HOUSE OF REPRES/ENTATIVES
Republic of the Philippines RECEIVED
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVHS
Quezon City, Metro Manila pate: 27 JUL 2016

‘C

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

200
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Honorable Arthur R. Defensor, Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill entitled, "AN ACT ESTABLISHING ESTATE SETTLEMENT COURTS,
GRANTING THEM EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OVER CASE FOR
SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF DECEASED PERSONS, AMENDING BATAS
PAMBANSA BILANG 129, AS AMENDED", establishes a focused and specialized court
that will take cognizance of all estate settlement cases, to the exclusion of others. ‘This
will not necessarily involve the creation of a new branch of Regional Trial Court.
Rather, the bill establishes the Estate Settlement Court by designating, as such, an
existing Regional Trial Court branch in every highly urbanized city and province. All
estate settlement cases in every highly urbanized city and province shall be
concentrated in one (1) Regional Trial Court branch. This will achieve the needed
undivided attention and focused expertise for the speedy and efficient disposition of
estate settlement cases.

Capital in the form of property are tied-up in long winding estate settlement
cases. The bill, as a matter of policy, seeks the immediate release of property to
commercial circulation, making them available for business transaction, with the end
view of generating subjects of taxation and stimulating, economic activity.

This bill comes with a parallel initiative, which is the filing of a bill entitled, "AN
ACT GRANTING AMENSTY IN ESTATE TAX", indented to courage the settlement of
estates, by the grant of amnesty in estate tax.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session
2000
HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Honorable Arthur R. Defensor, Jr.

AN ACT ESTABLISHING ESTATE SETTLEMENT COURTS, GRANTING THEM
EXCLUSIVE ORIGINAL JURISDICTION OVER CASES FOR SETTLEMENT OF
ESTATE OF DECEASED PERSONS, AMENDING BATAS PAMBANSA BILING 129,
AS AMENDED.

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

Sec. 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Estate Settlement Court Act”.

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policies. - The State recognizes the need for the speedy
disposition of estate settlement cases, for the immediate release of property to
commercial circulation, making them available for business transaction, with the end
view of generating further subjects of taxation and stimulating economic activity.

Sec. 3. Establishinent of Estate Settlement Courts. ~ There shall be established, by
way of designation of a Regional Trial Court branch, an Estate Settlement Court, in
every province and highly urbanized city in the country.

Sec. 4. Jurisdiction. - The Estate Settlement Courts shall exercise exclusive
original jurisdiction to hear and decide all cases of settlement of estate of deceased
persons, regardless of the gross value of the estate.

Sec. 5. Appeals. - Decisions and orders of the Estate Settlement Court shall be
appealed in the same manner as appeals from the ordinary Regional Trial Courts.


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Sec. 6. Rules and Regulations. - The Supreme Court shall promulgate the
necessary rules for the transfer of cases to the Estate Settlement Courts during the
transition period, and for the effective implementation of this Act.

Sec. 7, Repealing Clause. - All other laws inconsistent herewith are hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

Sec. 8. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.