At least 80 percent of the pending cases at the Regional Trial Court in Virac will be tackled by the newly appointed Family Court judge who will assume her post next month.
Knowledgeable court personnel also told the Tribune that with Acting Executive Judge Ritche R. Regala, who also sits as acting presiding judge of RTC Branches 42 and 43, ending his stint sometime this October, the new judge is likely to be directed by the Supreme Court to take charge of both branches.
Atty. Candice Guada Cresilda Cortez Almodovar-Tordilla, who was named RTC Branch 9 Family Court Presiding Judge, is set to take her oath before the High Court this week.
She arrived in Virac on Sept. 9, 2024 to visit the Hall of Justice to meet court personnel and check the site where the new court will be established.
Before suddenly retiring last year, then RTC Executive Judge Genie G. Gapas-Agbada reportedly proposed to the SC the renovation of the area formerly occupied by the Provincial Prosecutor’s Office at the left wing of the building as the Family Court sala.
The former fiscal’s office had been converted into a bodega for the RTC since its previous occupants moved to their new office at the Virac Community Hub in San Isidro Village three years ago.
It is claimed that the High Court has yet to appoint personnel for the new court as well as its own social welfare officer.
The new judge is set to undergo a 15-day immersion at a Family Court in Naga City and another 15 days at RTC Virac before taking over her post.
A former prosecutor and Clerk of Court at RTC Ligao City, Judge Almodovar-Tordilla is the daughter of former Legazpi City RTC Judge Ignacio Almodovar and is married to Atty. Alexander Tordilla who is currently in charge of the Office of the Clerk of Court in RTC Pili.
The mother of her husband, Corazon Tordilla, recently retired as RTC Naga City Executive Judge.
Local court personnel said the Family Court set to open this October would considerably lighten the dockets of RTC Branch 42 and 43 as the bulk of the pending cases involve family and child issues.
Under the law, Family Courts have exclusive and original jurisdiction over criminal cases where one or more of the accused is below 18 years of age but not less than nine (9) years old, at the time of the commission of the offense.
Also covered by the Court are petitions for guardianship, custody of children, habeas corpus in relation to the latter; petitions for adoption of children and the revocation thereof; complaints for annulment of marriage, declaration of nullity of marriage and those relating to marital status and property relations of husband and wife or those living together under different status and agreements; petitions for support and/or acknowledgment; summary judicial proceedings brought under the provisions of the Family Code;
Petitions for declaration of status of children as abandoned, dependent or neglected children, petitions for voluntary or involuntary commitment of children, the suspension, termination, or restoration of parental authority and other cases; petitions for the constitution of the family home;
Cases against minors cognizable under the Dangerous Drugs Act, as amended; violations of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the “Special Protection of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act”, as amended by RA. 7658; and cases of domestic violence against women and children.
Under the provisions of Act No. 8369 or the “Family Courts Act of 1997,” the judge of the Family Court shall have direct control and supervision of the youth detention home which the local government unit shall establish to separate the youth offenders from adult criminals.
The law also provides that all proceedings in the child and family cases before the Family shall be treated with utmost confidentiality and the identity of parties shall not be divulged unless necessary and with authority of the judge.
Meanwhile, there is no word yet on the status of the vacancy in the two RTC branches in Virac.
Last July 2024, the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC) accepted applications for the judgeship positions in RTC Branch 43 and RTC Branch 42, with the latter designated as a Special Court for Commercial, Cybercrime and Competition Cases, as well as Agrarian Cases.
The Council has yet to announce the schedule of interviews of the applicants, it is claimed.