REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9307, August 02, 2004

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9307, August 02, 2004 ]

AN ACT CREATING ONE ADDITIONAL REGIONAL TRIAL COURT BRANCH FOR THE PROVINCE OF EASTERN SAMAR, WITH STATION AT THE MUNICIPALITY OF BALANGIGA, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH (I) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980

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

SECTION 1. Section 14, paragraph (i) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129 as, amended, otherwise known as the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

" (i) Forty-two Regional Trial Judges shall be commissioned for the Eighth Judicial Region. There shall be:

"Six branches with seats thereat for the Province of Eastern Samar, with seat at Borongan, Guiuan, Dolores, Oras and Balangiga;

"Seventeen branches with sear thereat for the Province of Leyte, the Sub-province of Biliran and the cities of Ormoc and Tacloban, with seats at Tacloban City, Abuyog, Calubian, Ormoc City, Caragara, Baybay, Burauen, Naval, Palompon, Hilongos and Caibiran;

"Six branches with seats thereat for the Province of Northern Samar, with seats at Catarman, Laoang, Allen and Gamay;

"Four branches with seats thereat for the Province of Southern Leyte, with seats at Maasin, San Juan and Sogod; and

"Nine branches with seat thereat for the Province of Samar and the City of Calbayog, with seats at Catbalogan, Basey, Calbayog City, Calbiga, Tarangnan and Gandara."

SEC. 2. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in coordination with the Secretary of the Department of Justice shall immediately include in its program the operationalization of the additional Regional Trial Court of Balangiga, Eastern Samar, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

Approved,

(Sgd.) FRANKLIN M. DRILON (Sgd.) JOSE DE VENECIA JR.FRANKLIN M. DRILON

President of the Senate Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on July 30, 2002 and June 10, 2004, respectively.

(Sgd.) OSCAR G. YABES (Sgd.) ROBERTO P. NAZARENO

Secretary of the Senate Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: Aug 02, 2004

(Sgd.) GLORIA MACAPAGAL - ARROYO President of the Philippines