H. NO. 5340 / 65 OG No. 7, 1532 (February 17, 1969)

[ REPUBLIC ACT NO. 4908, June 17, 1967 ]

AN ACT REQUIRING JUDGES OF COURTS TO SPEEDILY TRY CRIMINAL CASES WHEREIN THE OFFENDED PARTY IS A PERSON ABOUT TO DEPART FROM THE PHILIPPINES WITH NO DEFINITE DATE OF RETURN.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:SECTION 1. Any provision of existing law, executive order, rule or regulation to the contrary notwithstanding, the trial of criminal cases wherein the offended party is a person who is about to depart from the Philippines without a definite date of return, shall take precedence over all other cases before our courts, except election and habeas corpus cases. The trial in these cases shall commence within three days from the date the accused is arraigned and no postponement of the initial hearing shall be granted except on the ground of illness on the part of the accused, or other grounds beyond the control of the accused.SEC. 2. This Act shall take effect upon its approval. Approved, June 17, 1967.

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