MANILA, Philippines – The Supreme Court (SC) has designated 11 trial courts from Makati City to assist Taguig City courts in the resolution of cases that are now transferred to its jurisdiction.
In its resolution in A.M. No. 23-10-01 made public Thursday, the SC designated the following courts to assist Taguig in anticipation of the influx of cases as a result of the transfer of 10 barangays from Makati City:
- Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 136, Judge Rico Sebastian D. Liwanag (Family Court)
- RTC Branch 144, Judge Liza Marie R. Picardal-Tecson (Family Court)
- RTC Branch 147, Judge Karla Regina D. Valera-Chua (Special Commercial
Court) - RTC Branch 63, Judge Jacob M. Montesa II (Drugs Court)
- RTC Branch 145, Judge Karen A. Matti-Sy
- RTC Branch 65, Judge Veronica B. Tongio-Igot (Drugs Court); and
- RTC Branch 134, Judge Redentor Dela Cruz Cardenas
- Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTCs) Branch 61, Judge Xavier Paolo R. Del Castillo
- MeTCs Branch 66, Judge Niño Delvin E. Embuscado
- MeTCs Branch 128, Judge Maureen L. Rubio Marquez
- MeTCs Branch 129, Judge Alexius P. Tang
On Sept. 28, 2022, the Supreme Court denied with finality Makati City’s Omnibus Motion seeking reconsideration of its December 2021 ruling declaring that Parcels 3 and 4, Psu 2031, comprising Fort Bonifacio, including the so-called Inner Fort comprising of Barangays Pembo, Comembo, Cembo, South Cembo, West Rembo, East Rembo, and Pitogo is “confirmed to be part of the territory of the City of Taguig.”
Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva recommended the designation of assisting judges and approved by the SC as a full court.
Villanueva’s recommendation came following the letter-request of Taguig City Mayor Lani Cayetano regarding the simultaneous transfer of jurisdiction of cases and over crimes committed in areas now within her local government.
The SC said that “in urgent cases that require immediate action, the executive judge of Taguig City court where the case was filed may act on urgent temporary relief prayed for as provided under the Rules of Court, before the case is forwarded to the Makati City court to which it has been assigned.”
The SC added that: “When a judge of the Makati City courts is disqualified or voluntarily inhibits from the case, the records shall be transmitted to the Executive Judge of the Makati City courts who shall then conduct a special raffle among the other courts handling cases from Taguig City courts. The Office of the Clerks of Court of the Taguig City courts shall be furnished a copy of the Order of Inhibition and the calendar of the re-raffled cases.”
Last year, SC said the transfer of jurisdiction begins on Jan. 1. The transfer of jurisdiction means that all civil and criminal cases arising from the affected areas shall be filed in the courts of Taguig City.
Meanwhile, criminal complaints related to crimes and offenses that transpired or were committed within the affected areas before January 1, 2024, shall be filed with the Makati City Prosecutor’s Office, said the SC in the guideline issued last year.
It added that all civil and criminal cases already filed and pending before the first and second-level courts in Makati City before Jan. 1, 2024, “shall proceed to trial, be heard, and ultimately be decided by the respective Makati City courts where they were pending.