STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION:

On March 12, 2020, Republic Act No. 56780 took effect transferring the jurisdiction to try cases involving murder committed in the National Capital Region and adjoining cities to the Regional Trial Courts (RTC) of Manila, where judges are known to be strict and fast in trying and deciding murder cases. Mr. Clyde was arrested on August 12, 2020 for murder allegedly committed on April 10, 2017 in the City of Caloocan where judges are reportedly lenient in deciding murder cases. He was charged in the Regional Trial Court of Manila on October 22, 2020. Fearing conviction, he moved for the transfer of the case to the RTC of Caloocan City on the following grounds ----

(a) that RA 56780 was passed only on March 12, 2020 and should not be made applicable to him without violating the general rule against the retrospective operation of statutes and

(b) that being a penal statute, RA 56780 should not be given retroactive effect, given the strictness of RTC Manila judges. Are Mr. Clyde's grounds correct?

Discuss your answers to each ground separately.