REPUBLIC ACT NO. 12033, October 17, 2024

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 12033, October 17, 2024 ]

AN ACT CREATING ONE (1) ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE EIGHTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE CITY OF BAYBAY, PROVINCE OF LEYTE, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14(I) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980"

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

SECTION 1. One (1) additional branch of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) in the Eighth Judicial Region are hereby created and stationed in the the City of Baybay, Province of Leyte.

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

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 in the City of Baybay, Province of Leyte. 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 of Baybay, Leyte will have two (2) 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 new Office of the Clerk of Court (OCC) shall be composed of fifteen (15) personnel, while the date entry machine operator (DEMO) from the original RTC will be transferred to the OCC, unless modified as determined by the Supreme Court.

In addition, there shall be appointed the corresponding numbers 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. Section 14(i) of Batas Pambansa Blg, 139, 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. 6. 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 January 31, 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 17 2024

(SGD.) FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS JR.

President of the Philippines