scyteenth Congress
First Regular Session

1904

House Bill No.

Introduced by Honorable Roy M. Loyola

This bill seeks to create an additional Regional Trial Court Branch to take
cognizance of cases emanating from the municipalities of General Mariano Alvarez
(G.M.A.) and Carmona in the Province of Cavite to be stationed in Carmona, Cavite.

No less than our Constitution provides that “free access to the courts and quasi-
judicial bodies and adequate legal assistance shall not be denied to any person by
reason of poverty” and “all persons shall have the right to speedy disposition of their
cases before all judicial, quasi-judicial, or administrative bodies”, (Article II, Section 11
and 16, The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines).

Yet, the above constitutional provisions are often times rendered nugatory. At
present, it is Regional Trial Court, Branches 19 and 89, sitting in Bacoor, Cavite which
have jurisdiction over cases emanating from the municipalities of G.M.A. and Carmona.
Litigants and residents thereof have to pass through Dasmarinas City and Imus, Cavite
before they can have access to our courts of law. Many of our countrymen, most
especially residents of G.M.A. are financially and economically challenged. They have
no means of transportation. Neither do they have money to pay for public transportation
to and from the Regional Trial Courts that sit a considerable distance away. Often times,
they do not bother to seek justice from our Courts mainly due to their lack of finances.
Thus, in effect, they are denied access to the courts by reason of their poverty.


Another point to consider is the clogged dockets of the Regional Trial Court,
Branches 19 and 89. The municipality of Bacoor, province of Cavite, with a population
of 441,197 inhabitants, is now the most populous municipality in the Philippines.
The Municipality of Gen. Mariano Alvarez, Cavite, according to the 2007 census, has a
population of 136,613 in an area of just 11.40 square kilometers, making it the most
densely populated municipality in Cavite. The population of Gen. Mariano Alvarez is
now estimated to be around 188,125. The municipality of Carmona, according to the
2007 survey has a population of 68,135. The National Statistics Office (NSO) places
Cavite's population growth rate at five percent (5%) per annum.

Presently, there are more than four thousand (4,000) cases pending before the
Regional Trial Court, Branches 19 and 89. Clearly then, two Regional Trial Court
Branches are inadequate with the tremendous case load. Ultimately, this results in
arbitrary delays, and thus, defeats their constitutional right to speedy disposition of their
cases.

Hence, there is a need to create an additional Regional Trial Court Branch to
take cognizance of cases emanating from the municipalities of Gen. Mariano Alvarez
and Carmona, province of Cavite, to be stationed in Carmona, Cavite

In light of the foregoing, | earnestly urge my esteemed colleagues in the House of
Representatives to join me in seeking immediate approval of this Bill

“ROY M. LOYOLA


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

Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 1904

Introduced by Honorable Roy M. Loyola

AN ACTCREATING AN ADDITIONAL REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH
STATIONED IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF CARMONA, PROVINCE OF CAVITE,
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH (E) OF BATAS
PAMBANSA BLG. 129, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE JUDICIARY
REORGANOZATION ACT OF 1980”, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Section 14, paragraph (e) of Batas Pambansa Big. 129, otherwise
known as “The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980", as amended, is hereby further
amended to read as follows:

“Sec. 14. Regional Trial Courts. —
XX

“(e) [One Hundred] ONE HUNDRED ONE Regional Trial Judges shall be
commissioned for the Fourth Judicial Region. There shall be:

xX x


“[ Twelve ] THIRTEEN branches with seats thereat for the Province of
Cavite and the Cities of Cavite, Tagaytay and Trece Martires, with seats at

Carmona, Naic, Cavite City, Bacoor, Imus, Trece Martires City, and Dasmarinas;

NERK

SEC. 2. The jurisdiction over cases cognizable by the Regional Trial Court under
existing law, emanating from the municipalities of Carmona and Gen. Mariano Alvarez
(G.M.A,) in the province of Cavite, shall be lodged in the Regional Trial Court branch

created under this Act.

SEC. 3. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the
Department of Justice, shall immediately include in the Court's program the
operationalization of an additional Regional Trial Court branch for the province of Cavite
to be stationed at the municipality of Carmona, the funding of which shall be included in

the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 4. 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. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in two (2)
newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,