JURISDICTION OF

PHILIPPINE COURTS

EULOGIO.GORDON.LANZON
GROUP 5
Judicial Hierarchy
Kinds of Jurisdiction
● Original- the court that gets to hear that case first
● Appellate- power of a higher court to review a lower court’s
decision
● Exclusive- only that court can hear that specific case
MeTC, MuTC, MuCTC
Original:

1. All violations of city or municipal ordinances committed within their respective territorial jurisdiction
(Sec. 32[1], BP 129 as amended by RA 7691)

2. All offenses punishable with imprisonment not exceeding 6 years irrespective of the amount of fine,
and regardless of of other imposable or accessory penalties, including the civil liability arising from such
offenses irrespective of kind, nature, value or amount (Sec. 32[2], bp 129 as amended by RA 7691)
NOTE: MTC does not at all times have jurisdiction over offenses punishable with imprisonment not
exceeding 6 years. This happens if jurisdiction is vested by law in either RTC or Sandiganbayan
3. Offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence (Sec 32[2], BP 129 as amended
by RA 7691)
4. Cases involving BP 22—Bouncing Checks Law (RA 7691, AM No. 00-11-01-SC)
MeTC, MuTC, MuCTC
SUMMARY PROCEDURE CASES:
1) Violations of traffic laws, rules, and regulations
2) Violations of rental law

3) BP 22 cases

4) Violations of municipal or city ordinances

5) All other criminal cases where the penalty prescribed by law for the offense charged is imprisonment not exceeding 6
months, or a fine not exceeding 1000 pesos or both irrespective of other imposable penalties, accessory, or otherwise, or of
the civil liability arising therefrom
6) Offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence where the imposable fine does not exceed 10,000
pesos. (Sec. 1[B], The 1991 Rule on Summary Procedure)

SPECIAL JURISDICTION:

Applications for bail in criminal cases in the absence of all RTC judges in a province or city (Sec. 35, B.P. 129 as
amended by R.A. 7691)
Regional Trial Court
Original:
1. All criminal cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal or body, except those now falling
under the exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan which shall be exclusively taken cognizance
of by the latter ((Sec. 20, BP 129, as amended by RA 7691)
2. Criminal cases under specific laws such as:
a) criminal aspects of written defamation (Art. 360, RPC)
b) designated special courts over cases in violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002
(Sec. 90, RA 9165)
c) violations of intellectual property rights (A.M. No. 03-03-03-SC)
d) Cases on money laundering not committed by public officers (Sec. 5, RA 9160, Anti-Money Laundering
Act of 2001)

3. Issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, madamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus and injunction
enforceable in any part of their respective regions when availed of in criminal cases ((Sec. 23, BP 129, as
amended by RA 7691)
Regional Trial Court
Appellate:
All cases decided by the MTC within its territorial jurisdiction (Sec. 22, BP 129, as amended by RA 7691)

SPECIAL JURISDICTION:
Certain branches to handle exclusively criminal cases as may be determined by the Supreme Court (Sec.
23, BP 129, as amended by RA 7691)
Sandiganbayan
Original
1. Violations of:Republic Act 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act) (PD 1606)

2. Other offenses or felonies whether simple or complexed with other crimes as long as it is committed by public officials
and employees including those employed in government-owned or controlled corporations (Sec. 4, PD 1606)

3. Criminal cases filed pursuant to Executive Order Nos. 1, 2, 14 and 14-A issued in 1986
4. Some forms of direct bribery under Art. 210 of the RPC are within the exclusive jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan (Sec.
4, P.D. 1606)
5. Indirect bribery under Art. 211 (Sec. 4, P.D. 1606)
6. Money laundering cases committed by public officers and private persons who are in conspiracy with such public officers
(Sec. 5, RA 9160, Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001)
7. Violations of RA 1379 known as An Act of Declaring Forfeiture in Favor of the State of Any Property Found to Have
Been Unlawfully Acquired by Any Public Officer or Employee
8. All prosecutions under RA 7080 or the Plunder Law(Sec 3, RA 7080)
Sandiganbayan
Concurrent:
WITH THE SUPREME COURT:
1) Petitions for the issuance of the writs of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, habeas corpus, injunctions,
and other ancillary writs and processes in aid of its appellate jurisdiction and over petitions of similar
nature.

2) Quo-warranto petitions arising from (Executive Order #s 1, 2, 14 & 14 – A)

Appellate:
Final judgments, resolutions or orders of the RTC whether in the exercise of their own original jurisdiction
or of other appellate jurisdiction as herein provided
Sandiganbayan
OFFICIALS INCLUDED IN THE JURISDICTION OF THE SANDIGANBAYAN
Officials occupying the position of regional director and higher (“GRADE 27” of RA 6758) including:
a. Provincial governors, vice-governors, members of the sangguniang panlalawigan, provincial treasurers, assessors, engineers
and other provincial department heads;
b. City mayors, vice-mayors, members of the sangguniang panlungsod, city treasurers, assessors, engineers and other city
department heads;
c. Officials of the diplomatic service occupying the position of consul and higher;
d. Philippine army and air force colonels, naval captains, and all officers of higher rank;
e. Officers of the PNP while occupying the position of provincial director and those holding the rank of senior superintendent or
higher;
f. City and provincial prosecutors and their assistants, and officials and prosecutors in the office of the Ombudsman and special
prosecutor;
g. Presidents, directors of trustees, or managers of government owned or controlled corporations, state universities or educational
institutions or foundations.

8. Members of Congress and officials thereof (classified as Grade ‘27’ and higher under the CPCA of 1989);
9. Members of the judiciary without prejudice to the provisions of the Constitution;
10. Chairmen and members of the Constitutional Commissions,
11. Local and national officials w/ salary grade “27”
(RA 3019, RA 1379, Title VII, Book II of the RPC)
Court of Appeals
Original:
Actions for annulment of judgments of the RTC in criminal cases

Concurrent:
WITH THE SUPREME COURT:

Original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, habeas corpus, and quo warranto,
and auxiliary writs or processes, whether or not in aid of its appellate jurisdiction against the RTC
Court of Appeals
Appellate:
Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all final judgments, resolutions, orders or awards of Regional Trial
Courts and quasi-judicial agencies, instrumentalities, boards or commission except those appealable to
the Supreme Court or the Sandiganbayan
Supreme Court
Original:
1) Petitions for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus
against the Court of Appeals & the Sandiganbayan

2) Exercise jurisdiction over cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and over petitions for
certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas corpus. (RA 5440)

3) Review, revise, reverse, modify, or affirm, on appeal or certiorari, as the law or the Rules of Court may provide, final
judgments and orders of the lower courts in:
a) All cases in which the constitutionality or validity of any treaty, international or executive agreement, law, presidential
decree, proclamation, order, instruction, ordinance, or regulation is in question;
b) All cases involving the legality of any tax, impost, assessment, or toll, or any penalty imposed in relation thereto;
c) All cases in which the jurisdiction of any lower court is in issue;
d) All criminal cases in which the penalty imposed is reclusion perpetua or higher;

All cases in which only an error or question of law is involved

Supreme Court
Concurrent:
WITH CA:
Petitions for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus against RTC

WITH CA and RTC:

Petitions for CPM against lower courts

WITH SANDIGANBAYAN:
Petitions for CPM, habeas corpus, injunctions, ancillary writs in aid of its appellate jurisdiction
Quo-warranto petitions arising from E.O. 1, 2, 14 and 14-A
Supreme Court
Appellate:

1) All criminal cases by APPEAL from the RTC wherein the punishment is reclusion perpetua or life
imprisonment.

2) Cases wherein the acts of the accused arose out of the same occurrence or which may have been
committed by the accused on the same occasion.

3) Petition for Review on Certiorari from the CA, Sandiganbayan and RTC (question of law is involved)
Rule 45.