FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 49 
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Submitted by the Committees on Justice and Human Rights; and Finance on MAY - 6 2008 . 
Re: Senate Bill No. 1981. 
Recommending its approval without amendment. 
Sponsors: Senators Escudero, Enrile and Zubiri. 
‘ 
MR. PRESIDENT: 
The Committees on Justice and Human Rights; and Finance to which was referred Senate Bill 
No. 1981, introduced by Senator Zubiri, entitled: 
“AN ACT 
COURT IN THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED AT 
KORONADAL CITY AND AT THE MUNICIPALITY OF SURALLAH, ALL IN 
THE PROVINCE OF SOUTH COTABATO, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE 
BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 129, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS 
THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980 AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR” 
CREATING 
THREE ADDITIONAL 
BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL 
have considered the same and have the honor to report it back to the Senate with 
the 
recommendation that it be approved without amendment. 
Respectfully Submitted: 
Chairmen: 
FRANCIS “ C H I 2  G. ESCUDERO 
Committee on Justice and Human Rights 
Member, Committee on Finance 
Member, Committee on Justice and Human Rights 


Coinmifree Reporr on SBNo. 1981- RTC Koronadnl City 
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Vice-Chairmen: 
BENIGN0 ”% 
SlMEO “NOYNOY” AQUINO 1111 
Committee bn Justi 
and Human Rights 
+ 
EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
Committee on Finance 
d i Z T A R R O y 0  
Committee on Finance 
L d L x J  
MIRIAM DEFE SOR SANTIA 
Committee on FiJance 
Members: 
Human Rights 
Committee on Finance 
ALAN PETER “COMPAfdERO” S. CAYETANO 
Committee on Justice and Human Rights 
jfommittee on Finance 
Rights 
Committee on Finance 
MA 
Committee on Finance 
41.r 
N 


Comniiltce Report on SENo. 1981- RTC Koronadal City 
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EN 
Committee on Finance 
Committee on Fihnce 
ANTONIO “SONNY” F. TRILLANES IV 
Committee on Finance 
Ex-Officio Members: 
ILINO Q. PIMENTEL JR. 
Minority Leader 
Hon. MANNY VILLAR 
Senate President 
Senate of the Philippines 
Pasay City 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
S. No. 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill provides for the establishment of three (3) additional regional trial court 
branches of the Regional Trial Court in the Province of South Cotabato: two at 
Koronadai City and one at the Muncipaiity of Surailah, and for the appropriation of 
funds for their operationionalization. 
The Branch 26 of the Regional Trial Court In Surallah, South Cotabato was first 
established as a single-saia on March 1983, with jurisdiction over seven (7) 
municipalltlss In the Province of South Cotabato namely: Tantangan, Banga, Surallah, 
T'boll, Lake Sebu, Sto. Nifio, and Noraia. it likewise exercises administrative 
supervision over three (3) Municipal Clrcult Trial Courts namely: the Municipal Circuit 
Trial Court of Banga-Tantangan, the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Suraiiah-Lake Sebu 
and the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Noraia-T'boii-Sto.NlAo. 
Aside from being a court of general jurisdiction, RTC, Branch 26, as a single-saia 
court is automatically designated as a Family Court having exclusive original jurisdiction 
over criminal cases involving minors, or when one more of the victims is a minor at the 
time of the commission of the offense, petitions for guardianship, custody of children, 
adoption, annulment of marriage, declaration of nullity, legal separation, support of 
children, paternity suits and cases involving child abuse. 
As of December 31,2003, the number of cases pending before RTC, Branch 26 
Suraliah, South Cotabato totals to 865 criminal and civil cases. Based on the number of 
cases received and the number of case disposals during the ensuing six (6) month 
period, January to June 2004, the number of pending cases is stili rising despite the 
average disposal of 18 cases a month. Hence, there is an urgent need to provide for an 
additional branch of the RTC in Suraiiah to unclog the dockets of Branch 26 with 
numerous cases and improve the disposition and administration of justice in the entire 
province. 


As for Koronadai City, there is also a constant burgeoning of cases that exacts a 
heavy toll on the two existing RTCs (Branch 24 and Branch 25). For Branch 25 alone, it 
has a total OF 804 cases. Almost the same number of cases is also being faced by other 
branch. These figures acquire greater significance when we consider the more than 
3,000 cases now being handled by the Office of the City Prosecutor, the great bulk of 
which wiil be referred to these two branches, clogging more than ever its already 
clogged dockets, Only the creation of two additional branches for the fast growing city of 
Koronadal could we expect not only the speedy disposition of cases but the orderly and 
effective administration of justice. 
In view of the foregoing considerations, the approval of this bill Is earnestly 
recommended. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
F‘lrsf Regular Session 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
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iiEl:<~f!lEG :3-: 
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SENATE 
S.No. 1981 
lnlroduced by Senator JUAN MGUEL E ZUBIRI 
AN ACT 
CREATING THREE ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 
IN THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED AT KORONADAL CITY 
AND AT THE MUNICIPALITY OF SURALLAH, ALL IN THE PROVINCE OF SOUTH 
COTABATO, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 129, 
AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE JUDICIARY REORGANlZATlON ACT 
OF 1980 AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR. 
Be it enacted by fhe Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Section 14, Paragraph (I) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as 
amended, otherwise known as the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980, is hereby 
amended to read as follows: 
“SEC. 14. Regional Trial Courts.-- 
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(I) FORTY-FOUR [forty-one] Regional Trial Judges shall be commissioned for 
the Eleventh Judicial Reglon. There shall be: 
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“THIRTEEN [Ten] branches with seats for the Province of South Cotabato and 
the City of General Santos; with seats at General Santos City, Koronadal, Surallah, 
Alabel, and Polomolok;” 
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SECTION 2. The Supreme Court shall assign the additional branches of the 
Regional Trial Court in South Cotabato: two in Koronadal City and one in the 
Municlpality of Surailah, in accordance with this Act. 
SECTION 3. 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 the additional regional trial court branches In the Province of 


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Approved, 
South Cotabato, with station at Koronadal City and at the Municipality of Surallah, the 
funding of whlch'shall be included'in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. 


', 14th Congress - Senate Bill No. 1981 - Senate of the Philippines 
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Page 1 of 1 
14th Congress 
Senate Bill No. 1981 
REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH (KORONADAL CITY) 
Flied On December 19, 2007 by Zubln. lum Mlguel i. 
nvewww I Committee Referral 1 leg. Histmy I All Information 
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Pendlng In the Committee (12/19/2007) 
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4/23/2008