Designation of Special Courts to Hear, Try and Decide Cases Involving Killings of Political Activists and Members of Media

March 1, 2007

SUPREME COURT ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 25-07

(1) WHEREAS, the preservation of the Rule of Law rests upon the Judiciary;

(2) WHEREAS, the extra-judicial killings of political activists and members of the media have been confirmed by the Report dated January 22, 2007 submitted by the Independent Commission to Address Media and Activists Killings, created by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo through the issuance of Administrative Order No. 157;

(3) WHEREAS, in a letter addressed to the Chief Justice, dated January 31, 2007, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo viewed with "alarm and concern the unabated killings of political activists and members of media" and recommended the designation of Special Courts throughout the country that will hear and try these criminal cases; TEAaDC

(4) WHEREAS, the speedy and expeditious resolution of these criminal cases deserve the highest concern by the judiciary, involving as they do, the most brazen violations of human rights;

NOW, THEREFORE, pursuant to Section 23 of B.P. Blg. 129, in the interest of a speedy and efficient administration of justice and subject to the guidelines herein set forth, the following branches of the Regional Trial Courts are hereby designated to specially and preferentially hear, try and decide cases involving killings of political activists and members of the media:

NATIONAL CAPITAL JUDICIAL REGION
STATION/	NAME OF JUDGE
BRANCH
	MANILA
	26	JUDGE SILVINO T. PAMPILO, JR.
	39	JUDGE NOLI C. DIAZ
	50	JUDGE WILLIAM SIMON P. PERALTA
QUEZON CITY
	95	JUDGE HENRI JEAN PAUL B. INTING
	97	JUDGE BERNELITO R. FERNANDEZ
	219	JUDGE BAYANI V. VARGAS
PASAY CITY
	114	JUDGE EDWIN B. RAMIZO
	118	JUDGE PEDRO B. CORALES
KALOOKAN CITY
	129	JUDGE THELMA CANLAS T. PE-AGUIRRE
	131	JUDGE MA. TERESA ESTEPA DE GUZMAN-
		ALVAREZ
MAKATI CITY
	133	JUDGE NAPOLEON E. INOTURAN
	148	JUDGE OSCAR B. PIMENTEL
	150	JUDGE ELMO M. ALAMEDA
PASIG CITY
	157	JUDGE ESPERANZA F. VICTORINO
	265	JUDGE EDWIN A. VILLASOR
TAGUIG CITY 1
	271	JUDGE PAZ ESPERANZA M. CORTEZ
SAN JUAN 2
	160	JUDGE AMELIA ADAO FABROS
MALABON CITY
	73	ACTING PRESIDING JUDGE BENJAMIN M.
		AQUINO, JR.
MARIKINA CITY
	263	JUDGE DAVID L. MIRANDO, JR.
MANDALUYONG CITY
	212	JUDGE RIZALINA CAPCO-UMALI
PARAÑAQUE CITY
	260	JUDGE JAIME M. GURAY
LAS PIÑAS CITY
	255	JUDGE RAUL B. VILLANUEVA
MUNTINLUPA CITY
	204	JUDGE PATRIA MANALASTAS DE LEON
FIRST JUDICIAL REGION
BAGUIO CITY
	5	JUDGE ANTONIO M. ESTEVES
LA TRINIDAD, BENGUET
	62	JUDGE DANILO P. CAMACHO
LAOAG CITY
	14	JUDGE FRANCISCO ROBERTO D. QUILALA
SAN FERNANDO CITY, LA UNION
	28	JUDGE VICTOR M. VILORIA
LINGAYEN, PANGASINAN
	37	JUDGE EMMA P. BAUZON
DAGUPAN CITY
	41	JUDGE EMMA MANUEL TORIO
URDANETA CITY
	46	JUDGE TITA RODRIGUEZ VILLARIN
TUGUEGARAO CITY
	3	JUDGE JEZARENE C. AQUINO
APARRI, CAGAYAN
	6	JUDGE ROLANDO R. VELASCO
ILAGAN, ISABELA
	17	JUDGE RENATO P. PINE
SANTIAGO CITY
	35	JUDGE EFREN M. CACATIAN
BAYOMBONG, NUEVA VIZCAYA
	28	JUDGE FERNANDO F. FLOR, JR.
THIRD JUDICIAL REGION
BALANGA CITY
	3	JUDGE REMEGIO M. ESCALADA, JR.
MALOLOS CITY
	14	JUDGE PETRITA B. DIME
CABANATUAN CITY
	24	JUDGE RODRIGO S. CASPILLO
GUIMBA, NUEVA ECIJA
	33	JUDGED ISMAEL P. CASABAR
GAPAN CITY
	35	JUDGE DORENTINO Z. FLORESTA
STO. DOMINGO, NUEVA ECIJA
	37	JUDGE NELSON A. TRIBIANA
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, PAMPANGA
	46	JUDGE JOSELITO S. SALVADOR
GUAGUA, PAMPANGA
	51	JUDGE PAMELA ANN A. MAXINO
ANGELES CITY
	61	JUDGE BERNARDITA G. ERUM
TARLAC CITY
	65	JUDGE BITTY G. VILIRAN
IBA, ZAMBALES
	70	JUDGE CLODUALDO M. MONTA
OLONGAPO CITY
	73	ACTING PRESIDING JUDGE JOSEFINA D.
		FARRALES
FOURTH JUDICIAL REGION
BATANGAS CITY
	3	JUDGE RUBEN A. GALVEZ
BALAYAN, BATANGAS
	10	JUDGE CRISTINO E. JUDIT
LIPA CITY
	85	ACTING PRESIDING JUDGE FLORENCIO S.
		ARELLANO
CAVITE CITY
	88	JUDGE AGAPITO S. LU
IMUS, CAVITE
	26	JUDGE FERNANDO L. FELICEN
STA. CRUZ, LAGUNA
	28	JUDGE MARY ANN ENRILE
		CORPUS-MAÑALAC
SAN PABLO CITY
	28	ACTING PRESIDING JUDGE ROMULO S.G.
		VILLANUEVA
CALAMBA CITY
	35	JUDGE ROMEO C. DE LEON
PUERTO PRINCESA CITY
	51	JUDGE JOCELYN SUNDIANG-DILIG
LUCENA CITY
	56	JUDGE NORMA CHIONGLO SIA
BINANGONAN, RIZAL
	69	JUDGE NARMO P. NOBLEJAS
ANTIPOLO CITY
	73	JUDGE RONALDO B. MARTIN
MORONG, RIZAL
	79	JUDGE CANDIDO O. DE LOS SANTOS
FIFTH JUDICIAL REGION
LEGASPI CITY
	6	JUDGE VLADIMIR B. BRUSOLA
LIGAO CITY
	14	JUDGE EDWIN R. MA-ALAT
TABACO CITY
	18	JUDGE MAMERTO M. BUBAN, JR.
DAET, CAMARINES NORTE
	40	JUDGE ROLANDO M. PANGANIBAN
NAGA CITY
	25	JUDGE JAIME E. CONTRERAS
LIBMANAN, CAMARINES SUR
	29	JUDGE CECILIA B. SOLER
PILI, CAMARINES SUR
	31	JUDGE JOSE C. SARCILLA
IRIGA CITY
	36	JUDGE MILAGROS GERONA QUIJANO
MASBATE CITY
	45	JUDGE MANUEL L. SESE
SORSOGON CITY
	53	JUDGE BOANERGES C. CANDOLEA
SIXTH JUDICIAL REGION
KALIBO, AKLAN
	9	JUDGE DEAN R. TELAN
SAN JOSE, ANTIQUE
	11	JUDGE NERY G. DUREMDES
ROXAS CITY
	18	JUDGE CHARLITO F. FANTILANAN
ILOILO CITY
	26	JUDGE ANTONIO M. NATINO
	31	JUDGE RENE S. HORTILLO
	38	JUDGE ROGER B. PATRICIO
BACOLOD CITY
	48	JUDGE GORGONIO J. YBAÑEZ
SEVENTH JUDICIAL REGION
TAGBILARAN CITY
	49	JUDGE FERNANDO G. FUENTES III
CEBU CITY
	7	JUDGE SIMEON P. DUMDUM, JR.
	21	JUDGE ERIC FILAMOR MENCHAVEZ
LAPU-LAPU CITY
	53	JUDGE BENEDICTO G. COBARDE
MANDAUE CITY
	28	JUDGE MARILYN YAP-LAGURA
DUMAGUETE CITY
	34	JUDGE ROSENTO B. BANDAL, JR.
	38	JUDGE TERESITA ABARQUEZ GALANIDA
EIGHTH JUDICIAL REGION
TACLOBAN CITY
	9	JUDGE ROGELIO C. SESCON
CATBALOGAN, SAMAR
	29	JUDGE AGERICO A. AVILA
NINTH JUDICIAL REGION
DIPOLOG CITY
	8	JUDGE PORFERIO E. MAH
ZAMBOANGA CITY
	16	JUDGE JESUS C. CARBON, JR.
PAGADIAN CITY
	21	JUDGE ROLANDO L. GOAN
TENTH JUDICIAL REGION
BUTUAN CITY
	5	JUDGE AUGUSTUS L. CALO
MALAYBALAY CITY
	10	JUDGE JOSEFINA GENTILE S. BACAL
OROQUIETA CITY
	12	JUDGE BERNADETTE PAREDES-ENCINAREAL
CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY
	18	JUDGE EDGARDO T. LLOREN
ELEVENTH JUDICIAL REGION
TAGUM CITY
	1	JUDGE DANILO C. BELO
DAVAO CITY
	11	JUDGE VIRGINIA H. EUROPA
DIGOS CITY
	18	JUDGE ALBERT S. AXALAN
GENERAL SANTOS CITY
	35	JUDGE OSCAR P. NOEL, JR.
TWELFTH JUDICIAL REGION
ILIGAN CITY
	3	JUDGE ALBERT B. ABRAGAN
MARAWI CITY
	10	ACTING PRESIDING JUDGE MOSLEMEN T.
		MACARAMBON

In determining whether the crime is a "political killing", the following factors, among others, shall be considered: (1) political affiliation of the victim; (2) method of attack; and (3) reports that state agents are involved in the commission of the crime or have acquiesced in them. ISCHET

For purposes of this Administrative Order, all single-sala courts are considered special courts for the cases involving killings of political ideologists and members of media and for this reason shall give priority to these cases in their trial calendars. In stations where there are no Special Courts designated for the purpose, the branches where them said cases are raffled shall observe the herein guidelines.

The cases referred to herein shall undergo mandatory continuous trial and shall be terminated within sixty, (60) days from commencement of trial. Judgment thereon shall he rendered within thirty (30) days from submission for decision unless a shorter period is provided by law or otherwise directed by this Court.

Where trial has already begun, the same shall continue to be heard by the respective branches to which they have been originally assigned. For purposes hereof, a criminal case is considered begun when the accused or any of them had already been arraigned. The periods mentioned in paragraph 2 above shall be followed.

The Special Courts here designated shall continue to be included in the raffle of cases, criminal and civil, provided that the Executive Judges of the RTCs concerned shall exclude the designated Special Courts from such raffle whenever in their judgment the caseload of these courts shall prevent them from conducting the continuous trial of the special cases herein specified.

The Branches thus designated as Special Courts shall continue to perform their functions as such within the purview of this Administrative Order even after the resignation, retirement, death, dismissal from the judicial service, transfer, detail or promotion of the incumbent judges appointed/designated to preside over them. Their successors, whether permanent or temporary, shall act as Presiding Judges of these Special Courts unless the Supreme Court otherwise directs.

No postponement or continuance shall be allowed except for clearly meritorious reasons. Pleadings or motions found to have been filed for dilatory purposes shall constitute direct contempt and shall be punished accordingly. TIaDHE

In the event of inhibition of the judge of a designated Special Court, the following guidelines shall be observed: (a) where there is only one Special Court in the station, the pairing system for multiple-branch stations subject of Circular No. 7 dated September 23, 1974, as amended, shall apply; (b) where there are two Special Courts in the station, the Executive Judge shall immediately assign the case by raffle to the other or another Special Court of the same nature. In case the Presiding Judge of the other Special Court is also disqualified or inhibits himself/herself, the case shall be forwarded to the pairing judge of the special court which originally handled the said case. If the pairing judge is also disqualified or inhibits himself/herself, the case shall be raffled to the other regular courts. At the next raffle, an additional case shall be assigned to the disqualified or inhibiting judge/s to replace the case so removed from his/her/their court; and (c) where a judge in a single-branch voluntary inhibits himself/herself, the Order of Inhibition shall be transmitted to the pairing judge who shall then hear and decide the case. The determination of the pairing judge shall be in accordance with Annex "A" of A.M. No. 03-8-02-SC dated January 27, 2004 (Guidelines on the Selection and Appointment of Executive Judges and Defining their Powers, Prerogatives and Duties).

A report on the status of these cases shall be attached to the Monthly Report of Cases submitted every 10th day of the succeeding month to the Statistical Reports Division, Court Management Office, Office of the Court Administrator. Failure to submit such report shall be a ground for withholding of the salaries and allowances of the judge/s and clerk/s of court,/branch clerk/s of court/officer/s-in-charge concerned without prejudice to whatever administrative sanction the Supreme Court may impose on them. aESTAI

This Administrative Order shall take effect immediately.

March 1, 2007.

(SGD.) REYNATO S. PUNOChief Justice

(SGD.) LEONARDO A. QUISUMBINGAssociate Justice

 (SGD.) CONSUELO YNARES-SANTIAGOAssociate Justice

Footnotes

* Pasig RTC holding office and court sessions at Taguig City.

* Pasig RTC holding office and court sessions at San Juan, MM.