Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

5149
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by HON. BRAEDEN JOHN BIRON

AN ACT
CREATING TWO (2) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS IN
THE PROVINCE OF ILOILO WITH SEATS AT THE COMPONENT CITY OF PASSI,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH (G) OF BATAS
PAMBANSA BLG. 129, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7154, OTHERWISE.
KNOWN AS THE “JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980”, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to create two (2) additional Regional Trial Court branches for the Province
of Iloilo with seats at the Component City of Passi.

The present Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 68 in the Municipality of Dumangas
cannot accommodate and hear the huge volume of criminal, civil and other cases that are filed on
the average thirty to forty (30 — 40) every month, thus creating backlogs of these cases. ‘The
territorial jurisdiction of the present RTC Branch 68 that covers nine (9) big municipalities and
one (1) component city could hardly be attended by a single presiding judge, so that the
administration of justice could hardly be served and the disposition of cases cannot be done
expeditiously.

Thus, congruent with the constitutional fiat that “All persons shall have the right to a
speedy disposition of their cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies”, it
is therefore imperative that two (2) additional branches of the Regional Trial Courts be created in
the component City of Passi.

Approval of this bill is earnestly requested.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5149

Introduced by HON. BRAEDEN JOHN BIRON

AN ACT
CREATING TWO (2) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS IN
THE PROVINCE OF ILOILO WITH SEATS AT THE COMPONENT CITY OF PASSI,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH (G) OF BATAS
PAMBANSA BLG. 129, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7154, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS THE “JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980”, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress assembled:

SECTION I. Section 14, paragraph (g) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, otherwise known as
the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980, as amended, is hereby further amended to read as
follows:

“SEC. 14. Regional Trial Courts. —

“xxx

“(g.)__ [Sixty-nine] SEVENTY-ONE Regional Trial Court Judges shall be
commissioned for the Sixth Judicial Region. There shall be:

ange

“ [Twenty-two] TWENTY-FOUR branches with seats thereat for the Province of
Iloilo, the Sub-province of Guimaras, and the City of Iloilo, with seats at Iloilo
City, Barotac Viejo, Guimbal, Dumangas, and TWO SEATS IN THE
COMPONENT CITY OF PASSI; and

“xxx
SECTION 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the Secretary
of the Department of Justice shall immediately include in the court's program the
operationalization of two (2) additional Regional Trial Courts for the Province of Iloilo, with

seats at the Component City of Passi, the funding of which shall be included in the annual
General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,