REGIONAL TRIAL COURT
THIRD JUDICIAL REGION
BRANCH 88
Baloc, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija
CREATION/ORGANIZATION:
With the enactment of Republic Act No. 7154 (formerly House Bill No. 8434 of the 8th Congress), “An Act to Amend Section Fourteen of Batas Pambansa Bilang 129, Otherwise Known as The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1981” which was passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on 6 June 1991 and took effect upon its approval by then President Corazon C. Aquino, increasing the number of the Regional Trial Court Branches in the thirteen (13) Judicial Regions of the country and mandated the renumbering of these Branches, then Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Hon. Narvasa issued on 6 February 1992 SC Administrative Order No. 11-92, “Designation of Regional Trial Court Branches”. One of the newly created Regional Trial Court branches in the Third Judicial Region was Branch 88 of Sto. Balbin-Santos, then Presiding Judge of the Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Branch I, San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, was appointed by then President Fidel V. Judge Santos took her oath as RTC Judge on April 15, 1994 and started the organization of RTC Branch 88 by visiting the courthouse at Brgy. Baloc, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija which was then solely occupied by RTC Branch 37 with Hon. Senen R. Saguyod as its Presiding Judge. Judge Santos noticed the nearly dilapidated condition of the said courthouse and with the consent of Judge Saguyod, who was then also the Executive Judge of RTC, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, Judge Santos scouted for a possible temporary location for the office and courtroom for RTC Branch 88 within the territorial jurisdiction of the RTC of Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija which includes the Municipalities of Munoz, Sto. Domingo and Talavera. With the assistance of then Representative Renato V. Diaz of the 1st District of Nueva Ecija, Judge Santos was offered by Dr. Romeo F. Maliwat, then Municipal Mayor, as well as Engr. Manolito V. Fausto, then Vice Mayor of Talavera, Nueva Ecija, with an office/room which may be occupied by her and her staff while the late Hon. Eduardo E. Bayudan, then Presiding Judge of the Municipal Trial Court of Talavera, Nueva Ecija, agreed to share his courtroom with Judge Santos. On 1 June 1994, Judge Santos, together with her temporary staff members composed of personnel from different courts with their respective Detal Orders duly approved by the Office of the Court Administrator, namely: Irene V. Castro, Court Stenographer III of RTC Branch 39, San Jose City; Julieta C. Rivera and Orlando P. Salamanca, Clerk IV and Court Stenographer II, respectively, of MTCC, Branch 1, San Jose City; Emmanuel S. Velasco, Clerk III of the Office of the Clerk of Court, MTCC, San Jose City; and Marilou T. Valle, Clerk III of RTC, Branch 25, Cabanatuan City, were welcomed by the new Mayor of Talavera, Engr. Fausto, considering that the former Mayor, Dr. Romeo F. Maliwat, passed away weeks earlier, and the actual operation/function of RTC Branch 88 commenced. However, on 2 June 1994, the Commissions of the first set of its personnel were approved and issued on 2 June 1994, as follows:
1. Irene V. Castro, lateral transfer from RTC Branch 39, San Jose City, as Court Stenographer III;
2. Orlando P. Salamanca, promotion as Court Stenographer III;
3. Marilou T. Valle, promotion as Court Interpreter III;
4. Emmanuel S. Velasco, promotion as Sheriff IV; and
5. Julieta C. Rivera, transfer as Clerk III. On 3 June 1994, Judge Santos designated Orlando P. Salamanca as Officer-In-Charge of RTC Branch 88. Additional members of her staff were appointed later. After the construction of the new Hall of Justice at Brgy. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, which replaced the old courthouse which was razed by fire in March 2000, RTC Branch 88 transferred to its present office at the second floor thereof on November 11, 2002. Judge Santos retired from government service on June 1, 2008. On March 16, 2010, Hon. Anarica J. Castillo-Reyes assumed as Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 88. Through her initiative, RTC Branch 88 is currently undertaking innovations by having its courtroom modernized as well as the development and introduction of a social network (Facebook) webpage which is open to the public and an exclusive group page which is restricted to personnel of RTC Branch 88 and to lawyers appearing before the said court. This exclusive group page was developed to inform in advance lawyers who are members of the said group of the calendar of hearings and other court announcements. THE PRESIDING JUDGE/S:
Hon. Balbin-Santos (Presiding Judge)
- April 15, 1994 to June 1, 2008
(Compulsory retirement effective June 1, 2008)
Hon. Santiago M. Arenas (Pairing Judge)
- June 2008 to October 2008
Hon. Nelson A. Tribiana (Acting Presiding Judge)
- November 2008 to March 15, 2010
(Judge Arenas transferred to RTC, Quezon City)
Hon. Castillo-Reyes (Presiding Judge)
- March 16, 2010 to present
THE COURT PERSONNEL:
BRANCH CLERK OF COURT:
Orlando P. Salamanca (Officer-In-Charge)
- June 3, 1994 to December 13, 2004
Irene V. Castro (OIC)
- December 14, 2004 to February 13, 2005
(Orlando P. Salamanca - on leave)
Orlando P. Salamanca (OIC)
- February 14, 2005 to September 30, 2007
Atty. Geraldine A. Dumawal-Sadural (Clerk of Court V)
(formerly Atty. Dumawal-Bulatao)
- October 1, 2007 to August 9, 2012
Jane M. Peralta (OIC)
- August 10, 2012 to October 8, 2012
(Atty. Sadural - on maternity leave)
Atty. Dumawal Sadural (Clerk of Court V)
- October 9, 2012 to January 2, 2013
(Appointed as Assistant Provincial Prosecutor - Nueva Ecija)
Jane M. Peralta (OIC)
- January 3, 2013 to January 19, 2014
Atty. Alejandro S. Ducusin (Clerk of Court V)
- January 20, 2014 to present
LEGAL RESEARCHER II:
Alfonso M. Ramirez, Jr.
- August 1994 to May 15, 2002
(Resigned effective May 16, 2002)
Irene V. Castro
- February 2, 2004 to January 4, 2011
(Died on January 5, 2011)
Jane M. Peralta
- September 23, 2011 to present
COURT INTERPRETER III:
Marilou T. Valle
- June 2, 1994 to present
COURT STENOGRAPHER III (1):
Irene V. Castro
- June 2, 1994 to February 1, 2004
(Promoted as Legal Researcher II vice Alfonso M. Ramirez, Jr.) Eduardo S. Divina
- October 1, 2007 to September 30, 2010
(Won in the 2010 Barangay Elections)
COURT STENOGRAPHER III (2):
Orlando P. Salamanca
- June 2, 1994 to present
COURT STENOGRAPHER III (3):
Renato A. Valenzuela
- August 1, 1995 to present
COURT STENOGRAPHER III (4):
Jane M. Peralta
- February 3, 1997 to September 22, 2011
(Promoted as Legal Researcher II vice Irene V. Castro)
Louie A. Jose
- February 18, 2013 to present
SHERIFF IV:
Emmanuel S. Velasco
- June 2, 1994 to present
CLERK III (1):
Julieta C. Rivera
- June 2, 1994 to September 1995
(Promoted as Clerk IV, Office of the Clerk of Court)
Arnel M. Landingin
- February 19, 1996 to present
CLERK III (2):
Virgilio N. Catbagan, Jr.
- June 16, 1994 to August 21, 2007
(Transferred to RTC Branch 39, San Jose City)
Dinah E. Balangue
- February 20, 2008 to present
PROCESS SERVER:
Rolando A. Dizon
- September 5, 1994 to June 1995
(Promoted as Sheriff IV, Office of the Clerk of Court)
Virgilio G. Castro, Jr.
- July 11, 1995 to present
UTILITY WORKER I:
Virgilio G. Castro, Jr.
- July 18, 1994 to July 10, 1995
(Promoted as Process Server vice Rolando A. Dizon)
Rufo D. Arocena
- September 20, 1995 to present
OFFICE OF THE EXECUTIVE JUDGE:
The Presiding Judge of RTC Branch 88, Hon. Cholita B. Santos, was designated as Executive Judge and Vice Executive Judge of the Regional Trial Courts of Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija, as follows:
As Executive Judge:
- June 1 1995 to December 31, 1996, per Administrative Order No. 67-95 dated June 1, 1995;
- January 1, 1997 to June 14, 1999, per Administrative Order No. 2-97 dated January 6, 1997 and Administrative Order No. 1-99 dated January 4, 1999;
- June 15, 1999 to July 31, 2001, per Administrative Order No. 51-99 dated June 1, 1999 and Administrative Order No. 1-2001 dated January 2, 2001;
- August 1, 2001 to March 14, 2003, per Administrative Order No. 56-2001 dated July 11, 2001 and Administrative Order No. 1-2003 dated January 2, 2003;
- April 1, 2005 to December 31, 2006, per Administrative Order No. 38-2005 dated March 17, 2005 and
- March 1, 2007 until her compulsory retirement on June 2, 2008, per Administrative Order No. 22-2007 dated February 28, 2007. As Vice Executive Judge:
- March 15, 2003 to March 31, 2005, per Administrative Order No. 33-2003 dated March 13, 2003. FAMILY COURT:
Pursuant to Republic Act No. 8369 (“Family Courts Act of 1997”) which was approved and signed into law on October 28, 1997 by President Fidel V. Ramos, RTC Branch 88 was among those which were designated as Family Courts by the Supreme Court in its En Banc Resolution in Administrative Matter No. 99-10-07-SC dated February 1, 2000 which took effect on March 1, 2000. HEINOUS CRIMES COURT:
RTC Branch 88 was likewise designated as a Heinous Crime Court by the Supreme Court in its Administrative Order No. 104-96 dated October 21, 1996, exclusively to try and decide cases of Kidnapping and/or Kidnapping for Ransom; Kidnapping in Band; Robbery Committed against a Banking of Financial Institution; Violation of the Dangerous Drugs Act of 1972, as amended, regardless of the quantity involved; Violation of the Anti-Carnapping Act of 1972, as amended; and other Heinous Crimes under Republic Act No. 7659 (“An Act To Impose The Death Penalty On Certain Heinous Crimes, Amending For That Purpose The Revised Penal Laws, As Amended, Other Special Penal Laws, And For Other Purposes”). However, the designation of selected RTC Branches as Heinous Crimes Court was revoked upon the issuance by the Office of the Court Administrator of OCA Circular No. 111-2004 on September 14, 2004 in Administrative Matter No. 04-6-18-SC (“Re: Position Paper on Continuing Assassinations/Intentional Killings of Judges While in the Performance of Their Duties”). PUBLIC PROSECUTORS:
The past and present Public Prosecutors who appeared either as regular Prosecutors or special Prosecutors in certain cases before RTC Branch 88 are the following:
1. Pros. Virgilio G. Caballero
2. Rodolfo P. Beltran
3. Floro F. Florendo
4. Gaudencio D. Dionisio
5. Dionisio D. Ledda
6. Mario B. Veloso
7. Efren Clint M. Mallare, Jr.
8. Julius Caesar A. Mustard
9. Danilo C. Yang
10. George A. Ged-ang, Jr.
11. Thristan B. Escudero
PUBLIC ATTORNEYS:
The past and present Public Attorneys who were assigned to and appeared before RTC Branch 88 are the following:
1. Atty. Fidel G. Ortaleza
2. Catalino A. Corpuz, Jr.
3. Dante S. Lasam, Jr.
4. Bayani P. Dalangin
5. Rosita L. Dela Fuente-Torres
6. Dexter Allen E. Lacanilao
7. Ged-ang, Jr.
8. Woody John G. Espera
9. Clarinda B. Martinez
10. Joel M. De Lara
11. Edward Robinson P. Serrano
DESIGNATED PRESIDING JUDGES:
There are also instances wherein Judges from other Courts were designated by the Supreme Court to handle specific case/s pending before RTC Branch 88 due to the inhibition of its Presiding Judge, namely:
1. Hon. Reynaldo A. Alhambra
2. Blas O. Causapin, Jr.
3. Raymundo Z. Annang
4. Caballero
5. Tribiana
6. Eleanor Teodora M. Vizcarra
COURT SOCIAL WORKER:
Mrs. Tita R. Mateo, Social Welfare Officer II of the Office of the Clerk of Court of Regional Trial Court, Sto. Domingo, Nueva Ecija acts as the Social Worker of RTC Branch 88 in its function as a designated Family Court.
