. Representatives of the 29 implementing agencies in-
volved in the program management of the Access to Justice Program sat in the Project Management Unit
for better coordination in the distribution of the meager resources.
c. District criminal justice coordination committees, citizen liaison committees and bench and bar commit-
tees were established.
d. An Annual Report was published that incorporates the opinion of the previous Attorney General (who was
the representative of the High Court Bar Association) retired judges, previous judges of the High Court
and other representatives of the bar association.
e. A training program in case and case flow management was developed for lawyers and judges to be
conducted by senior lawyers.
f. Model districts in four provinces were established for identification and implementation of best practices
to be replicated in other districts.
g. Training programs in process service were established for judicial officers.
h. A judicial welfare fund was established for judicial officers and staff.
i. A retirement fund for judicial officers and staff is being studied.
j. Fines are now being imposed for suits filed for malicious purposes or on frivolous grounds, or on the basis
of false documents.
k. Adjournments at each stage of a suit have been limited to three, and a fourth adjournment now merits the
payment of fees to the other party. The judge would dispose of the case ex parte upon the fifth or sixth
adjournment if the other party did not appear. Readmission of a case is no longer routine but allowed only
upon payment of a fee.
l. An ad interim ex parte injunction is now granted with the requirement that the application for injunction
must be resolved within ten days of the appearance of the opposing party.
m. Fully-equipped district libraries and conference rooms were established in various districts.
n. A wireless system that facilitates the summoning of witnesses to criminal cases has been installed in
some districts.

86 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
o. Water coolers, washrooms, shaded areas, and fans were installed for litigants in consideration of the
small and overheated courtrooms.
p. Information kiosks were established in many subordinate courts to inform litigants about court proce-
dure, filing fees, and hearing dates.

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN
a. Dialogues between members of the Bench and the Bar, and officers of the provincial governments, were
held to get their cooperation to the implementation of judicial reforms.
b. A Bench-Bar liaison committee was established.

EAST KARACHI, PAKISTAN

a. An Annual Confidential Report (ACR)—a performance evaluation report and listing of all courts that
performed well—was adopted.
b. Sanctions and penalties have been imposed following disciplinary proceedings for judges and other court
officers who receive poor evaluations.
c. Training programs for lawyers were conducted by retired senior judges and senior lawyers.
d. Bail fees have been lowered.
e. Stay orders are no longer granted, except in the case of demolition and disposition.
f. Amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure and Code of Civil Procedure are being studied with the
objective of disposing of cases expeditiously.
g. The separation of criminal and civil courts is being considered.
h. Establishment of a federal court to deal with highly technical cases, such as commercial law cases, is
being considered.
i. Implementation of programs for improved Bench-Bar relations has been commissioned.
j. Shortening of process service has been commissioned.

Court Registries and of a case where a party is in default. On the

other hand, District Registries perform only
Unlike their

Process Service non-judicial functions, including reviewing

the compliance with the formal require-
counterparts in
ments for filing complaints, establishing developed
Challenges to Improving Court and maintaining relationships between the
Registries and Process Service: The court, the bar, and the public, and provid- countries, court
Peshawar Context ing attorneys and litigants copies of orders
MUHAMMAD TARIQ and judgments. registries in
Additional Member, Inspection Team, Despite the fact that the High Court reg-
Peshawar High Court, Pakistan istry is stronger than the district registry, nei- Pakistan have
ther is well organized or properly equipped.
They lack resources, equipment, and prop- no formal

C
ourt Registries in Pakistan per- erly trained staff. Unlike their counterparts
form different functions at the in developed countries, court registries in organization
High Court and District levels. Pakistan have no formal organization rela-
The High Court Registry, headed tionships with the bar, media or civil soci- relationships
by the Additional Registrar, re- ety. Current reforms in Pakistan seek to ad-
ceives and evaluates documents submitted dress these problems: with the bar,
to the High Court for preliminary hearing. • Bench-Bar Liaison Committees (BBLC)
Also, when the cases are scheduled for a and Citizen-Court Liaison Committees media or civil
hearing, the Registry secures the atten- (CCLC) have been established at the
dance of the parties involved in the particu- District Level to formalize the relation- society.
lar case. The High Court Registrar has cer- ship between the courts, the bar, and
tain judicial functions as well, including re- civil society and expedite the disposal ■
jecting documents or ordering a dismissal of cases.

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 87

Larry Ramos

which involves the automation of the

“It is interesting to note that a superior courts, followed by the district
courts.
process server is called a piada,
in Urdu, which means a Process Service
pedestrian, a man who walks on The provision of service of process in NWFP
needs significant reform. Currently, the pro-
foot. Part of the reform program cess serving agency is headed by the Civil
includes providing process Nazir, who is assisted by the Naib Nazirs,
the bailiffs and process servers, who execute
Muhammad Tariq servers with vehicles to facilitate the court processes. While both process ser-
Additional Registrar
Peshawar High Court conveyance. Staff has been hired vice for both civil and criminal suits needs
Pakistan reform, the remainder of the paper focuses
to strengthen the process
on the civil aspect of service of process.
serving agencies. The Peshawar The ADB recently conducted a study on
High Court has held training the challenges confronting process service.
First, process servers tend to have a large
sessions for process servers and workload and receive little compensation.
bailiffs.” Process servers rank as the lowest grade of
government official1. Under the law and the
Mr. Muhammad Tariq is an Additional Member Inspection Team of the Peshawar high court rules, process servers are paid
High Court of Pakistan. He is a focal person for the Asian Development Bank-
from the revenue generated by the process
supported Pakistan Access to Justice Program, as well as an Additional District
and Session Judge. He remains civil judge and magistrate and senior civil judge fees, which are very low. Process servers
at different stations of the province. have insufficient logistical support. They
receive little or no training, so that many
do not know what a summons is when they
• Information kiosks have been placed begin work. The poor monitoring system
in almost half of the districts of NWFP compounds the problem. Further, there is a
province so the public can obtain in- shortage of process servers.
formation regarding their cases. Peshawar High Court has embarked on
• An Office of District Court Administra- reform programs, taking into account the
tor has been planned by the Peshawar relevant existing laws and the ADB report
High Court. The pilot project, which is and recommendations on process service.
under review by the provincial govern- The Peshawar High Court has already
ment, will authorize one of the civil amended the Civil Procedure Code and the
judges in each of the major districts to High Court Rules & Orders. The remaining
act as District Administrator. recommendations for reforms have been for-
• Judicial training programs have been warded to the provincial government as
initiated by the Peshawar High Court to well as the federal government, including a
build capacity and supplement the un- recommendation to upgrade the posts of
der-resourced Federal Judicial Acad- process servers from Grade 1 to Grade 4, that
emy, which lacks proper facilities but is of bailiffs to Grade 5, and that of Naib Nazirs
currently the only judicial training in- to Grade 7. It is interesting to note that a
stitution in Pakistan. process server is called a “piada,” in Urdu,
• Joint planning sessions involving dis- which means “a pedestrian, a man who
trict judges, ministerial staff, and pro- walks on foot.” Part of the reform program
cess serving agencies are being encour- includes providing process servers with
aged by the Pakistan High Court. vehicles to facilitate conveyance. Staff has
• Computers and printers have been pro- been hired to strengthen the process serv-
vided to nearly half of the courts in Pa- ing agencies. The Peshawar High Court has
kistan, and the remaining half will soon held training sessions for process servers
be provided these facilities as soon as and bailiffs. Each and every district has also
funding becomes available. The com- been encouraged to hold its own training
puters are part of a larger plan under sessions at the district level. The monitor-
the Access to Justice Program to auto- ing system has streamlined the process of
mate court processes, the first phase of reporting. Each Senior Civil Judge justice

88 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
has been asked to send a monthly report on The first step taken in the Karachi district
the performance of their individual process was to provide bailiffs with proper training
Service of
servers and actions taken against default- by a competent judicial officer, typically the
ing process servers, if any. The Peshawar senior civil judge who is also in charge of
process must be
High Court then issues a report about the the process service agency. These trainings
performance of each process service agency teach bailiffs how to effect service appro-
taken seriously
of the province. During the past two years, priately and efficiently and prepare reports
forty process servers have been punished on effective and ineffective service. These
as a fundament-
for default in executing the summons. reports require plausible reasons for the ser-
vice that was not effective. Bailiffs are ex-
al element of
pected to submit a monthly efficiency re-
port and are evaluated regularly. Complaints
the delivery of
Karachi East Strategies for regarding allegations of corruption, ineffi-
Improving Process Service ciency, or poor monthly reports will receive
justice.
HON. ZAFAR AHMED KHAN SHERWANI immediate administrative action.
District and Sessions Judge The new agency infrastructure for civil
Pragmatic
Karachi East, Pakistan and criminal process service along with the
extensive training for the process servers
approaches are
themselves is the first step to ensure im-

T
he judicial system relies upon proved delivery of justice and protection
needed to
proper service of process to pro- of defendant’s rights in Pakistan.
tect the due process rights of de-
improve the
fendants. Current reforms in Pa
kistan aim to preserve defend-
effectiveness
ant’s rights by ensuring that service of pro-
cess is carried out effectively and its integ- Improving Court Registries and and reliability of
rity is maintained and protected. Process Service
The process service department of the RICHARD HOFFMAN
process service.
police was transferred to the Deputy In- Consultant, The Asia Foundation
spector General Investigation Branch,
There are three
headed by the Deputy Inspector General of

E
the Police (DIP). A formal program involv- very case starts in the court reg-
principles for
ing all concerned district police officers istry. The registry, also called the
was implemented to systematize process chancellery or the clerk’s office,
improving
service in the district. The centralized pro- receives, accepts, monitors and
cess service division for criminal cases pre- retrieves all the documents for
process service:
pares a monthly report listing for each pro- every case. It conducts the initial review of
cess service whether service was com- a case, it monitors the progress of the case,
notification,
pleted fully and whether service process and ensures the timely entry of all docu-
was not successfully completely and why. ments into a filing system, whether auto-
supervision, and
Regular meetings are held with the DIP In- mated or manual. Automated data process-
vestigation Branch to discuss the reports, ing and electronic filing methods may im-
information.
evaluate the work of the process servers, prove case flow and efficiency more readily
and suggest means and procedures on how than manual registers. Manual registers
■
the process serving agency could be fur- make it more difficult to monitor cases and
ther improved. spot those that deviate from standard pat-
The civil process serving agency was terns in order to address issues in a particu-
also centralized and extensive training is lar case early and prevent long delays.
being provided to the bailiffs responsible The court registry is in the best posi-
for civil process service. Lack of proper tion to determine whether cases are pro-
training and systematized procedures re- ceeding on schedule and to detect which
sulted in unreliable process service and cases do not follow standard time patterns.
poor record keeping. The reliability of pro- The registry establishes the initial jurisdic-
cess service will be greatly improved if the tion of the court by ensuring that the re-
bailiffs have formal schooling and are given spondent or opposing counsel is properly
proper training for carrying out their duties. notified. The registry can only perform this

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 89

 function, however, if the judiciary treats it if the server can show that the party is avoid-
as a partner and entrusts it with the respon- ing service, including posting, mailing, and
sibility of monitoring the progress of cases publication. In the future, electronic notice
and enforcing the policy of the court regard- may be instituted to supplement or replace
ing the need for parties to proceed in a traditional mail.
timely manner. Whether service is effected by bailiffs
Further, the registry is often the first con- or other agents employed by court or by
tact with the court system for many litigants. private process servers, effective court su-
It must be available and capable to assist, pervision is mandatory to prevent abuse.
but not advise, pro se litigants. The registry An integrated national system of process
staff can facilitate the filing process to en- service can be established with proper court
sure that all documents are filed properly management.
and timely. However, it is improper for the Bailiffs must receive the proper train-
registry to provide legal advice. The regis- ing to ensure effective, efficient and timely
try also serves to protect judges from im- service of processes. They should be edu-
proper influences and communications by cated to appreciate the nature and purpose
interposing a barrier to prevent parties and of their responsibilities as servers of pro-
attorneys from having direct contact with cess and the importance of service within
judges. The focus of strategies to improve the larger context of the delivery of justice
court registries should be on anti-corrup- by the court system.
tion strategies to maintain the fair and equal There has been increased interest in
treatment of each case. outsourcing this function to private provid-
ers. Properly organized and administered,
Service of Process the function can be performed well by non-
Service of process must be taken seriously court personnel but the court, normally
as a fundamental element of the delivery of through its administrative staff, or, if there
justice. Pragmatic approaches are needed is no full-time administration, through the
to improve the effectiveness and reliability registry, must supervise the service of pro-
of process service. There are three prin- cess, or viewed more generally, the execu-
ciples for improving process service: notifi- tion activity. This is a function that has been
cation, supervision, and information. characterized in almost all countries, at one
A model process service establishes the time or another, by significant corruption.
court jurisdiction over the responding party Thus, designing an effective process-serv-
by properly notifying that party. The initial ing and execution of judgment unit—
notification of the suit must be by personal whether it be within the courts, the execu-
service on the party, after which time, the tive branch, or the private sector—requires
opposing counsel can accept service. Per- a great deal of planning and anticipation of
sonal service is the preferable method, but possible problems, both in inadequate per-
alternative means of service are acceptable formance and in improper behavior.

Every case begins at the registry, which:

Muhammad Bilal

• accepts, receives, monitors and retrieves documents;

• registers cases;
• conducts the first review of a case;
• monitors the progress of cases and ensures the timely
entry of all papers into a filing system;
• monitors and detects cases which do not follow stan-
dard scheduling patterns;
• assists, but does not advise, pro se litigants;
• establishes a court’s initial jurisdiction by proper no-
tification of a respondent or his counsel; and
• protects judges from improper influences by interposing a barrier to prevent parties and attorneys
from having direct contact with judges.

90 Report from the ADB Symposium on Challenges in Implementing Access to Justice Reforms
OPEN FORUM
On Improving Court Registries and
Process Service
Process Service
• Process service is crucial to initiating the judicial process.
• Proper record keeping of process served is required to prevent false allegations by the recipient party that
process was not properly served and/or that they did not receive notice of the suit.
• Supervision of the process service is necessary to ensure that the process servers perform their work
honestly and efficiently and to identify deficiencies.
• Judges and registrars should examine and audit their records regularly to avoid and prevent irregularities,
and to address such irregularities in a timely manner. Spot checks could be instituted to ensure that the
process servers faithfully fulfil their duties.
• Proper funding is required to ensure that process servers have expertise. Greater efficiency of process
service in developed countries can be largely attributed to greater availability of funding.
• Incentive structures must be analyzed to identify causes for delays or failure of service of process.
Potential benefits to parties and/or financial and strategic advantages to delaying service must be
considered.

CREATION OF SPECIALIZED COURTS AND INCREASING THE COST OF LITIGATION

• Specialized courts, including separate criminal and civil courts and separate pre-trial and trial courts, may
speed disposal of cases.
• Increasing court fees and trial costs may deter litigants from pursuing baseless claims and thus alleviate
some of the court congestion. There was concern, however, that access to justice should not be predicated
on the ability to pay court fees.
• Example: Singapore. Trial costs are high and calculated on a per day basis. However, the Singapore
model works because the country has resources to ensure proficiency in processing the cases.

Information Dissemination
• Court rules and procedures must be systematically and broadly distributed.
• Information on legal and judicial reform programs must be centrally collected and compiled for dissemi-
nation. Some South Asian countries have moved toward centralized information registries by placing
court information on their websites, such as www.ifes.org, www.karachieast.org.
• The Internet can facilitate the judicial process, by providing a central location for information storage and
dissemination, and by providing automated court filing services. Karachi East’s website,
www.karachieast.org, enables the relatives and friends of a person under illegal detention to obtain and
file an online form for a writ of release for the detainee. Electronic submissions are reviewed immediately
by magistrates. Online filing represents a step toward achievement of justice at everyone’s doorstep.

Participants to the ADB Symposium on Access to Justice deliberate on strategies to improve court registries
and process services.

Enhancing the Effectiveness and Accountability of the Judiciary 91

Previous Law and Policy Reform at the Asian Development Bank Annual Publications

• Law and Policy Reform at the Asian Development Bank 2003

Report: RETA on Judicial Independence

• Law and Policy Reform at the Asian Development Bank 2001–2002

A Guide to Movables Registries

• Law and Policy Reform at the Asian Development Bank 2001

Report: RETA on Legal Literacy for Supporting Governance and Poverty Reduction

• Law and Policy Reform at the Asian Development Bank 2000, Vol. II
Report on Insolvency Law Reforms in the Asian and Pacific Region

• Law and Policy Reform at the Asian Development Bank 2000, Vol. I
Report on Secured Transactions Law Reform in Asia: Unleashing the Potential of Collateral

About the Asian Development Bank

The Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s work is aimed at improving the welfare of the
people of the Asia and Pacific region, particularly for the 1.9 billion who live on less than
$2 a day. Despite the success stories, Asia and the Pacific remains home to two thirds of
the world’s poor.

ADB is a multilateral development finance institution owned by 63 members, 45 from

the region and 18 from other parts of the globe. ADB’s vision is a region free of poverty.
Its mission is to help its developing member countries reduce poverty and improve their
quality of life.

ADB’s main instruments in providing help to its developing member countries are policy
dialogues, loans, technical assistance, grants, guarantees, and equity investments. ADB’s
annual lending volume is typically about $6 billion, with technical assistance provided
usually totaling about $180 million a year.

ADB’s headquarters is in Manila. It has 26 offices around the world. The organization has
more than 2,000 employees from over 50 countries.

Asian Development Bank

6 ADB Avenue, Mandaluyong City
1550 Metro Manila, Philippines
www.adb.org
Publication Stock No. XXXX Printed in the Philippines