CHAPTER VII

Katarungang Pambarangay
Section 408. Subject Matter for Amicable Settlement; Exception Thereto. - The lupon of each
barangay shall have authority to bring together the parties actually residing in the same city or
municipality for amicable settlement of all disputes except:
(a) Where one party is the government, or any subdivision or instrumentality thereof;
(b) Where one party is a public officer or employee, and the dispute relates to the
performance of his official functions;
(c) Offenses punishable by imprisonment exceeding one (1) year or a fine exceeding Five
thousand pesos (P5,000.00);
(d) Offenses where there is no private offended party;
(e) Where the dispute involves real properties located in different cities or municipalities
unless the parties thereto agree to submit their differences to amicable settlement by an
appropriate lupon;
(f) Disputes involving parties who actually reside in barangays of different cities or
municipalities, except where such barangay units adjoin each other and the parties
thereto agree to submit their differences to amicable settlement by an appropriate lupon;
(g) Such other classes of disputes which the President may determine in the interest of
Justice or upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Justice.
The court in which non-criminal cases not falling within the authority of the lupon under
this Code are filed may, at any time before trial motu propio refer the case to the lupon
concerned for amicable settlement.
1. Where one party is the government, or any subdivision or instrumentality thereof;
2. Where one party is a public officer or employee, and the dispute relates to the
performance of his official functions;
3. Where the dispute involves real properties located in different cities and
municipalities, unless the parties thereto agree to submit their difference to amicable
settlement by an appropriate Lupon;
4. Any complaint by or against corporations, partnership or juridical entities, since only
individuals shall be parties to Barangay conciliation proceedings either as
complainants or respondents (Sec. 1, Rule VI, Katarungang Pambarangay Rules);
5. Disputes involving parties who actually reside in barangays of different cities or
municipalities, except where such barangay units adjoin each other and the parties
thereto agree to submit their differences to amicable settlement by an appropriate
Lupon;
6. Offenses for which the law prescribes a maximum penalty of imprisonment
exceeding one (1) year or a fine over five thousand pesos (P5,000.00);
7. Offenses where there is no private offended party;
8. Disputes where urgent legal action is necessary to prevent injustice from being
committed or further continued, specifically the following:
a. Criminal cases where accused is under police custody or detention (see Sec. 412
(b) (1), Revised Katarungang Pambarangay Law);
b. Petitions for habeas corpus by a person illegally deprived of his rightful custody
over another or a person illegally deprived or on acting in his behalf;
c. Actions coupled with provisional remedies such as preliminary injunction,
attachment, delivery of personal property and support during the pendency of the
action; and
d. Actions which may be barred by the Statute of Limitations.

9. Any class of disputes which the President may determine in the interest of justice or
upon the recommendation of the Secretary of Justice;
10. Where the dispute arises from the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Law (CARL)
(Sec. 46 & 47, R.A. 6657);
11. Labor disputes or controversies arising from employer-employee relations
(Montoya vs. Escayo, et al., 171 SCRA 442; Art. 226, Labor Code, as amended, which
grants original and exclusive jurisdiction over conciliation and mediation of disputes,
grievances or problems to certain offices of the Department of Labor and
Employment);
12. Actions to annul judgment upon a compromise which may be filed directly in court
(See Sanchez vs. Tupaz, 158 SCRA 459).

Powers of SC
Section 5. The Supreme Court shall have the following powers:
1. Exercise original jurisdiction over cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers and
consuls, and over petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and
habeas corpus.
2. 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 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.
3. Assign temporarily judges of lower courts to other stations as public interest may require.
Such temporary assignment shall not exceed six months without the consent of the judge
concerned.
4. Order a change of venue or place of trial to avoid a miscarriage of justice.
5. Promulgate rules concerning the protection and enforcement of constitutional rights,
pleading, practice, and procedure in all courts, the admission to the practice of law, the
integrated bar, and legal assistance to the under-privileged. Such rules shall provide a
simplified and inexpensive procedure for the speedy disposition of cases, shall be uniform
for all courts of the same grade, and shall not diminish, increase, or modify substantive

rights. Rules of procedure of special courts and quasi-judicial bodies shall remain effective
unless disapproved by the Supreme Court.
6. Appoint all officials and employees of the Judiciary in accordance with the Civil Service
Law.
Court Jurisdictions

Court of Appeals
Section 9. Jurisdiction. The Court of Appeals shall Exercise:
1. 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;
2. Exclusive original jurisdiction over actions for annulment of judgements of Regional Trial
Courts; and
3. Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all final judgements, resolutions, orders or awards
of Regional Trial Courts and quasi-judicial agencies, instrumentalities, boards or
commission, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Social Security
Commission, the Employees Compensation Commission and the Civil Service Commission,
Except those falling within the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in accordance
with the Constitution, the Labor Code of the Philippines under Presidential Decree No. 442,
as amended, the provisions of this Act, and of subparagraph (1) of the third paragraph and
subparagraph 4 of the fourth paragraph od Section 17 of the Judiciary Act of 1948.
The court of Appeals shall have the power to try cases and conduct hearings, receive
evidence and perform any and all acts necessary to resolve factual issues raised in cases
falling within its original and appellate jurisdiction, including the power to grant and
conduct new trials or Appeals must be continuous and must be completed within three (3)
months, unless extended by the Chief Justice. (as amended by R.A. No. 7902.)

Regional Trial Courts

Section 20. Jurisdiction in criminal cases. Regional Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive original
jurisdiction in 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 hereafter be exclusively taken cognizance of by the latter.
Section 21. Original jurisdiction in other cases. Regional Trial Courts shall exercise original
jurisdiction:
(1) In the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas
corpus and injunction which may be enforced in any part of their respective regions; and
(2) In actions affecting ambassadors and other public ministers and consuls.

Section 22. Appellate jurisdiction. Regional Trial Courts shall exercise appellate jurisdiction
over all cases decided by Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit
Trial Courts in their respective territorial jurisdictions. Such cases shall be decided on the basis of
the entire record of the proceedings had in the court of origin and such memoranda and/or briefs
as may be submitted by the parties or required by the Regional Trial Courts. The decision of the
Regional Trial Courts in such cases shall be appealable by petition for review to the
Court of Appeals which may give it due course only when the petition shows prima facie that the
lower court has committed an error of fact or law that will warrant a reversal or modification of
the decision or judgment sought to be reviewed.
Section 23. Special jurisdiction to try special cases. The Supreme Court may designate certain
branches of the Regional Trial Courts to handle exclusively criminal cases, juvenile and domestic
relations cases, agrarian cases, urban land reform cases which do not fall under the jurisdiction
of quasi-judicial bodies and agencies, and/or such other special cases as the Supreme Court may
determine in the interest of a speedy and efficient administration of justice.

Municipal Trial Courts

Section 2. Section 32 (of BP 129) of the same law is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 32. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal
Circuit Trial Courts in Criminal Cases. Except in cases falling within the exclusive original
jurisdiction of Regional Trial Courts and of the Sandiganbayan, the Metropolitan Trial
Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall exercise:
"(1) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all violations of city or municipal ordinances
committed within their respective territorial jurisdiction; and
"(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all offenses punishable with imprisonment
not exceeding six (6) years irrespective of the amount of fine, and regardless of
other imposable accessory or other penalties, including the civil liability arising from
such offenses or predicated thereon, irrespective of kind, nature, value or amount
thereof: Provided, however, That in offenses involving damage to property through
criminal negligence, they shall have exclusive original jurisdiction thereof."
"Sec. 33. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts in Civil Cases. Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts shall exercise:
"(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over cases of forcible entry and unlawful detainer: Provided,
That when, in such cases, the defendant raises the questions of ownership in his pleadings and
the question of possession cannot be resolved without deciding the issue of ownership, the issue
of ownership shall be resolved only to determine the issue of possession; and
Section 35. Special jurisdiction in certain cases. In the absence of all the Regional Trial Judges
in a province or city, any Metropolitan Trial Judge, Municipal Trial Judge, Municipal Circuit Trial
Judge may hear and decide petitions for a writ of habeas corpus or applications for bail in
criminal cases in the province or city where the absent Regional Trial Judges sit.

Guidelines to the RA 7691

For the guidance of the bench and the Bar, the following guidelines are to be followed in the
implementation of Republic Act No. 7691, entitled "An Act Expanding the Jurisdiction of the
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, Amending for
the Purpose Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, Otherwise Known as the 'Judiciary Reorganization Act of
1980":
1. The new jurisdiction of the Regional Trial Courts, Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal
Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in civil and original cases, and in cadastral
and land registration cases, under Section 19, 32, 33 and 34 of B.P. Blg. 129, as amended
by R.A. No. 7691. Was effective on April 15, 1994, fifteen (15) days after the publication in
the Malaya and in the Times Journal on March 30, 1994, pursuant to Section 8 of the R.A.
No. 7691.
2. The exclusion of the term "damages of whatever kind" in determining the jurisdictional
amount under Section 19 (8) and Section 33 (1) of B.P. Blg. 129, as amended by R.A. No.
7691, applies to cases where the damages are merely incidental to or a consequence of
the main cause of action. However, in cases where the claim for damages is the main
cause of action, or one of the causes of action, the amount of such claim shall be
considered in determining the jurisdiction of the court.
3. The criminal jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and
Municipal Trial Courts under Section 32 (2) of B.P. Blg. 129, as amended by R.A. No. 7691,
has been increased to cover offenses punishable with imprisonment not exceeding six (6)
years irrespective of the amount of the fine. As a consequence, the Regional Trial Courts
have no more original jurisdiction over offenses committed by public officers and
employees in relation to their office, where the offense is punishable by more than four (4)
years and two (2) months up to six (6) years.
4. The provisions of Section 32 (2) of B.P. 129 as amended by R.A. No. 7691, apply only to
offenses punishable by imprisonment or fine, or both, in which cases the amount of the
fine is disregarded in determining the jurisdiction of the court. However, in cases where
the only penalty provided by law is a fine, the amount thereof shall determine the
jurisdiction of the court in accordance with the original provisions of Section 32 (2) of B.P.
Blg. 129 which fixed original exclusive jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Trial Courts,
Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts over offenses punishable with a
fine of not more than four thousand pesos. If the amount of the fine exceeds four thousand
pesos, the Regional Trial Court shall have jurisdiction, including offenses committed by
public officers and employees in relation to their office, where the amount of the fine does
not exceed six thousand pesos.
However, this rule does not apply to offenses involving damage to property through
criminal negligence which are under the exclusive original jurisdiction of the Metropolitan
Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, irrespective of the
amount of the imposable fine.

AM No. 00-1101-sc (inclusion of BP 22)

This rule shall govern the summary procedure in Metropolitan Trial Courts, the Municipal Trial
Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and the Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in the following
cases falling within their jurisdiction.
4. Violations of Batas Pambansa Bilang 22 (Bouncing Checks Law)
MTC Rules on summary procedures (Criminal)
(1) Violations of traffic laws, rules and regulations;
(2) Violations of the rental law;
(3) Violations of municipal or city ordinances;
(4) All other criminal cases where the penalty prescribed by law for the offense charged is
imprisonment not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding (P1,000.00), or both,
irrespective of other imposable penalties, accessory or otherwise, or of the civil liability arising
therefrom: Provided, however, that in offenses involving damage to property through criminal
negligence, this Rule shall govern where the imposable fine does not exceed ten thousand pesos
(P10,000.00).
This Rule shall not apply to a civil case where the plaintiffs cause of action is pleaded in the same
complaint with another cause of action subject to the ordinary procedure; nor to a criminal case
where the offense charged is necessarily related to another criminal case subject to the ordinary
procedure

Sandiganbayan PD 1606/606? (Jurisdiction)

Section 4. Section 4 of the same decree is hereby further amended to read as follows:
"a. Violations of Republic Act No. 3019, as amended, otherwise known as the Anti-graft
and Corrupt Practices Act, Republic Act No. 1379, and Chapter II, Section 2, Title VII, Book
II of the Revised Penal Code, where one or more of the accused are officials occupying the
following positions in the government whether in a permanent, acting or interim capacity,
at the time of the commission of the offense:
"(1) Officials of the executive branch occupying the positions of regional director
and higher, otherwise classified as Grade '27' and higher, of the Compensation and
Position Classification Act of 1989 (Republic Act No. 6758), specifically including:
"(a) Provincial governors, vice-governors, members of the sangguniang
panlalawigan and 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 Philippine National Police 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 or trustees, or managers of government-owned or
-controlled corporations, state universities or educational institutions or
foundations;

"(2) Members of Congress and officials thereof classified as Grade'27'and up under

the Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989;
"(3) Members of the judiciary without prejudice to the provisions of the Constitution;
"(4) Chairmen and members of Constitutional Commissions, without prejudice to the
provisions of the Constitution; and
"(5) All other national and local officials classified as Grade'27'and higher under the
Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989.
"b. Other offenses orfelonies whether simple or complexed with other crimes committed
by the public officials and employees mentioned in subsection a of this section in relation
to their office.
"c. Civil and criminal cases filed pursuant to and in connection with Executive Order Nos.
1, 2, 14 and 14-A, issued in 1986.
"In cases where none of the accused are occupying positions corresponding to salary
grade '27' or higher, as prescribed in the said Republic Act No. 6758, or military or PNP
officers mentioned above, exclusive original jurisdiction thereof shall be vested in the
proper regional trial court, metropolitan trial court, municipal trial court and municipal
circuit trial court ' as the case may be, pursuant to their respective jurisdiction as provided
in Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as amended.
"The Sandiganbayan shall exercise exclusive appellate jurisdiction over final judgments,
resolutions or orders or regional trial courts whether in the exercise of their own original
jurisdiction orof their appellate jurisdiction as herein provided.
"The Sandiganbayan shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over 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, including quo warranto, arising or that may arise in cases filed or which
may be filed under Executive Order Nos. 1,2,14 and 14-A, issued in 1986: Provided, That
the jurisdiction over these petitions shall not be exclusive of the Supreme Court.
The procedure prescribed in Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as well as the implementing rules
that the Supreme Court has promulgated and may hereafter promulgate, relative to
appeals/petitions for review to the Court of Appeals, shall apply to appeals and petitions
for review filed with the Sandiganbayan. In all cases elevated to the Sandiganbayan and
from the Sandiganbayan to the Supreme Court, the Office of the Ombudsman, through its
special prosecutor, shall represent the People of the Philippines, except in cases filed
pursuant to Executive Order Nos. 1, 2, 14 and 14-A, issued in 1986.
"In case private individuals are charged as co-principals, accomplices or accessories with
the public officers or employees, including those employed in govemment-owned or
controlled corporations, they shall be tried jointly with said public officers and employees
in the proper courts which shall exercise exclusive jurisdiction over them.

"Any provisions of law or Rules of Court to the contrary notwithstanding, the criminal
action and the corresponding civil action for the recovery of civil liability shall at all times
be simultaneously instituted with, and jointly determined in, the same proceeding by the
Sandiganbayan or the appropriate courts, the filing of the criminal action being deemed to
necessarily carry with it the filing of the civil action, and no right to reserve the filing of
such civil action separately from the criminal action shall be recognized: Provided,
however, That where the civil action had therefore been filed separately but judgment
therein has not yet been rendered, and the criminal case is hereafter filed with the
Sandiganbayan or the appropriate court, said civil action shall be transferred to the
Sandiganbayan or the appropriate court, as the case may be, for consolidation and joint
determination with the criminal action, otherwise the separate civil action shall be deemed
abandoned."

Court of Tax Appeals (Jurisdiction)

Section 7. Section 7 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:
"Sec. 7. Jurisdiction. - The CTA shall exercise:
"a. Exclusive appellate jurisdiction to review by appeal, as herein provided:
"1. Decisions of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue in cases involving
disputed assessments, refunds of internal revenue taxes, fees or other
charges, penalties in relation thereto, or other matters arising under the
National Internal Revenue or other laws administered by the Bureau of
Internal Revenue;
"2. Inaction by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue in cases involving
disputed assessments, refunds of internal revenue taxes, fees or other
charges, penalties in relations thereto, or other matters arising under the
National Internal Revenue Code or other laws administered by the Bureau of
Internal Revenue, where the National Internal Revenue Code provides a
specific period of action, in which case the inaction shall be deemed a denial;
"3. Decisions, orders or resolutions of the Regional Trial Courts in local tax
cases originally decided or resolved by them in the exercise of their original
or appellate jurisdiction;
"4. Decisions of the Commissioner of Customs in cases involving liability for
customs duties, fees or other money charges, seizure, detention or release of
property affected, fines, forfeitures or other penalties in relation thereto, or
other matters arising under the Customs Law or other laws administered by
the Bureau of Customs;
"5. Decisions of the Central Board of Assessment Appeals in the exercise of
its appellate jurisdiction over cases involving the assessment and taxation of
real property originally decided by the provincial or city board of assessment
appeals;

"6. Decisions of the Secretary of Finance on customs cases elevated to him

automatically for review from decisions of the Commissioner of Customs
which are adverse to the Government under Section 2315 of the Tariff and
Customs Code;
"7. Decisions of the Secretary of Trade and Industry, in the case of
nonagricultural product, commodity or article, and the Secretary of
Agriculture in the case of agricultural product, commodity or article, involving
dumping and countervailing duties under Section 301 and 302, respectively,
of the Tariff and Customs Code, and safeguard measures under Republic Act
No. 8800, where either party may appeal the decision to impose or not to
impose said duties.
"b. Jurisdiction over cases involving criminal offenses as herein provided:
"1. Exclusive original jurisdiction over all criminal offenses arising from
violations of the National Internal Revenue Code or Tariff and Customs Code
and other laws administered by the Bureau of Internal Revenue or the Bureau
of Customs: Provided, however, That offenses or felonies mentioned in this
paragraph where the principal amount o taxes and fees, exclusive of charges
and penalties, claimed is less than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00) or
where there is no specified amount claimed shall be tried by the regular
Courts and the jurisdiction of the CTA shall be appellate. Any provision of law
or the Rules of Court to the contrary notwithstanding, the criminal action and
the corresponding civil action for the recovery of civil liability for taxes and
penalties shall at all times be simultaneously instituted with, and jointly
determined in the same proceeding by the CTA, the filing of the criminal
action being deemed to necessarily carry with it the filing of the civil action,
and no right to reserve the filling of such civil action separately from the
criminal action will be recognized.
"2. Exclusive appellate jurisdiction in criminal offenses:
"a. Over appeals from the judgments, resolutions or orders of the
Regional Trial Courts in tax cases originally decided by them, in their
respected territorial jurisdiction.
"b. Over petitions for review of the judgments, resolutions or orders of
the Regional Trial Courts in the exercise of their appellate jurisdiction
over tax cases originally decided by the Metropolitan Trial Courts,
Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in their
respective jurisdiction.
"c. Jurisdiction over tax collection cases as herein provided:
"1. Exclusive original jurisdiction in tax collection cases involving
final and executory assessments for taxes, fees, charges and
penalties: Provided, however, That collection cases where the
principal amount of taxes and fees, exclusive of charges and

penalties, claimed is less than One million pesos

(P1,000,000.00) shall be tried by the proper Municipal Trial
Court, Metropolitan Trial Court and Regional Trial Court.
"2. Exclusive appellate jurisdiction in tax collection cases:
"a. Over appeals from the judgments, resolutions or
orders of the Regional Trial Courts in tax collection cases
originally decided by them, in their respective territorial
jurisdiction.
"b. Over petitions for review of the judgments, resolutions
or orders of the Regional Trial Courts in the Exercise of
their appellate jurisdiction over tax collection cases
originally decided by the Metropolitan Trial Courts,
Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, in
their respective jurisdiction."