The 

Supreme
Court (Filipino: Kataas-taasang
Hukuman; colloquially referred
to as the Korte Suprema) is the
highest court in the Philippines.

Judicial Power and Jurisdiction

The Supreme Court has both original and appellate jurisdiction. It exercises original jurisdiction
(cases are directly filed with the SC in the first instance without passing through any of the lower
courts) over cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, and over
petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas corpus. It also has
original jurisdiction over writs of amparo, habeas data and the environmental writ of kalikasan. It
exercises appellate jurisdiction to review, revise, reverse, modify, or affirm 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.
(e) All cases in which only an error or question of law is involved. (Art. VIII, §5(1), (2))

The Supreme Court has administrative supervision over all courts and court personnel.
(Article VIII, §6) It exercises this power through the Office of the Court Administrator.

The Supreme Court shall be composed of a Chief Justice and fourteen Associate Justices. It
may sit en banc or, in its discretion, in divisions of three, five, or seven members. (Art. VIII, §4)

History:
  The barangay chiefs exercised judicial authority prior to the arrival of Spaniards in 1521.
During the early years of the Spanish period, judicial powers were vested upon Miguel
Lopez de Legaspi, the first governor general of the Philippines where he administered
civil and criminal justice under the Royal Order of August 14, 1569.

The Royal Audencia was established on May 5, 1583, composed of a president,

four oidores (justices) and a fiscal.  The Audencia exercised both administrative and
judicial functions.  Its functions and structure were modified in 1815 when its president
was replaced by a chief justice and the number of justices was increased.  It came to be
known as the Audencia Territorial de Manila with two branches, civil and criminal.  Royal
Decree issued July 24, 1861 converted it to a purely judicial body wherein its decisions
were appealable to the Supreme Court of the Philippines to the Court of Spain in
Madrid.  A territorial Audencia in Cebu and Audencia for criminal cases in Vigan were
organized on February 26, 1898.   The Audencias were suspended by General Wesley
Merrit when a military government was established after Manila fell to American forces in
1898.  Major General Elwell S. Otis re-established the Audencia on May 29, 1899 by
virtue of General Order No. 20.  Said Order provided for six Filipino members of
the Audencia.  Act No. 136  abolished the Audencia  and established the present
Supreme Court on June 11, 1901 with Cayetano Arellano as the first Chief Justice
together with associate justices, the majority of whom were American.  Filipinization of
the Supreme Court started only during the Commonwealth, 1935. Administrative Code of
1917 provided for a Supreme Court with a Chief Justice and eight associate Justices. 
With the ratification of the 1935 Constitution, the membership was increased to 11 with
two divisions of five members each.  The 1973 Constitution further increased its
membership to 15 with two (2) divisions.

Pursuant to the provisions of the 1987 Constitution, the Supreme Court is composed of a
Chief Justice and fourteen Associate Justices who shall serve until the age of seventy
(70).  The Court may sit En Banc or in its three (3) divisions composed of five members
each.  A vacancy must be filled up by the President within ninety (90) days of
occurrence.

THE MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COURT

The Supreme Court shall be composed of a Chief Justice and fourteen Associate Justices. It
may sit en banc or, in its discretion, in divisions of three, five, or seven members.

Its members shall be appointed by the President from a list of at least three nominees prepared
by the Judicial and Bar Council for every vacancy, without need of confirmation by the
Commission on Appointments.

Qualifications:

Members of the Supreme Court are required to be:

1. Natural-born citizen of the Philippines;

2. at least 40 years of age;
3. a judge in a court of record for at least 15 years or engaged in the practice of law in the
Philippines for the same period; and
4. a person of proven competence, integrity, probity and independence. They hold office
during good behavior until they reach the age of 70 years or become incapacitated to
discharge the duties of their office. They can be removed only by impeachment.
Grounds for impeachment include conviction of culpable violation of the Philippine
Constitution, treason, bribery, other high crimes, or graft and corruption.

THE MEMBERS OF THE SUPREME COURT

The Chief Justice

Hon. ALEXANDER G. GESMUNDO

The Senior Associate Justice

Hon. ESTELA M. PERLAS-BERNAB

The Associate Justices

Hon. MARVIC M. V. F. LEONEN

Hon. ALFREDO BENJAMIN S. CAGUIOA

Hon. RAMON PAUL L. HERNANDO

Hon. ROSMARI D. CARANDANG

Hon. AMY C. LAZARO-JAVIER

Hon. HENRI JEAN PAUL B. INTING

Hon. RODIL V. ZALAMEDA

Hon. MARIO V. LOPEZ

Hon. EDGARDO L. DELOS SANTOS

 Hon. SAMUEL H. GAERLAN

Hon. RICARDO R. ROSARIO

Hon. JHOSEP Y. LOPEZ

Vacant Postion

Qualifications
Members of the Supreme Court are required to have proven competence, integrity, probity and
independence; they must be natural-born citizens of the Philippines, at least forty years old, with
at least fifteen years of experience as a judge of a lower court or law practice in the country.
(Art. VIII, §7) Justices shall hold office during good behavior until they reach the age of seventy
years, or become incapacitated to discharge the duties of office. (Art. VIII, §11)

The Supreme Court is the highest tribunal in the Philippines. It consists of the Chief Justice and
14 Associate Justices, appointed by the following are the qualifications to become a member of
the Supreme Court:

5. Natural-born citizen of the Philippines;

6. at least 40 years of age;
7. a judge in a court of record for at least 15 years or engaged in the practice of law in the
Philippines for the same period; and
8. a person of proven competence, integrity, probity and independence. They hold office
during good behavior until they reach the age of 70 years or become incapacitated to
discharge the duties of their office. They can be removed only by impeachment.
Grounds for impeachment include conviction of culpable violation of the Philippine
Constitution, treason, bribery, other high crimes, or graft and corruption.