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DATE 2.0 AUG 7015
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,

Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _3878

Introduced by Rep. Daphne A. Lagon and Rep. Sonny L. Lagon
EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to create a Regional Trial Court (RTC) in the Municipality of
Consolacion, Province of Cebu, covering in its jurisdiction the Municipalities of Consolacion
and Cordova.

The 1987 Constitution guarantees the right to a speedy trial. Often, we hear the
phrase, “justice delayed is justice denied”. It is however, common knowledge that our courts
are congested and cases takes years to be resolved. The corresponding increase in the
population and economic growth in the Province of Cebu, particularly in the newly-created
6" District, inevitably results to an increase in legal cases, both civil and criminal.
Unfortunately, there is no Regional Trial Court (RTC) yet that specifically covers the 6”
Legislative District or the municipalities of Consolacion and Cordova.

This predicament is causing undue inconvenience to litigants from the 6% District as
cases falling under the jurisdiction of the RTC are currently handled by Regional Trial Courts
in Mandaue, Lapu-lapu and Cebu cities.

The creation of the new RTC to be located in Consolacion, a first income-class
municipality which is home to one hundred fifty-three thousand residents, will certainly
improve the dispensation of justice and the delivery of the judiciary’s services in the district,
while helping decongest the regional trial courts in Mandaue, Lapu-lapu and Cebu cities.

It is for the foregoing reasons that the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly

sought.

papas A/LXGoN SONNY “SL” L. LAGON
6" Distridt, Cebu Party List, Ako Bisaya


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

‘TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 3878

Introduced by Representatives Daphne A. Lagon and Sonny L. Lagon

AN ACT
CREATING A REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
CONSOLACION, PROVINCE OF CEBU, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE BATAS
PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE ‘JUDICIARY
REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980’, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. One (1) additional branch of the Regional Trial Court in the Seventh
Judicial Region is hereby created and stationed in the Municipality of Consolacion, Province
of Cebu. The Supreme Court shall assign the branch number for the newly created branch of
the Regional Trial Court.

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 additional branch of the Regional Trial Court in the Municipality of
Consolacion, Province of Cebu. The Supreme Court shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations for the effective implementation of this Act and, if warranted, the realignment of
seats of existing branches and their territorial jurisdiction.

SEC. 3. The funds necessary for the implementation of this Act, including
appropriations for personnel services such as salaries, benefits and emoluments for judges
and court personnel, court operations under maintenance and other operating expenses
(MOOE), and provisions for Halls of Justice or courtrooms to accommodate judges and court
staff, as well as funds necessary for the implementation of automatically created prosecutor
positions pursuant to section 13 of Republic Act No. 10071 or the “Prosecution Service Act
of 2010” and appointment of public attorneys pursuant to section 7 of Republic Act No. 9406
or the “Act Reorganizing and Strengthening the Public Attorney's Office (PAO)”, resulting
from the creation of these courts, including appropriations for personnel services such as
salaries, benefits, and emoluments for prosecutors and public attorneys, shall be included in
the annual General Appropriations Act.

‘The funds necessary for the operation of the court herein created shall be appropriated
and released only upon the actual organization of the court and the appointment of its
personnel.

SEC. 4. In view of the proposed additional regional trial court, the Regional Trial
Court of Consolacion, Cebu shall have a staffing pattern as follows:


No. of Position Title SG
Positions
i Regional 29
Judge
1 | Clerk of Court VI 25 —_
7 Court Legal Researcher/15
"
1 Interpreter IIT 12
4 ‘Court Stenographer IIT 12
1 Sheriff 1V- 12
1 Data Entry Machine | 8
: Operator II
2 Clerk TIT 6
T Process Server 3
1 Utility Worker I 1
14 Personnel

‘The staff complement of the new office of the clerk of court (OCC) shall be
composed of nine (9) personnel, while the data entry machine operator (DEMO) from the
original RTC will be transferred to the OCC, unless modified as determined by the Supreme
Court.

In addition, there shall be appointed the corresponding number of prosecutor/s and
public attorney/s and their support staff based on the ratio outlined in Republic Act No.
10071 and Republic Act No. 9406, respectively.

SEC. 5. Section 14() 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 ot modified accordingly.

SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or ina newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,