Senate approves creation of 31 new courts

The Senate today passed on third and final reading 12 bills seeking the creation of 27 new Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) and four Municipal Trial Courts (MTCs) in the country.

Senate Bill No. 1840, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, and sponsored by Sen. Richard Gordon, chair of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, proposes to create an additional RTC in Liloy, Zamboanga Del Norte.

SBN 1542, on the other hand, also introduced by Zubiri, proposes to create two (2) additional branches in Isulan and Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat.

House Bill Nos. 5906, 6580, 3492, 286, 3443, 2433, 7365, creating an additional RTC in Bongabong and four (4) in Bansud, Bulalacao, Gloria, and Mansalay, Oriental Mindoro; four (4) in Zamboanga City; three (3) in Macabebe, Pampanga; one (1) in Paracelis, Mountain Province; one (1) in Asingan, Pangasinan; two (2) in Sto. Tomas and Agoncillo, Batangas; one (1) in Ozamis City; and four (4) in San Pablo, Laguna, were also approved on third reading.

HBN 7405, also approved on third and final reading, proposes to create two (2) MTCs in Biñan, Laguna, while HBN 7367 creates two (2) RTCs and one (1) MTC in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

House Bill No. 652, meanwhile, converts the MTC in Clarin and Tudela in Ozamis City into an RTC, and creates an additional MTC which will cover Tudela and Sinacaban, Misamis Occidental.

"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 regional trial courts is needed to decongest court dockets of voluminous cases," Zubiri said.