SC designates 11 Makati courts to assist Taguig

The Supreme Court has designated 11 Regional Trial Courts (RTCs) and Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTCs) of Makati City to assist courts in Taguig City following the transfer of 10 barangays from Makati to Taguig.

In a resolution dated Dec. 5, 2023, the Supreme Court (SC) designated seven RTCs as assisting courts. These are:

• Branch 136, Judge Rico Sebastian Liwanag (Family Court)
• Branch 144, Judge Liza Marie Picardal-Tecson (Family Court)
• Branch 147, Judge Karla Regina Valera-Chua (Special Commercial Court)
• Branch 63, Judge Jacob Montesa II (Drugs Court)
• Branch 145, Judge Karen Matti-Sy
• Branch 65, Judge Veronica Tongio-Igot (Drugs Court)
• Branch 134, Judge Redentor Dela Cruz Cardenas

Meanwhile, the following four MeTCs were also designated as assisting courts:

• Branch 61, Judge Xavier Paolo del Castillo
• Branch 66, Judge Niño Delvin Embuscado
• Branch 128, Judge Maureen Rubio Marquez
• Branch 129, Judge Alexius Tang

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the SC said Offices of the Clerk of Courts (OCCs) of the courts shall require parties filing civil and criminal cases before Taguig courts to provide their landline or phone numbers and email addresses. It said this would form part of the official records of the case.

Meanwhile, the SC said that in urgent cases that require immediate action, the Executive Judge of the Taguig City court where the case was filed may act on urgent temporary reliefs before forwarding the case.

It also said motions for reconsideration should be filed with the Makati City courts, while appeals from judgment or final order of the Makati City MeTC shall be taken to the Taguig RTC.

"On the other hand, if no appeal or motion for reconsideration is timely filed, the case records shall be forwarded from the branch of the Makati City court to its OCC, then transmitted to the Taguig City court for execution," it said.

"The judgment or final order shall then be entered by the Clerk of Court of the Taguig City court in its book of entries of judgment," it added.

Meanwhile, the SC said that records of provisionally dismissed or archived cases by Makati courts shall remain with them until the termination of the program. — VDV, GMA Integrated News