The search for a new home for Iloilo’s judiciary gained ground after Court Administrator Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta and Region 6 Court Manager Judge Jennie Ann Logronio met with Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. Tuesday, Oct. 21, to explore potential relocation sites for the construction of a new Hall of Justice building.
The meeting came as work and court operations at the Chief Justice Ramon Q. Avanceña Hall of Justice remain suspended pending a thorough structural integrity assessment following the recent strong earthquakes that shook parts of the Visayas and Mindanao.
During the discussion, Governor Defensor presented an eight-hectare provincial government property located in Barangay Guinobatan, New Lucena as a potential site for the proposed new Hall of Justice.
The vacant lot was previously identified as one of the initial locations for the Iloilo Government Center, which will now rise in Santa Barbara.
Defensor said the provincial government is ready to assist the judiciary in addressing its infrastructure needs, expressing full support for the swift restoration of judicial operations in the province.
“The judiciary is a vital pillar of governance, and we want to make sure it continues to serve the people safely and efficiently,” Defensor said.
Meanwhile, several offices displaced by the closure of the Hall of Justice in Iloilo City have temporarily relocated to Iloilo provincial facilities to continue serving their clients.
The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) Regional Office and Iloilo City District Offices 1 and 2 are now operating at the Casa Real de Iloilo, while the Iloilo Provincial Prosecutor’s Office has transferred to the Iloilo Sports Complex.
Officials said the judiciary’s continuity plan ensures that legal services remain accessible while authorities finalize plans for a safer, modern, and disaster-resilient Hall of Justice.IMT
