Dagupan is now a Justice Zone locality following its formal launching on March 20 at the CSI Stadia as part of mutual efforts of the local government unit of Dagupan and the national government thru the Justice Sector Coordinating Council (JSCC).
Composed of the Supreme Court (SC), Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), the JSCC aims to promote a coordinated approach to the policy making, planning and operations of legal institutions for the effective and efficient administration of justice.
As the 13th Justice Zone in the country established by the JSCC, Dagupan follows in the steps of Quezon City, the first Justice Zone launched in 2014, and other zones in key cities like Cebu, Davao, Angeles, Bacolod, Naga, Calamba, Balanga, Baguio, Zamboanga, Tagaytay and Puerto Princesa.
Mayor Belen Fernandez, who had sought the JSCC’s support for the city’s desire to host the Justice Zone, expressed gratitude for the opportunity to make the courts, prosecution service, law enforcement and corrections thrive in their respective business in government.
The local chief executive likewise presented the Dagupan City Justice Zone Logo that features the scale of justice, the famous bangus symbolizing Dagupan, 31 bay leaves (laurel) representing the city’s 31 barangays and the Pangasinan tagline ‘PANTATALUSAN, PANDARAGUPAN, PANKAKASAKEY’ that denotes the JSCC’s core principles of Communication, Cooperation and Coordination.
The respective emblems of the SC, DOJ and DILG are also depicted in the center, representing the synergy of the agencies to create the Dagupan City Justice Zone to pursue swift, fair and humane administration of justice.
Chief Justice Alexander Gesmundo recognized the efforts of Dagupan’s local justice stakeholders to establish a Justice Zone, calling them as strong partners for justice as he reminded them to ensure their commitment to maintain a gold standard in the said judiciary program.
Participants in the Dagupan Justice Zone launching included Atty. Hector Soliman, Senior Advisor for Access to Justice; Hon. Maria Filomena Singh, SC Associate Justice; Hon. Mervin Jovito Samadan, Regional Trial Court Branch 40 Executive Judge and Presiding Judge and Dagupan City Justice Zone Convenor; Hon. Lord Villanueva, DILG Undersecretary for Operations; Hon. Raul Vasquez, DOJ Undersecretary; Congressman Christopher de Venecia, 4th District of Pangasinan; judges of different trial courts; City Local Government Operations Officer Royolita Rosario; Philippine National Police-Dagupan led by P/Lt.Col. Benjamin Palisoc; Bureau of Fire Protection-Dagupan led by FCINSP Michael John Escaño; Vice Mayor Bryan Kua; Sangguniang Panlungsod members Michael Fernandez, Jeslito Seen, Dennis Canto, Marcelino Fernandez, Bradley Benavides; former Councilor Joshua Bugayong; Tourism Consultant Karlos Reyna; and department heads.
