Designation of Special Courts to Handle Petitions for Inclusion or Exclusion of Voters
The Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 59-03, issued on November 5, 2003, designates specific courts to handle petitions for the inclusion or exclusion of voters as part of the Voter's Validation Program. Metropolitan and Municipal Trial Courts, along with Regional Trial Courts, will serve as special courts for these petitions, with provisions for additional branches if necessary. Judges are required to decide these petitions promptly, with a strict timeline for decisions to ensure they are resolved before elections. The circular emphasizes the need for expedited handling and details the procedural requirements for both initial cases and appeals. This directive applies only to petitions filed after its issuance.
Quick Answers
- What is Designation of Special Courts to Handle Petitions for Inclusion or Exclusion of Voters about?
- The Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 59-03, issued on November 5, 2003, designates specific courts to handle petitions for the inclusion or exclusion of voters as part of the Voter's Validation Program. Metropolitan and Municipal Trial Courts, along with Regional Trial Courts, will serve as special courts for these petitions, with provisions for additional branches if necessary. Judges are required to decide these petitions promptly, with a strict timeline for decisions to ensure they are resolved before elections. The circular emphasizes the need for expedited handling and details the procedural requirements for both initial cases and appeals. This directive applies only to petitions filed after its issuance.
- What type of law is Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 59-03?
- Designation of Special Courts to Handle Petitions for Inclusion or Exclusion of Voters (Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 59-03) is a Philippine Supreme Court Issuances enacted by the Congress of the Philippines.
- When was Designation of Special Courts to Handle Petitions for Inclusion or Exclusion of Voters enacted?
- Designation of Special Courts to Handle Petitions for Inclusion or Exclusion of Voters (Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 59-03) was enacted on Nov 5, 2003.
- What is the citation for Designation of Special Courts to Handle Petitions for Inclusion or Exclusion of Voters?
- Designation of Special Courts to Handle Petitions for Inclusion or Exclusion of Voters, Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 59-03, Nov 5, 2003 (Philippines)
Law Information
- Reference Number
- Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 59-03
- Date Enacted
- Category
- Supreme Court Issuances
- Subcategory
- Administrative Circulars
- Jurisdiction
- Philippines
- Enacting Body
- Congress of the Philippines
Full Law Text
November 5, 2003
SUPREME COURT ADMINISTRATIVE CIRCULAR NO. 59-03
| TO | : | All Judges of First and Second Level Courts |
| RE | : | Designation of Special Courts to Handle Petitions for Inclusion or Exclusion of Voters |
In connection with the ongoing Voter's Validation Program and in anticipation of numerous petitions for inclusion or exclusion of voters that may be filed, the salas of Executive Judges of Metropolitan Trial Courts and Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, and the Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts are hereby designated as special courts to exclusively hear and decide such petitions. The salas of Executive Judges of Regional Trial Courts are likewise designated as special courts in multiple-sala stations to take cognizance of appeals from said cases.
In case there is a need for an additional branch in multiple-sala stations to be designated as such special court because of the large number of petitions being filed, the Executive Judges concerned can designate the presiding judges of their respective paired courts to help in the disposition of said cases by dividing the number of inclusion and exclusion cases equally between them.
The Executive Judges concerned shall immediately notify this Court, through the Office of the Court Administrator, of their decision to designate another special court and their justifications therefor. The Office of the Court Administrator shall revoke the additional designation if it finds the same unwarranted.
The inclusion and exclusion cases assigned to the special courts shall be credited to them in the counting of other cases that should be raffled to them. The Executive Judges may, however, exempt their salas and the other designated special courts from the raffle, or limit the number of other cases that could be raffled to their salas and to the other special courts if in their judgment these measures are necessary for the expeditious disposition of inclusion and exclusion cases.
The concerned judges are reminded of the provisions of Section 143 (g) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 881 (Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines), which states:
(g) These applications shall be heard and decided without delay. The decision shall be rendered within six hours after the hearing and within ten days from the date of its filing in court. Cases appealed to the regional trial court shall be decided within ten days from receipt of the appeal in the office of the clerk of court. In any case, the court shall decide these petitions not later than the day before the election, and the decision rendered thereon shall be immediately final and executory, notwithstanding the provisions of Section 138 on the finality of decisions.
Considering that the time limit to decide appealed cases in the Regional Trial Courts is counted from the time the appeal is received in the Office of the Clerk of Court, raffle regarding these appealed cases is dispensed with. Such appealed cases shall be immediately forwarded to the salas of the Executive Judges of second level courts which are designated as special courts to exclusively decide them.
This Administrative Circular shall apply only to cases filed after its effectivity.
(SGD.) HILARIO G. DAVIDE, JR.Chief Justice
(SGD.) JOSUE N. BELLOSILLOAssociate Justice
(SGD.) REYNATO S. PUNOAssociate Justice
(per revised A.M. No. 99-12-08-SC)
Cite This Law
Designation of Special Courts to Handle Petitions for Inclusion or Exclusion of Voters, Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 59-03, Nov 5, 2003 (Philippines)
Designation of Special Courts to Handle Petitions for Inclusion or Exclusion of Voters, Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 59-03 (Phil. 2003)
Related Laws
- Clarification on the Fees to be Collected for Petitions for Inclusion, Exclusion or Correction of Names of VotersOCA Circular No. 35-07 • Apr 10, 2007 • Supreme Court Issuances
- Resolution of All Petitions for Inclusion/Exclusion of Voters Within the Reglementary Period Prescribed Under Republic Act 8189, as AmendedOCA Circular No. 81-09 • Jul 6, 2009 • Supreme Court Issuances
- Comelec Resolution No. 2699, promulgated March 29, 1994, Re: Inclusion and Exclusion of VotersSupreme Court Administrative Circular No. 07-94 • Apr 25, 1994 • Supreme Court Issuances
- Comelec Resolution No. 2768, Dated February 24, 1995 Re: Extending the Inclusion and Exclusion of Voters to March 8, 1995Supreme Court Administrative Circular No. 05-95 • Feb 28, 1995 • Supreme Court Issuances
- Exemption of the COMELEC from the Payment of the Required Legal Fees in Petitions for ExclusionOCA Circular No. 54-03 • May 20, 2003 • Supreme Court Issuances
- COMELEC Resolution No. 2832 dated March 29, 1996 Re Instructions for the Registration of Voters on April 13, 1996 in Connection with the May 6, 1996 Sangguniang Kabataan ElectionsSupreme Court Administrative Circular No. 02-96 • Apr 16, 1996 • Supreme Court Issuances
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