NARRATIVE REPORT

(Court Observation)

On or about 0800H in the morning, I arrived at Regional Trial Court building at Hall of Justice,
Brgy. San Andres, Santiago City, Isabela. It was a sunny day morning of October when I had my first
Court observation together with my co-interns. While we were waiting for the opening of Branch 35 we
are sitting to the bench near to the court room. We are so nervous when we entered the court room ,
we are sitting in the right sides of the court while we are waiting for the participants to entered the
court.

At exactly 0900H Hon. Cacatian entered the Court and the court session was started by saying
the clerk of court “Please all rise” and followed by court prayer. At first Hon. Cacatian asked the Clerk of
court to recite the case and call the appearances of Prosecution party and Defense party and specially
the appearance of the accused.

While the hearing is going on we we’re so quite and only our eyes we’re moving non stop. We
are very excited on how the criminal court proceedings works on real life. We were just shocked that the
session was not just only one case it’s a joint trial that has a 13 cases need to prosecute. We observed
parts of criminal proceedings from Arraignment, Plea bargaining and Bail.

While the court is on discussion there’s a sudden funny moments that everyone was laughing on
the case, when Hon. Cacatian was asked one of the accused that involving in carnapping case on what
kind of vehicle he stole, the accused answered “motor start po” then all the people laughing in the
room, I was laughing also and said to my self there’s so many luxury vehicle that he can stole why motor
star?! After that the session was continued to the next case and everyone become serious and quite.

The next case that they discussed is the bail of the two accused, they applied for bail of
recognizance they been bailed by their different barangay kagawad and Hon. Cacatian asked the
sincerity and seriousness of two recognizance.

Moving forward to the next case that six persons was involved on illegal possession of firearms
they been under go plea bargaining and they we’re read the nature of crime they committed and been
accused them then asked if they are guilty plea or not. Most of the cases was reset and set to continued
next month of this year to prosecute. There’s a case that the accused was not appeared in hearing and
Hon. Cacatian ordered to give the accused warrant of arrest for not attending the trial. I felt sad for the
accused was given a chance to hear him/herself in court but he only wasted the chance to defend
himself and after that there’s another shocking moment for me in court when I heard that one the
accused was didn’t appeared in hearing then his counsel submit to the judge a death certificate. The
court session took so long because of the story of Hon. Cacatian about his experience in his profession.
On or about 1030 H the court session was ended.

Prepared by:

Ullysses L. Fonacier
Student