Senate OKs bills creating new courts

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate approved on third and final reading yesterday 12 bills seeking the creation of 27 new regional trial courts (RTCs) and four municipal trial courts (MTCs).

Senate Bill 1840, introduced by Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, proposes an additional RTC in Liloy, Zamboanga del Norte.

Senate Bill 1542, also introduced by Zubiri, seeks the creation of two additional RTC branches in Isulan and Tacurong City, in Sultan Kudarat.

Also among those approved were House bills, which propose the creation of one RTC each in Bongabon, in Paracelis town in Mountain Province and Ozamis City; four in Bansud, Bulalacao, Gloria and Mansalay in Oriental Mindoro; four in Zamboanga City;  four in San Pablo, Laguna; three in Macabebe, Pampanga, and two in Sto. Tomas and Agoncillo, Batangas.

Senators also approved House Bill 7405, which proposes two MTCs in Biñan, Laguna, and House Bill 7367, which pushes the creation of two RTCs and one MTC in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

House Bill 652 converts the MTCs in Clarin and Tudela in Ozamis City into  an RTC, and creates an additional MTC, which will cover Tudela and Sinacaban in  Misamis Occidental.