REPUBLIC ACT NO. 12045, October 26, 2024

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 12045, October 26, 2024 ]

AN ACT CREATING TWO (2) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT AND TWO (2) ADDITIONAL BRANCHES OF MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT IN CITIES IN THE NINTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE CITY OF PAGADIAN, PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA DEL SUR, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14(J) AND SECTION 29 OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980", AS AMENDED

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Two (2) additional branches of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) and two (2) additional branches of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC) in the Ninth Judicial Region are hereby created and stationed in the City of Pagadian, Province of Zamboanga del Sur.

The Supreme Court shall assign the respective branch numbers for the newly created branches of the RTC and the MTCC.

SEC. 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Justice, shall immediately include in the Court's program the operationalization of the additional branches of the RTC and MTCC in the City of Pagadian, Province of Zamboanga del Sur. The Supreme Court shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act and, if warranted, the realignment of seats of existing branches and their territorial jurisdiction.

SEC. 3. The funds necessary for the implementation of this Act, including appropriations for personnel services such as salaries, benefits and emoluments for judges and court personnel, court operations under maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE), and provisions for Halls of Justice or courtrooms to accommodate judges and court staff, as well as funds necessary for the implementation of automatically-created prosecutor positions pursuant to Section 13 of Republic Act No. 10071 or the "Prosecution Service Act of 2010" and appointment of public attorneys pursuant to Section 7 of Republic Act No. 9406 or the "Act Reorganizing and Strengthening the Public Attorney's Office (PAO), resulting from the creation of these courts, including appropriations for personnel services such as salaries, benefits, and emoluments for prosecutors and public attorneys, shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

The funds necessary for the operation of the courts herein created shall be appropriated and released only upon the actual organization of the court and the appointment of its personnel.

SEC. 4. The RTC in the City of Pagadian will have eight (8) branches. The staffing pattern of each branch shall be as follows:

No. of Positions

Position Title Salary Grade

1 Regional Trial Court Judge 29

1 Clerk of Court V 24

1 Court Legal Researcher II 15

1 Interpreter III 12

4 Court Stenographer III 12

1 Sheriff IV 12

2 Clerk III 6

1 Process Server 5

1 Utility Worker I 1

13 Personnel

The staff complement of the Office of the Clerk of Court (OCC) shall be composed of twenty-four (24) personnel, unless the same is modified as may be determined by the Supreme Court.

In addition, there shall be appointed the corresponding number of prosecutor/s and public attorney/s and their support staff based on the ratio outlined in Republic Act No. 10071 and Republic Act No. 9406, respectively.

SEC. 5. The MTCC in the City of Pagadian will have four (4) branches. The staffing pattern of each branch shall be as follows:

No. of Positions

Position Title Salary Grade

1 City Trial Court Judge 28

1 Clerk of Court III 22

1 Court Legal Researcher I 12

1 Interpreter II 10

3 Court Stenographer II 10

1 Sheriff III 10

1 Clerk IV 8

1

Clerk III 6

1 Process Server 5

1

Utility Worker I 1

12 Personnel

The staff complement of the OCC shall be composed of eighteen (18) personnel unless the same is modified as may be determined by the Supreme Court.

In addition, there shall be appointed the corresponding number of prosecutor/s and public attorney/s and their support staff based on the ratio outlined in Republic Act No. 10071 and Republic No. 9406, respectively.

SEC. 6. Section 14(j) and Section 29 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, otherwise known as "The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980", as amended, and all other laws, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 7. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

(SGD.) FRANCIS "CHIZ" G. ESCUDERO

(SGD.) FERDINAND MARTIN G. ROMUALDEZ

President of the Senate

Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act, which originated in the House of Representatives, was passed by the House of Representatives on August 9, 2023, amended by the Senate of the Philippines on May 13, 2024, and which amendments were concurred in by the House of Representatives on July 30, 2024.

(SGD.) RENATO N. BANTUG, JR.

(SGD.) REGINALD S. VELASCO

Secretary of the Senate

Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: OCT 26 2024

(SGD.) FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS JR.

President of the Philippines