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

Eighteenth Congress

Second Regular Session Ss
LINDEX

HOUSE BILL NO. __7088

Introduced by Representative DAN S. FERNANDEZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

“All persons shall have the right to a speedy disposition of their
cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies.” Thus
guarantees the Bill of Rights of the 1987 Philippine Constitution (under
Section 16 of Article III thereof). On the other hand, Sec. 14 (2) under the
same Article ensures the accused of a “speedy, impartial, and public

trial”, among other rights.

But what happens if these constitutional guarantees are rendered
illusory by the realities on the ground, namely, certain jurisdictions with
very few courts whose dockets are increasingly clogged by continuous
filing of cases by litigants?

In the City of Sta. Rosa, Province of Laguna, there are only two (2)
branches of the Regional Trial Court and one (1) branch of the Municipal
Trial Court in Cities. Before these courts are thousands of cases which
remain pending. Needless to state, clogged dockets are a strain not only
on the judiciary but also upon the prosecutorial arm of the government.

This bill therefore aims to address this acute shortage of courts
with the proposed creation of ten (10) additional branches of the Regional
Trial Court and three (3) branches of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities,
to be stationed in the City of Sta Rosa, Province of Laguna. Given the
foregoing premises, the early approval of this bill is earnestly sought

HON. DAN S. FERNANDEZ
First District of Laguna

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By


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

Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, _7988

Introduced by Representative DAN S. FERNANDEZ

AN ACT
AN ACT CREATING TEN (10) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF
THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT AND THREE (3) ADDITIONAL
BRANCHES OF THE MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT IN CITIES IN
THE FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION, TO BE STATIONED IN THE
CITY OF SANTA ROSA, PROVINCE OF LAGUNA, AND
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE SECTION 14 (E) AND SECTION 29 OF BATAS
PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE
JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980”, AS AMENDED

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

SECTION 1. Ten (10) additional branches of the Regional Trial
Court and three (3) additional branches of the Municipal Trial Court in
Cities in the Fourth Judicial Region, to be stationed in the City of Santa

Rosa, Province of Laguna, are hereby created.

The Supreme Court shall assign the respective branch numbers for
the newly created branches of the Regional Trial Court and Municipal

Trial Court in Cities.


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 ten (10)
additional branches of the Regional Trial Court and three (3) additional
branches of Municipal Trial Court in Cities, to be stationed in the City of
Santa Rosa , Province of Laguna. The funds necessary for the operation
of the courts herein created shall be appropriated and released only upon

the actual organization of the courts and the appointment of its personnel.

SEC. 3. Section 14 (e) and Section 29 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129,
as amended, otherwise known as “The Judiciary Reorganization Act of
1980”, 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 any newspaper of

general circulation.

Approved,