TACLOBAN CITY – A bill filed in the House of Representatives seeks to establish Eastern Samar’s first Family Court, which proponents said would give residents easier access to specialized judicial services for cases involving children and family relations.
House Bill No. 10600 was filed by Eastern Samar lone district Rep. Christopher Sheen Gonzales and 4Ps party-list Rep. Marcelino “Nonoy” Libanan. The measure seeks to create a Family Court branch in the province with jurisdiction over family- and child-related cases.
The proposed court would handle cases involving child abuse, domestic violence, adoption, guardianship, custody and juvenile offenses, among other family-related matters.
Gonzales said Eastern Samar residents should not have to travel far or wait longer to obtain judicial services for cases involving children and other family concerns.
“Families in Eastern Samar should not have to travel or wait longer than necessary to obtain justice in cases that directly affect their children and loved ones,” Gonzales said in a statement.
He cited Republic Act No. 8369, or the Family Courts Act of 1997, which provides for the establishment of Family Courts in every province and city.
Despite the law, Eastern Samar still has no dedicated Family Court. Eastern Visayas currently has three Family Courts, located in Tacloban City, Ormoc City and Catbalogan City.
Gonzales said the proposed court would provide a venue specifically equipped to handle sensitive cases involving children and families.
“Cases involving children and families require more than ordinary judicial proceedings. They demand speed, sensitivity and specialized expertise because the welfare and future of our children are often at stake,” he said.
He also said the creation of the court would help ease the workload of existing Regional Trial Courts that handle family-related cases alongside other cases.
(LIZBETH ANN A. ABELLA)
