Republic of the Philippines

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES d ig AUG 2012
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Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS xX
Third Regular Session

HOUSEBILLNo, 6499

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This Bill provides for the creation of an additional branch of the Regional
Trial Court (RTC) for the Province of Camarines Sur that will be stationed in the
Municipality of Calabanga.

The Municipality of Calabanga is a first class municipality and is one of
the biggest municipalities in the Province of Camarines Sur in terms of
population and land area. It has 48 barangays, with 14 barangays within the
urban area and with 34 barangays in the rural areas. Considering its large
population, 73,333 according to the 2007 census, Calabanga urgently needs
another RTC branch to cater to its various judicial needs as well as those of its
neighboring municipalities of Bombon and Tinambac; and also cases from the
towns of Garchitorena and Siruma.

This Bill is in consonance with the provision of the 1987 Constitution
which states that “All persons shall have the right to speedy disposition of their
cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.”

With the big bulk of criminal, civil and other cases under the current lone
Regional Trial Court branch in Calabanga, delays in the disposition of such
cases is inevitable, creating a serious backlog of cases hindering the
expeditious delivery of judicial services. It is thus a must that an additional
branch of the Regional Trial Court be created in the Municipality of Calabanga
to service the municipalities of Calabanga, Tinambac, Garchitorena and Siruma,
all of the Province of Camarines Sur.

Hence, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

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LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE

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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Queson City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
Third Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO.

AN ACT CREATING A REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH IN THE PROVINCE OF
CAMARINES SUR TO BE STATIONED AT THE MUNICIPALITY OF
CALABANGA, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH
(F) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLF. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE
JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980”, AS AMENDED, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. There is hereby created a branch of the Regional Trial Court
in the Fifth Judicial Region to be stationed at the Municipality of Calabanga,

Province of Camarines Sur.

The Supreme Court shall assign the branch number of the newly-created

Regional Trial Court branch in the Fifth Judicial Region.

SEC. 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 the Regional Trial Court branch to be


stationed at the Municipality of Calabanga, Province of Camarines Sur, the

funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 3. Section 14(f) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, otherwise known as
“The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980”, as amended, and all other laws,
rules and regulations which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended,

repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its complete
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general

circulation.