Good fortune came in hordes for those whose names were drawn by lot by PWJA President, Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe to attend the 41ST ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF WOMEN JUDGES at Los Angeles, California from October 15-19, 2019, under the auspices of the United States Embassy. Forty three participants from 19 countries benefited from this benevolent gesture of the US State Department’s INL Program.
Thus, in behalf of Judges Evelyn Rinos-Lesiguez of RTC Tacloban, Shaldilyn Bangsaja of RTC, Zamboanga, Belen Carasig of MeTC, Parañaque, Sheryl Tulabing of MeTC Malabon, MM, and Maria Sophia Taylor of RTC, Manila, let me convey my gratitude from these opening lines (not at the end as is usually done) - to our gracious PWJA President, Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe who fairly extended opportunities such as this; to a prayer warrior that she is,
Atty. Rogelyn Adalid and Atty Cyd Ngo of the US Embassy for facilitating things for us and the incessant reminders; to the NAWJ President Tamila E. Ipema who was as warm as she is beautiful; to the charmer Shibani Malhotra, Senior Justice Adviser in the U.S State
Department’s Bureau of International Narcotcs and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) for her friendship. She always checked on how we were faring, keeping us posted and updated; to the NAWJ whose members are appreciative in many ways, and never the least, the PWJA who wished as well and prayed for our safe sojourn, God bless you all abundantly!
The Conference was an enriching learning experience as it capsulized the century of progress of women magistrates in the United States who are either elected or appointed. The Supreme Court Justices, Court of Appeals and District Court Judges are nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the Senate. They are appointed for a life term. They decide cases that involve parties from different States, federal laws or constitutional rights. The State Judges decide cases that involve state law, as well as other cases that do not fall within the jurisdiction of federal courts. Most run for office and are elected to serve between 6 to 10 years. The United States is a common law country where judges control the proceedings and explain the law to the jury who is composed of men and women from all walks of life who in turn assesses the facts and gives the verdict of either guilt or acquittal. The emerging concern though, is the decreasing number of qualified individuals who agree to be part of the Jury.
The International Judges Tour of Courts on Day 1 had us explore the massive physical structures that house the stately courtrooms. We were briefly appraised by the Presiding Judges/Justices of their system and the procedures undertaken, as they responded to questions of the different delegations. We were also brought to the area occupied by the US Marshall. As the enforcement arm of the US Federal Courts, the Marshalls are tasked with capturing fugitivers, serving federal arrest warrants, transporting prisoners and overseeing the witness protection program. These visits left us awed.
The concurrent sessions from Day 2 to 5 were laced with luncheon speakers who made a notch in the US Judiciary. The sessions had thought-provoking topics and the title of which aroused interest :
- Unique Concerns for DNA Testing
- The Border Crisis and Beyond
- Tackling Homelessness in the Courtroom and Beyond
- Problems and Solutions for Elder Abuse
- Judicial Security: from the Personal to the Virtual
- Restorative Justice and Successful Reentry
- Challenging times for Judicial Independence
- Perspectives on the Future of Work in the World of “Me Too”
- Repairing Justice: Innocence Projects, Conviction Integrity
- Units and Exonerating the Wrongfully Convicted
- International Tea and Ethics Political Environment, Potential Threats, and Practical Approaches to Preserving our Impartial Judiciary
- Human Trafficking: A Discussion of Interventions That Work in The United States and Internationally
- Sexual Assaults in the Military and Their Civilian Aftermath
- Women Judges and Leadership: Overcoming Challenges and Breaking New Ground
- Judicial Tools for Creating a Bias-Free Courtroom for Transgender and Gender Non Conforming People
While we have a good number of these in our jurisdiction, these brought us to another perspective and to an introspection of the challenge to transcend from our traditional roles, and perhaps to take on unconventional strategies. The sessions paved the way to sharing of best practices and an inter-action with women judges of different languages. It is worthy to note that most of the Philippine delegation were asked to render the group report in a number of sessions.
It was also an opportunity to rub elbows with, and to listen to the trailblazers, foremost of which is the Honorable Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye - the first Asian-Filipina American to serve as California’s Chief Justice. She has emerged as one of the country’s leading advocates for equal access to justice. In recent years, CJ Cantil-Sakauye has raised awareness of the unfair financial impact of fines, fees, and the bail system on the poor. She made us so proud as we listened to her trace her roots, among others. I personally appreciated the fact that she sought us out among the myriad of faces present.
We were able to grasp the significance of the documentary on Skid Row Marathon as it concretized how restorative justice is meant to be. The Honorable Craig Mitchelle of the Superior Court of Los Angeles who founded the Skid Row Running Club handled this segment. We also appreciated the walking tours of Downtown LA, the infamous Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Exhibitors/Vendors which was just like our PWJA Convention bazaars. The invitations to JAMS International Judges Reception is something that caught our attention. JAMS (Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc.) is a private agency which provides international mediation, arbitration, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR) services for civil cases. It requires prior licensing from the State and a good number are retired judges and justices. It functions akin to those of the voluntary arbitrators for labor cases where there is no governmental intervention.
The Gala Night-NAWJ Awards Banquet in the evening of October 18, 2019 at Omni Hotel, marked the closure of the Conference. The participating international women judges came in our respective national costumes. As always, the Filipiniana ternos got the most accolade, and we brimmed with pride. The touching acceptance speech of incoming NAWJ President Bernadette D’Souza of the Civil District Court of Louisiana also made its mark that beautiful Friday evening.
Indeed, the diversity of tongue and culture pales in comparison with the cord that bind women magistrates – “to be a leading voice in the pursuit of equal rights for women, children and of the most vulnerable members of our respective communities.”
By Judge Evelyn J. Gamotin-Nery
Branch 19, RTC
Cagayan de Oro City
