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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
First Regular Session 
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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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COMMITTEE REPORT NO. 
48 
Submitted by the Committees on Justice and Human Rights: and Finance on MAY - fi 1(108. 
Re: Senate Bill No. 1980. 
Recommending its approval without amendment. 
Sponsors: Senators Escudero, Enrile and Zubiri. 
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MR. PRESIDENT: 
The Committees on Justice and Human Rights; and Finance to which was referred Senate Bill 
No. 1980, introduced by Senator Zubiri, entitled: 
"AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING AN ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL 
COURT BRANCH IN THE PROVINCE OF SOUTH COTABATO, AMENDING 
FOR THE PURPOSE BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 129, AS AMENDED 
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 
1981, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR" 
have considered the same and have the honor to report it back to the Senate with 
recommendation that it be approved without amendment. 
the 
Respectfully Submitted: 
Chairmen: 
& 
FRANCIS "CHIZ" G. ESCUDERO 
Committee on Justice and Human Rights 
Member, Committee on Finance 
Member, Committee on Justice and Human Rights 


Vice- Chairmen: 
BENIGN &4!* 
SIM ON "NOYNOY" AQUINO 1111 
Commifteebn Ju ice and Human Rights 
#' 
Committee on Finance 
JOKER P. ARROYO 
Committee on Finance 
Members: 
ALANTETER 
~COMPANERO~~ 
s. c. . .'EU 
Committee on Justice and Human Rights 
fice and Human Rights 
Com 
WODOLFO 
CVBIAZON 
Committee on Justice and Human Rights 
Commi&?p on Finance 
Commitfee on Finance 
Committee on Finance 
P 
C 


Committee on Finance 
Committee on 
ANTONIO “SONNY” F. TRILLANES IV 
Commitfee on Finance 
Ex-Officio Members: 
Minority Leader 
Hon. MANNY VILLAR 
Senate President 
Senate of the Philippines 
Pasay City 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Flrst Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill provides for the establishment of an additional branch of the Regional Trial 
Court In Suraliah, Province of South Cotabato and appropriate funds for Its operation and 
malntenance. 
The Branch 26 of the Regional Trial Court in Suraiiah, South Cotabato was first 
established as a single-sala on March 1983, with jurisdiction over seven (7) municipalities in 
the Province of South Cotabato namely: Tantangan, Banga, Surailah, T'boli, Lake Sebu, 
Sto. Niflo, and Norala. It likewise exercises administrative supervision over three (3) 
Munlcipal Circuit Trial Courts namely: the Munlcipal Circuit Trial Court of Banga-Tantangan, 
the Municipal Circuit Trial Court of Surailah-Lake Sebu and the Municipal Circuit Trial Court 
of Noraia-T'boll-Sto.NiAo. 
Aside from being a court of general jurisdiction, RTC, Branch 26, as a single-sala 
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 
Surallah, South Cotabato totals to 865 criminal and civil cases. Based on the number of 
cases recelved and the number of case disposals durlng 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 provlde for an additional 
branch of the RTC in Surailah to unclog the dockets of Branch 26 with numerous cases and 
improve the disposition and administration of justice in the entire province. 
In view of the foregoing considerations, the approval of this bill is earnestly 
recommended. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHJLIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S. No. 1980 
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Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGOEL F. ZUBlRl 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING AN ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 
BRANCH IN THE PROVINCE OF SOUTH COTABATO, AMENDING FOR THE 
PURPOSE BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 129, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN 
AS THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1981 AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled 
SECTION I. 
Section 14, Paragraph (I) of Batas Pambansa BIg. 129, as 
amended, otherwise known as the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1981, is hereby 
amended to read as follows: 
"SEC. 14. Regional Trial Courts 
x x x  
(I) FORTY-TWO [forty-one] Regional Trial Judges shall be commissioned for the 
Eleventh Judicial Region. There shall be: 
' 
x x x  
"ELEVEN [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; and" 
SECTiON 2. The Supreme Court shall issue the necessary rules and regulations 
for the effective lmpiementation of this Act. 
SECTION 3. The amount necessary to carry-out the provisions of this Act shall 
be charged to the appropriations of the Supreme Court under the current General 
Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such sum as may be necessary for the operation and 
maintenance of the newly established court branch shall be included in the annual 
General Appropriations Act. 
SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. 
Approved, 


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14th Congress - Senate Bill No. 1980 - Senate of the Philippines 
Page 1 of 1 
141h congress 
Senate Bill NO. 1980 
REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH (SOUTH COTABATO) 
Rled on December 19, 2007 by Zubin, b a n  Minuel F. 
O w i v w i i  I Cornmiltee Referral I Leg. Hiitow I All Information 
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AN ACT ESTABLISHING AN ADOmONAL BRANCH OFTHE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BUNCH I N  THE PROVINCE OF SOUTH COTABATO, AMENDING FORTHE 
PURPOSE BATAS PAMBANSA BllANG 129. AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE IUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1981 AND APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR 
Scope 
Local 
teglslatlve StatUS 
PmdJnQ In lhe COmmJttee (1U19J2007) 
4/23/2008