LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 956

: All Judges of the Courts of First Instance, Circuit Criminal Courts, Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts, Courts of Agrarian Relations, City Courts, and Municipal Courts, as well as all Fiscals and other Prosecuting Officers, are directed to comply with the instructions.
: Strict observation of the statutory requirement of conciliation through the barangay settlement procedures is required before filing any complaint, petition, action, or proceeding related to such matters.
: The Lupong Tagapayapa is tasked with amicably settling disputes at the barangay level through conciliation processes to avoid the filing of cases in courts.
: They are directed to prepare and submit a compilation of data on cases or offenses pending in their courts or offices that should have been subject to barangay settlement procedures but were not.
: Judges must submit their reports to the Supreme Court.
: Fiscals and other prosecuting officers must submit their reports to the Minister of Justice.
: They must submit monthly reports reflecting the cases/offenses avoided in court by using barangay settlement procedures.
: The intended benefit is to decongest court dockets by settling disputes amicably at the barangay level.
: The Supreme Court and the Minister of Justice are responsible for issuing implementing directives.