Ordering 240 Other Regional Trial Courts to Hear, Try and Decide Newly-Filed Cases under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, as Amended

July 19, 2016

A.M. No. 16-07-06-SC

ORDERING 240 OTHER REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS TO HEAR, TRY AND DECIDE NEWLY-FILED CASES UNDER THE COMPREHENSIVE DANGEROUS DRUGS ACT OF 2002, AS AMENDED

WHEREAS, in compliance with Section 90, Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9165, otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002,as amended, the Supreme Court designated 65 "special courts from among the existing Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) in each judicial region to exclusively try and hear cases involving violations of this act";

WHEREAS, there are also 529 RTCs in single and multiple-sala stations which likewise hear and decide drugs cases, in addition to 121 RTCs specially-designated as Family Courts having exclusive jurisdiction to hear and decide drugs cases against minors pursuant to Republic Act No. 8369;

WHEREAS, consequently, at present, there are already 715 RTCs authorized to hear and decide drugs cases;

WHEREAS, because the volume of drugs cases remain high and the influx of new drugs cases is steadily rising, there is an urgency to authorize more courts to hear and decide drugs cases considering the already heavy dockets of specially-designated drugs courts and other RTCs handling drugs cases;

WHEREAS, with 715 RTCs out of the 955 RTCs already handling drugs cases, the remaining 240 other RTCs may be mobilized and directed to also hear, try and decide all newly-filed drugs cases to help decongest the dockets of specially-designated drugs courts and expedite the resolution of drugs cases.

NOW, THEREFORE, the Supreme Court hereby orders the 240 other Regional Trial Courts to hear, try and decide cases filed under the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, as amended, as follows:

1. All newly-filed drugs cases shall be raffled to, heard, tried and decided by all RTCs, except family courts and overburdened RTCs as determined by the OCA. All specially-designated drugs courts exclusively hearing drugs cases pursuant to RA 9165 1 shall be exempt from the raffle of newly-filed drugs cases. All newly-filed drugs cases involving minors shall continue to be raffled to, heard and tried exclusively by the designated family courts. This system of distribution of drugs cases shall continue until the number of drugs cases in the various court stations has become manageable, as determined by the OCA, or until otherwise ordered discontinued by the Supreme Court; DETACa

2. All newly-filed drugs cases shall continue to be raffled to, heard and tried by specially-designated drugs courts in stations where the average caseload of the specially-designated drugs courts is lower than the average caseload of the other courts in those stations, until such time when the average caseload of the specially-designated drugs courts is higher than the average caseload of the other courts in those stations, as determined by the OCA. Courts which may later be designated to assist specially-designated drugs courts shall be exempt from the raffle of newly-filed drugs cases;

3. The OCA is hereby directed to closely monitor all courts handling drugs cases and undertake necessary measures to ensure the efficient distribution, handling and disposition of drug cases, such as but not limited to, the following:

a. Recommend the designation of assisting courts or assisting judges to specially-designated drugs courts and regular courts hearing drugs cases, as needed;

b. Submit quarterly reports to the Court including the nature of drugs cases filed and the amount of drugs involved in each case, based on the reports submitted by the trial courts; and

c. Perform such other tasks as are essential for the efficient distribution, handling and disposition of drugs cases.

These guidelines shall take effect immediately.

(SGD.) MARIA LOURDES P.A. SERENOChief Justice

(SGD.) ANTONIO T. CARPIOAssociate Justice

(SGD.) PRESBITERO J. VELASCO, JR.Associate Justice

(SGD.) TERESITA J. LEONARDO-DE CASTROAssociate Justice

J. Brion left his vote.(SGD.) ARTURO D. BRIONAssociate Justice

(SGD.) DIOSDADO M. PERALTAAssociate Justice

(SGD.) LUCAS P. BERSAMINAssociate Justice

(SGD.) MARIANO C. DEL CASTILLOAssociate Justice

(SGD.) JOSE PORTUGAL PEREZAssociate Justice

J. Mendoza left his vote.(SGD.) JOSE CATRAL MENDOZAAssociate Justice

(SGD.) BIENVENIDO L. REYESAssociate Justice

(SGD.) ESTELA M. PERLAS-BERNABEAssociate Justice

(SGD.) MARVIC M.V.F. LEONENAssociate Justice

(SGD.) FRANCIS H. JARDELEZAAssociate Justice

(SGD.) ALFREDO BENJAMIN S. CAGUIOAAssociate Justice

Footnotes

1. This shall EXCLUDE all newly created courts which are specially designated drugs courts, as of March 2016 onwards, until such time when their caseloads shall have reached the average caseload of the other specially designated drugs courts in their respective stations.