1.

Exclusive original jurisdiction over all offenses punishable with imprisonment not exceeding 6 years irrespective of the amount of
fine, and regardless of other imposable or accessory penalties, including the civil liability arising from such offenses irrespective of
kind, nature, value or amount.
2. Exclusive original jurisdiction over offense where the only penalty provided for by law is a fine of an amount not more than P4,000.
3. Exclusive original jurisdiction over offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence.
4. Violations of B.P. 22 (Bouncing Checks Law)
5. Summary Procedure in the following cases:
a. Violations of traffic laws, rules and regulations, violations of the rental law; and violations of municipal or city ordinances
b. All other criminal cases where the penalty prescribed by law for the offense charged is imprisonment not exceeding 6 months
or fine not exceeding P1,000, or both, irrespective of other imposable penalties, accessory or otherwise, or of the the civil
liability arising therefrom.
c. Offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence where the imposable fine does not exceed P10,000
6. Special jurisdiction to decide on applications for bail in criminal cases in the absence of all RTC judges in a province or
city.
7. Exclusive original jurisdiction to try offenses of failure to register or failure to vote under the Omnibus Election Code

ORIGINAL CRIMINAL JURISDICTION OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS

1. Exclusive original jurisdiction in all criminal cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal or body
2. Special jurisdiction to handle exclusively criminal cases —
a. As designated by the Supreme Court
b. Criminal cases as designated by specific penal laws such as —
i. Written defamation (Under the RPC)
ii. Jurisdiction of designated courts over cases in violation of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 iii.
Violations of intellectual property rights (A.M. No. 03-03-03-SC, implementing the IP Code)
iv. Over money laundering cases under the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 except those committed by public officers and by
private persons in conspiracy or in participation with public officers.
v. Violations of the Omnibus Election Code except those relating to the offense of failure to register or failure to vote
3. Exclusive original jurisdiction to issue hold-departure orders in criminal actions pending before such court (Supreme Court Circular
No. 39-97)
‣ BUT — the SC in Santiago vs Vasquez (1993) said that the SB also has the power to issue HDOs in the exercise of its
incidental powers to protect its jurisdiction
4. Exclusive original jurisdiction over criminal cases which would normally fall under the exclusive original jurisdiction of the
Sandiganbayan where the information either —
a. Does NOT allege any damage to the government or any bribery; or
b. Alleges damage to the government or bribery arising from the same or closely related transactions or acts in an amount not
exceeding One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) (See Sec. 4 of PD 1606 as amended by RA 10660)
5. Original jurisdiction in the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohobition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus and injunction
enforceable in any part of their respective regions (Sec. 21[1], B.P. 129, as amended by RA 7691) ‣ These writs may in certain
cases be availed of in criminal cases

ORIGINAL CRIMINAL JURISDICTION OF THE SANDIGANBAYAN

‣ NOTE — For the SB, (1) the nature of the offense AND (2) the position of the accused are the determining factors ‣
OFFENSES COVERED — Violations of the following laws —
1. RA 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corruption Practices Act
2. RA 1379 or the Forfeiture on State Property
3. Chapter 2, Sec. 2, Title 7, Book 2, of the RPC on Bribery in all its forms including corruption of public officers