Senate approves 12 bills creating 31 new courts

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate on Monday approved on third and final reading 12 bills that seek to create 31 new regional and municipal trial courts.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the creation of new trial courts will help lessen the number of pending cases in courts.

“To address the needs of our growing populace and the delay in the resolution of cases pending before the courts, the creation of additional branches of the regional trial courts is needed to decongest court dockets of voluminous cases,” Zubiri said.

Among the bills approved include Senate Bill No. 1840 and Senate Bill No. 1542, which seek the creation of one regional trial court in Liloy, Zamboanga Del Norte and two additional branches in Isulan and Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat.

Several house bills were also approved on third hearing seeking the creation of new regional (RTC) and municipal trial courts (MTC) in the following areas:

One RTC in Bongabong in Oriental Mindoro
Four RTCs in Bansud, Bulalacao, Gloria, and Mansalay in Oriental Mindoro
Four RTCs in Zamboanga City
Three RTCs in Macabebe, Pampanga
One RTC in Paracelis, Mountain Province
One RTC in Asingan, Pangasinan
Two RTCs in Sto. Tomas and Agoncillo, Batangas
One RTC in Ozamis City
Four RTCs in San Pablo, Laguna
Two RTCs in Sta. Rosa, Laguna
Two MTCs in Biñan, Laguna
One MTC in Sta. Rosa, Laguna
One MTC covering Tudela and Sinacaban, Misamis Occidental

Meanwhile, the Senate also approved House Bill No. 652, which seeks to convert an MTC in Clarin and Tudela in Ozamis City into an RTC. (Editor: Eden Estopace)