More courts eyed for Cebu province

CEBU, Philippines -  There will be more courts to serve the people in the Province of Cebu, if the bills approved by the House committee ever makes it to the final stage of approval.

The House Committee on Justice has approved 20 separate bills at the House of Representatives for the creation of new Regional Trial Courts (RTC) and Municipal Trial Courts (MTC) in the country.

In a press release published in the Congress' website, the House Committee on Justice approved the creation of 60 new RTCs and seven MTCs for “a speedy disposition of cases.”

In the Province of Cebu alone, there will be nine new RTC branches and six MTC branches if this proposal is approved by the Senate and finally by the president.     

Representative Pablo John Garcia of Cebu's 3rd district filed House Bill (HB) 5562 for the creation of two RTCs in Argao, Cebu; HB 5563 for the creation of four RTCs in Barili, Cebu and HB 5564 for the creation of two RTCs in Toledo, Cebu.

Representatives from the City of Cebu, Marguerite Del Mar of the north and Tomas Osmeña of the south, filed HB 5619 and HB 5775 for the creation of six MTCs and one RTC in Cebu City.

Former executive judge Mienrado Paredes of RTC, Cebu City welcomed the development, saying this is a “very good move.”

Paredes told The Freeman that the creation of new courts can help ease the congestion.

“The sure formula of case congestion is to appoint judges in the vacant courts and to create additional courts,” he said.

Paredes remembered that when he spoke before Congress, he cited the problem of case congestion. He said 50 percent of cases filed before RTC involved drugs and 70 percent were criminal cases.

For the MTC, he said most of the cases filed were bouncing checks.

Furthermore, the House Committee on Justice approved HB 6659 authored by Deputy Speaker Lorenzo Tañada III of 4th District, Quezon for the creation of two additional RTC branches in Gumaca, Quezon.

Tañada cited in a press release that one of the constitutional mandates of the district representatives is to make sure that there is an “ample number of courts and constituents access to the justice system.” – JPM (FREEMAN)