QC courts under lockdown 

The Quezon City placed its Hall of Justice under lockdown on May 18 following the death of an employee who works in the building allegedly from coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

"Considering that the instant matter still needs to be verified, and if true, contact tracing and building disinfection must first be undertaken. The Hall of Justice Quezon City (main and annex) will be on lockdown beginning May 18, 2020, until further notice," Quezon City Executive Judge Cecilyn Burgos-Villavert said in an official statement posted on the Supreme Court Public Information Office's Twitter account.

She, however, denied that an employee of either the Regional Trial Court (RTC) or Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC), Quezon City died from Covid-19 but said there was an unverified report that "an employee of another agency holding office at the Hall of Justice died of severe pneumonia and suspected Covid-19."

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Burgos-Villavert said reports claimed the said employee went to the Hall of Justice, Quezon City a few days before passing away.

As part of infection countermeasures during the lockdown period, no person will be allowed entry to the Hall of Justice during the lockdown.

Under SC's Administrative Circular No. 39-2020, she said all initiatory pleadings, in both civil and criminal cases including criminal complaints, information, and applications for bail, together with all the required documents shall be filed electronically and received by the Office of the Clerk of Court of RTC and MeTC through their official e-mail addresses, as posted on the website of the Supreme Court.

Pleadings and other court submissions on pending cases may be electronically filed directly with the branch where the case is pending through the official email address of the concerned branch, as posted on the SC website.