Supreme Court designates several RTCs as anti-graft courts

The Supreme Court (SC) on Saturday announced it has designated several Regional Trial Courts (RTC) to handle anti-graft cases.

The designated RTCs are located in these areas: 

National Capital Judicial Region: 5
Region III: 5
Region IV-A: 4
Region V: 4
Region VII: 4
Region XI: 4

"This is just the first batch. All regions will have designated anti-graft courts. The courts and judges are not named for security purposes." SC spokesperson Atty. Camille Ting said. 

In a statement, the SC said the move was in accordance with Republic Act 10660, a measure that expands the jurisdiction of the RTC to include cases under anti-graft laws.

“The Office of the Chief Justice approved the recommendation of Court Administrator Ma. Theresa Dolores Gomez-Estoesta to designate specific RTC judges,” the high court said.

“This is pursuant to the Resolution of the SC En Banc in A.M. No. 25-10-24-SC directing the Office of the Court Administrator (OCA) to monitor the filing of cases involving corruption in infrastructure projects before the RTCs,” it said.

The special courts will exclusively hear and decide corruption-related cases arising from infrastructure projects.

“In areas with no designated RTCs, the case shall be referred to the nearest judicial region with designated special courts,” the SC said.

“The designated judges will undergo training from the Philippine Judicial Academy, with lectures led by Sandiganbayan Associate Justices. The training will cover substantive and procedural laws, including RA 7080 or the Law on Plunder, RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, rules on bail in plunder cases, evidentiary rules in anti-graft cases, the rule on cyber warrants, and rules on forensic evidence, among others,” it added.

The high tribunal said that under RA 10660, the RTC has exclusive original jurisdiction when the graft case does not involve damage to the government or any bribery, or when it involves damage to the government or bribery arising from transactions not exceeding P1 million.

“Jurisdiction over graft cases involving public officers occupying positions lower than Salary Grade 27 belongs to the proper RTC, Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court, and Municipal Circuit Trial Court in accordance with Batas Pambansa Blg. 129 or the Judiciary Reorganization Act,” the SC said.

“Appeals from the decisions of the designated RTCs shall be heard by the Sandiganbayan,” it added.  —VBL, GMA Integrated News