Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1533)
Republic Act No. 9307 is an Act creating one additional Regional Trial Court branch for the Province of Eastern Samar, specifically stationed at the Municipality of Balangiga. It also amends Section 14, Paragraph (i) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as amended, known as the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980.
The Province of Eastern Samar benefits from the creation of the additional Regional Trial Court branch, with the new court branch located in the Municipality of Balangiga.
RA 9307 amends Section 14, Paragraph (i) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, adding an additional Regional Trial Court branch to the Eighth Judicial Region, specifically for Eastern Samar with a seat at Balangiga.
According to the amended provision, there are forty-two Regional Trial Court branches in the Eighth Judicial Region.
The designated seats for the Regional Trial Court branches in Eastern Samar are Borongan, Guiuan, Dolores, Oras, and Balangiga.
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Justice, has the authority to operationalize the additional Regional Trial Court branch in Balangiga.
The funding for the new Regional Trial Court branch in Balangiga shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.
Republic Act No. 9307 took effect upon its approval on August 2, 2004.
There are seventeen Regional Trial Court branches allocated for the Province of Leyte, the Sub-province of Biliran, and the cities of Ormoc and Tacloban.
Regional Trial Court branches serve as the courts of general jurisdiction in the Philippines, handling both civil and criminal cases. The creation of additional branches increases access to justice and judicial efficiency in the served areas.