THE upgrade and expansion of the country’s judicial system has been sustained by the 15th Congress with the enactment of laws creating court branches all over the country, Speaker Feliciano Belmonte, Jr. said today.
“These laws establish more court branches in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to hasten the de-clogging of court dockets and promote judicious dispensation of justice, especially for the poor,” the Speaker said.
Congressional records would show that since the start of the 15th Congress until adjournment on February 6, President Aquino signed into law some 25 separate House-initiated bills creating forty-four (44) Regional Trial Courts (RTCs), 13 Metropolitan Trial Court (MTCs), and four (4) Municipal Trial Courts.
Furthermore, the Speaker noted the subsequent passage of related measures now under review by the Office of the President, or awaiting enrollment of approved copies and submission to the President, which when signed into law, would create additional RTCs, MTCs and municipal courts.
As of February 6, House records show that there are some 26 additional bills awaiting enactment mandating the establishment of more than 35 RTCs, 40 MTCs and 19 municipal trial courts.
“The people should also be aware that the Office of the President is swamped with more than 70 measures of national scope and some 225 local bills of equal importance, undergoing the necessary review and awaiting enactment,” Belmonte added.
Under the Constitution, a bill becomes part of the country’s statutes after the President signs it into law or when the measure is allowed to lapse into law after 30 days from receipt of the enrolled copy of the measure, which also contains a provision on effectivity date.
The establishment of RTCs and other courts are considered as national laws since these are funded through the annual General Appropriations Act.
The new courts established under enacted laws could be found in the cities of Davao, Puerto Princesa, Zamboanga, Navotas, Cagayan de Oro, Tanauan (Batangas), Mandaue, Bogo and Naga (Cebu), Tacloban, Valenzuela, Calamba, Sagay and in the provinces of Agusan del Sur, Laguna, Negros Occidental, Surigao del Sur, Iloilo, Leyte, RomblonKalinga, Aurora and Cavite, among others.
The proposed additional courts awaiting Presidential green light maybe established in the cities of Davao, Danao (Cebu), Taguig, Sipalay, Toledo, Pasig, Las Piñas, Quezon City, Bulacan, General Santos, Lucena, Ormoc, Makati, Cebu, Digos, Lapu-Lapu and in the provinces of Zamboanga Sibugay, Argao (Cebu), Midsayap (North Cotabato), Bukidnon, Iloilo, Guimaras, Davao del Sur, Maguindanao, Isabela, Bohol, Laguna, Quezon, Pampanga, Rizal, Pangasinan, Negros Oriental, and Zambales, among others.