Municipal Trial Court (atleast prision correctional)
Except in cases falling within the exclusive original jurisdiction of the Regional Trial
Court and of the Sandiganbayan, the MTC shall exercise the following criminal
jurisdiction:
1. Exclusive original jurisdiction over all violations of city or municipal ordinances
committed within their respective territorial jurisdiction.
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 or accessory penalties, including the civil liability arising from such offenses
irrespective of kind, nature, value or amount.
This rule disregarding the amount of the fine and other accessory penalties in
determining jurisdiction applies where the offense is punishable by imprisonment or fine
or both but not when the offense is punishable by fine only.
MTC does not at all times have jurisdiction over offenses punishable with imprisonment
not exceeding six (6) years if jurisdiction is vested by law either in the RTC or
Sandiganbayan.
3. Where the only penalty provided for by law is a fine, the amount thereof shall
determine the jurisdiction of the court under the original provisions of B.P. 129 (Sec.
32[2]) which provided that the MTC shall have exclusive original jurisdiction over
offenses punishable with a fine of not more than Four Thousand (P4,000.00) Pesos.
4. Exclusive original jurisdiction over offenses involving damage to property through
criminal negligence.
5. Violations of B.P. 22 (Bouncing Checks Law).
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 pre- scribed by law for the offense charged
is imprisonment not exceeding six months, or a fine not exceeding one thousand pesos
(PI,000.00), or both, irrespective of other imposable penalties, accessory or otherwise,
or of the civ- il liability arising therefrom;
c. Offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence where the
imposable fine does not exceed ten thousand pesos P10,000.00 (The 1991 Rule on
Summary Procedure [Sec. IB]).
7. Special jurisdiction to decide on applications for bail in criminal cases in the absence
of all RTC judges in a province or city (B.P. 129 [Sec. 35]).
* violations of rental law, traffic law, failure to register and failure to vote during elections
* Special jurisdiction for petitions of writ of habeas corpus
* Rules of summary procedure
* Cadastral and land registration cases- disputed property costs not more than 100,000
Regional Trial Court (more than 6 years - prision mayor)
1. 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 (B.P. 129 [Sec. 20]);
2. Appellate jurisdiction over all cases decided by the MTC within its territorial
jurisdiction (B.P. 129 [Sec. 22]);
3. Special jurisdiction to handle exclusively criminal cases as designated by the
Supreme Court (B.P. 129 [Sec. 23]);
4. Jurisdiction over criminal cases under specific laws such as:
(a) Written defamation (Art. 360, Revised Penal Code);
(b) Jurisdiction of designated courts over cases in violation of the Comprehensive
Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 {RA. No. 9165) as provided under Sec. 90 thereof;
(c) Violations of intellectual property rights [A.M. No. 03-03-03-SC 2003-06-17, Effective
July 1, 2003 implementing the Intellectual Property Code of the Philippines [R A. 8293]).
5. Violation of Presidential Decree (P.D.) 957, the penalty being a P20,000.00 fine and
imprisonment of not exceeding 10 years or both such fine and imprisonment.
6. Jurisdiction in Money Laundering Cases. — The Regional Trial Courts shall have
jurisdiction to try all cases on money laundering. Those committed by public officers and
private persons who are in conspiracy with such public officers shall be under the
jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan (Sec. 5, RA. 9160, Anti-Money Laundering Act of
2001).
*R.A. 10175- unjust vexation (nairita ka)= embarass or irritate you but you have no thirdparty witness arresto menor is the penalty.
*if unjust vexation is through the use of ICT= unjust vexation in relation of R.A. 10175 1
degree higher from arresto menor
Family Courts (RTC Court but special and limited jurisdiction) = victim is minor,
offender is minor (child in conflict with the law) (victim minor died= parricide=
raffled among the RTCs) (a minor violates RA 9165= Family Court) (ra 7610 child
abuse law) (VAWC)
The Family Courts shall have exclusive original jurisdiction to hear and decide the
following cases:
a) Criminal cases where one or more of the accused is below eighteen (18) years of
age but not less than nine (9) years of age but not less than nine (9) years of age or
where one or more of the victims is a minor at the time of the commission of the offense:
Provided, That if the minor is found guilty, the court shall promulgate sentence and
ascertain any civil liability which the accused may have incurred.
The sentence, however, shall be suspended without need of application pursuant to
Ptesidential Decree No. 603, otherwise known as the "Child and Youth Welfare Code";
b) Petitions for guardianship, custody of children, habeas corpus in relation to the latter;
c) Petitions for adoption of children and the revocation thereof;
d) Complaints for annulment of marriage, declaration of nullity of marriage and those
relating to marital status and property relations of husband and wife or those living
together under different status and agreements, and petitions for dissolution of conjugal
partnership of gains;
e) Petitions for support and/or acknowledgment;
f) Summary judicial proceedings brought under the provisions of Executive Order No.
209, otherwise known as the "Family Code of the Philippines";
g) Petitions for declaration of status of children as abandoned, dependent o neglected
children, petitions for voluntary or involuntary commitment of children; the suspension,
termination, or restoration of parental authority and other cases cognizable under
Presidential Decree No. 603, Executive Order No. 56, (Series of 1986), and other
related laws;
h) Petitions for the constitution of the family home;
i) Cases against minors cognizable under the Dangerous Drugs Act, as amended;
j) Violations of Republic Act No. 7610, otherwise known as the "Special Protection of
Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination Act," as amended by
Republic Act No. 7658; and
k) Cases of domestic violence against:
1) Women - which are acts of gender based violence that results, or are likely to result
in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women; and other forms of
physical abuse such as battering or threats and coercion which violate a woman's
personhood, integrity and freedom movement; and
2) Children - which include the commission of all forms of abuse, neglect, cruelty,
exploitation, violence, and discrimination and all other conditions prejudicial to their
development.
Sandiganbayan = 3 sitting judge (collegiate court, composed of seven divisions,
applies majority rule) a special court because the cases filed are not ordinary
offenses, crimes committed by the very representative of the people, there is
abuse of power/ abuse of authority
Intended to pursue highest conduct because public officers and employees serve
with the highest degree of are accountable to the people
The Sandiganbayan shall exercise original jurisdiction in all cases involving:
a. Violations of Republic Act No. 3019, as amended, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft
and Corruption Practices Act, and Republic Act No. 1379, and Chapter II, Section 2,
Title VII, Book II of the Revised Penal Code (law on bribery), 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:
(public office is a constituent element of the case)
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 treasurer,
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 or felonies 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. (in relation to the official functions or duties)
c. Civil and criminal cases filed pursuant to and in connection with Executive Order Nos.
1, 2, 14 and 14-A, issued in 1986.
* Provided, That the Regional Trial Court shall have exclusive original jurisdiction where
the information: (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)
the following offenses are subject to the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan:
a. Violations of Republic Act No. 3019 as amended, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft
and Corrupt Practices Act (Section 4[a] of Presidential Decree 1606 as amended).
b. Violations of Republic Act No. 1379 or otherwise known as the Act Declaring
Forfeiture in Favor of the State Any Property Found to Have Been Unlawfully Acquired
by Any Public Officer or Employee (Sec. 4[a] of P.D. 1606 as amended).
c. Violations of Chapter II, Section 2, Title VII, Book II of the Revised Penal Code (Sec.
4[a] ofP.D. 1606 as amended). These offenses refer to the law on bribery in all its forms
including corruption of public officers (Articles 210-212, Revised Penal Code).
d. Other offenses or felonies (aside from the above), whether simple or complexed with
other crimes, committed by public officials mentioned in letter "a" of Sec. 4 in relation to
their office