Unloading of Cases from Regular Regional Trial Courts to the Newly-Designated Special Commercial Courts, Cybercrime Courts, and Competition Courts

June 1, 2021 OCA CIRCULAR NO. 68-2021 TO : All Second Level Court Judges and Clerks of Courts SUBJECT : Unloading of Casesfrom Regular Regional TrialCourts to the Newly-DesignatedSpecial Commercial Courts, Cybercrime Courts, and Competition Courts as Enumerated in OCA Circular No.65-2021 Dated 27 May 2021 (Approved Memorandum Dated 18 May 2021 [Re: Designationof Additional SpecialCommercial Courts]) To implement OCA Circular No. 65-2021 dated 27 May 2021 designating several Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) as additional Special Commercial Courts, Cybercrime Courts, and Competition Courts, all concerned regular RTCs are hereby DIRECTED to UNLOAD to the newly-designated Special Commercial Courts, Cybercrime Courts, and Competition Courts all pending commercial, cybercrime and competition cases which have not yet reached the pre-trial stage in civil cases and where the accused have not yet been arraigned in criminal cases. Effective 21 May 2021, all newly-designated Special Commercial Courts, Cybercrime Courts, and Competition Courts shall start taking cognizance of all newly-filed commercial, cybercrime and competition cases in their jurisdiction and those unloaded cases pursuant to the preceding paragraph. Accordingly, the Executive Judges are hereby DIRECTED to ensure that the abovementioned unloading of commercial, cybercrime and competition cases is strictly implemented. For your strict compliance. (SGD.) JOSE MIDAS P. MARQUEZ Court Administrator