REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9448, May 15, 2007

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9448, May 15, 2007 ]

AN ACT CREATING AN ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE IN THE PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA SIBUGAY TO BE STATIONED AT THE MUNICIPALITY OF IMELDA, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14, PARAGRAPH (J) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980, AS AMENDED, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. Section 14, paragraph (j) of Batas Pambansa Bilang Isang Daan at Dalawampu't Siyam, otherwise known as the "Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980", as amended, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"SEC. 14. Regional Trial Courts. —

"x x x

"(j) Thirty-one Regional Trial Judges shall be commissioned for the Ninth Judicial Region. There shall be:

"x x x

"Fourteen branches with seats thereat for the Province of Zamboanga del Sur and the Cities of Pagadian and Zamboanga, with seats at Zamboanga City, Pagadian City, Molave, San Miguel and Aurora.

"Two branches with seats thereat for the Province of Zamboanga Sigubay with seats at Ipil and Imelda." SEC. 2. The Supreme Court shall immediately assign the necessary personnel for the additional branch of the Regional Trial Court in the Municipality of Imelda, Province of Zamboanga Sibugay, in accordance with this Act.

SEC. 3. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, in coordination with the Secretary of the of the Department of Justice, shall immediately include in the court's program the operationalization of one additional Regional Trial Court branch in the Province of Zamboanga Sigubay, with station at the Municipality of Imelda, the funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its publication in full in the Official Gazette or in two newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,

(Sgd.) JOSE DE VENECIA JR. (Sgd.) MANNY VILLAR

Speaker of the House of Representatives President of the Senate

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on November 29, 2005 and February 19, 2007, respectively.

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

Secretary General House of Representatives Secretary of the Senate

Approved: MAY 15 2007

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