Mandaue City donates land to Supreme Court

CEBU, Philippines - The Mandaue City government yesterday donated a 2,000-square meter city-owned lot to the Supreme Court.

Aside from the lot, the city also donated P1 million for the construction of a building.

With the donation, the  administrator of the Supreme Court yesterday announced that seven additional Regional Trial Court (RTC) branches in Mandaue City will soon be created once a bigger building is constructed on the lot.

Supreme Court administrator Jose Mideas Marquez, who was in Mandaue City yesterday for the signing of the deed of donation, said once the SC receives an advice from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), the SC will open vacancies for applications.

The ceremony held yesterday afternoon at the city’s Hall of Fame building was one of the highlights of the 44th Charter Day celebration in the city of Mandaue.

The lot located at the back of the existing Hall of Justice will allow the Supreme Court to either renovate the existing building or construct a new one.

According to Marquez the new building will house the three existing branches of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), three branches of Municipal Trial Court and the new additional RTC branches.

Mayor Cortes for his part said the creation of additional 7 RTC branches as provided by a law enacted by Congress will speed up the disposition of cases in Mandaue City and the neighboring municipalities of Consolacion, Liloan, Compostela, and Cordova.

City Councilor Nenita Layese also turned over to Marquez the council’s resolution requesting Supreme Court Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to immediately implement  R.A. 103631 which creates 7 additional RTC branches in Mandaue.

The law was signed by President Aquino last January 28. (FREEMAN)