AN ACT CREATING ONE (1) ADDITIONAL BRANCH OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT IN THE NINTH JUDICIAL REGION TO BE STATIONED IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF LABASON, PROVINCE OF ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 14(J) OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS "THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980", AS AMENDED

• Number: Republic Act No. 12266
• Sections: 6

Section 1

SECTION 1. One (1) additional branch of the Regional Trial Court in the Ninth Judicial Region are hereby created and stationed in the Municipality of Labason, Province of Zamboanga del Norte.

The Supreme Court shall assign the respective branch number for the newly created branch of the Regional Trial Court.

Section 2

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 branch of the Regional Trial Court in the Municipality of Labason, Province of Zamboanga del Norte. 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.

Section 3

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.

Section 4

SEC. 4. In view of the proposed additional branch of the Regional Trial Court, the Regional Trial Court in the Municipality of Labason, Province of Zamboanga del Norte, shall have a staffing pattern as follows:

No. of Positions

Position Title

Salary Grade

1

Regional Trial Court Judge

29

1

Clerk of Court VI

25

1

Court Legal Researcher II

15

1

Interpreter III

12

4

Court Stenographer III

12

1

Sheriff IV

12

1

Data Entry Machine Operator II

8

2

Clerk III

6

1

Process Server

5

1

Utility Worker I

1

14

Personnel

The staff complement of the new Office of the Clerk of Court (OCC) shall be composed of nine (9) personnel, while the data entry machine operator (DEMO) from the original Regional Trial Court will be transferred to the OCC, unless modified as 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.

Section 5

SEC. 5. Section 14(j) 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.

Section 6

SEC. 6. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days after 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 November 29, 2023, amended by the Senate of the Philippines on February 3, 2025 and which amendments were concurred in by the House of Representatives on June 9, 2025.

(SGD.) RENATO N. BANTUG, JR.

(SGD.) REGINALD S. VELASCO

Secretary of the Senate

Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: Lapsed into law on SEP 07 2025 without the signature of the President, in

accordance with Article VI, Section 27(1) of the Constitution

FERDINAND ROMUALDEZ MARCOS JR.

President of the Philippines