The Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines asked the Supreme Court to create more special commercial courts with the power to issue search warrants in relation to intellectual property rights cases.
The agency urged the justices to adopt various approaches that can ease backlog and bring faster resolution to pending cases related to intellectual property rights.
Special courts are spread just across Metro Manila—Pasig, Makati, Manila and Quezon City.
“We believe the designation of additional SCCs to be located in Metro Visayas, Metro Mindanao, and Metro Northern Luzon will further bolster the Philippines’ standing in the areas of rule of law and administration of justice and will be beneficial, as this will serve a greater number of stakeholders,” said IPOPHL director general Josephine Santiago.
The agency noted that many of the most recurring cases involed trademark infringement.
It also asked the high court to designate select Regional Trial Courts to specialize on IPR cases for a speedier resolution of cases.
