Cayetano Arellano: Cayetano Arellano was the first Chief Justice of the Supreme

Court. He was appointed in 1901 when the Supreme Court was created through Act No.
136, along with three American justices and one Filipino justice.
Ramon Avanceña: Appointed in 1925 by U.S. President Calvin Coolidge, he is known
for ushering in an all-Filipino Supreme Court in 1935. Upon the establishment of
the Philippine Commonwealth in 1935, American justices were no longer allowed to
sit in the Philippine Supreme Court—thus, new justices were appointed, all of whom
were of Filipino citizenship.
Jose Abad Santos: As a wartime chief justice, Abad Santos took on two different
roles; he was the chief justice and concurrently the Secretary of Justice. When
President Quezon left the Philippines to evade capture by the Japanese, Abad Santos
chose to stay in the country as a caretaker of the government. On May 2, 1942, the
Japanese military caught Abad Santos in Cebu and invited him to become one of the
members of their puppet government. Abad Santos refused to collaborate. He died at
the hands of the Japanese on May 2, 1942. His last words to his son were, “Do not
cry, Pepito, show to these people that you are brave. It is an honor to die for
one’s country. Not everybody has that chance.”
Manuel V. Moran: Appointed in 1945 by President Sergio Osmeña, Manuel V. Moran
would serve as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court for six years. Upon his
retirement in 1951, Moran was appointed as Philippine Ambassador to Spain and
concurrently to the Holy See. During President Quirino’s administration, Moran was
once again offered a position in the Supreme Court in 1953, at the twilight of
Quirino’s presidency. Moran, however, refused the midnight appointment.
Roberto V. Concepcion: He went into early retirement for refusing to grant absolute
power to Ferdinand Marcos, the president who appointed him. In the resolution of
Javellana v. Executive Secretary, Concepcion argued against the validity of the
1973 Constitution and its questionable aspects. Accordingly, he dissented, along
with Justices Teehankee, Zaldivar, and Fernando, from implementing the 1973
Constitution. Due to the court’s decision, Concepcion would enter early retirement,
50 days before his originally scheduled retirement date.
Claudio Teehankee: Claudio Teehankee was known for his firm anti-martial law stance
during his tenure in the Supreme Court. Teehankee resisted multiple attempts by the
Marcos administration to garner absolute power by issuing questionable decrees. In
1973, he was part of the bloc that dissented from the implementation of the 1973
Constitution. In 1980, he dissented from the proposed judicial reorganization act
of President Marcos. In 1986, after the EDSA Revolution, he administered the Oath
of Office of President Corazon C. Aquino in Club Filipino. He was appointed Chief
Justice of the Supreme Court in 1986 by President Corazon C. Aquino
Hilario G. Davide: Appointed by President Joseph Ejercito Estrada in 1998, Chief
Justice Hilario G. Davide was known as the presiding judge of the first impeachment
proceedings in Asia. During the impeachment of President Estrada, he conducted
proceedings with impartiality. Following EDSA II uprising, which deposed President
Estrada, Davide swore in Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as the 14th President of the
Philippines.
Maria Lourdes P.A. Sereno: Appointed by President Benigno S. Aquino III in 2012,
Chief Justice Sereno is the first woman appointed to the position.
Court of Appeals

The Court of Appeals is the second highest tribunal in the country, which was
established on February 1, 1936 by virtue of Commonwealth Act No. 3. The current
form of the Court of Appeals was constituted through Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as
amended by Executive Order No. 33, s. 1986, Republic Act No. 7902, and Republic Act
No. 8246.

The jurisdiction of the Court of Appeals are as follows:

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;
Exclusive original jurisdiction over actions for annulment of judgements of
Regional Trial Courts; and
Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all final judgements, resolutions, orders or
awards of Regional Trial Courts and quasi-judicial agencies, instrumentalities,
boards or commission.
The Court of Appeals shall also have the power to try cases and conduct hearings,
receive evidence and perform 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 proceedings.

The Court of Appeals is composed of one presiding justice and 68 associate

justices, all of which are appointed by the President from a shortlist submitted by
the Judicial and Bar Council. The associate justices shall have precedence
according to the dates (or order, in case of similar appointment dates) of their
respective appointments. The qualifications for the justices of the Supreme Court
also apply to members of the Court of Appeals.

The current presiding justice of the Court of Appeals is Andres Reyes Jr., who is
set to retire on May 11, 2020.

Court of Tax Appeals

The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA), which is of the same level as the Court of Appeals,
was created by virtue of Republic Act No. 1125, which was signed into law on June
16, 1954. Its present-day form was constituted through RA 1125, as amended by
Republic Act No. 9282 and Republic Act No. 9503.

The CTA exercises jurisdiction in the following:

Exclusive appellate jurisdiction to review by appeal, as herein provided:

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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
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;
Decisions of the Secretary of Trade and Industry, in the case of non-agricultural
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.
Jurisdiction over cases involving criminal offenses as herein provided:
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 of taxes and fees, exclusive of charges and penalties, claimed is less than
P1 million or where there is no specified amount claimed shall be tried by the
regular courts and the jurisdiction of the CTA shall be appellate.
Exclusive appellate jurisdiction in criminal offenses:
Over appeals from the judgments, resolutions or orders of the Regional Trial Courts
in tax cases originally decided by them, in their respective territorial
jurisdiction.
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.
Jurisdiction over tax collection cases as herein provided:
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 P1 million shall be tried by the proper
Municipal Trial Court, Metropolitan Trial Court and Regional Trial Court.
Exclusive appellate jurisdiction in tax collection cases:
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.
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.
The CTA is composed of one presiding justice and 8 associate justices, all of which
are appointed by the President from a shortlist submitted by the Judicial and Bar
Council. The associate justices shall have precedence according to the dates (or
order, in case of similar appointment dates) of their respective appointments. The
qualifications for the justices of the Court of Appeals also apply to members of
the CTA.

The current presiding justice of the CTA is Roman del Rosario, who is set to retire
on October 6, 2025.

Sandiganbayan

To attain the highest norms of official conduct among officials and employees in
the government, the creation of a special graft court to be known as the
Sandiganbayan was provided for in Article XIII, Section 5 of the 1973 Constitution.
This court was formally established through Presidential Decree No. 1606, which was
signed into law on December 10, 1978.

Through Article XI (Accountability of Public Officers), Section 4 of the 1987

Constitution, the Sandiganbayan was carried over to the post-EDSA Revolution
republic. The current form of the Sandiganbayan was constituted through PD 1606, s.
1978, as amended by Republic Act No. 7975 and Republic Act No. 8245.

The Sandiganbayan has jurisdiction over the following:

Violations of Republic Act No. 3019 or the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, as
amended, 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:
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:
Provincial governors, vice-governors, members of the sangguniang panlalawigan and
provincial treasurers, assessors, engineers and other provincial department heads;
City mayors, vice-mayors, members of the sangguniang panlungsod, city treasurers,
assessors engineers and other city department heads;
Officials of the diplomatic service occupying the position of consul and higher;
Philippine army and air force colonels, naval captains, and all officers of higher
rank;
Officers of the Philippine National Police while occupying the position of
provincial director and those holding the rank of senior superintendent or higher;
City and provincial prosecutors and their assistants, and officials and prosecutors
in the Office of the Ombudsman and special prosecutor;
Presidents, directors or trustees, or managers of government-owned or -controlled
corporations, state universities or educational institutions or foundations;
Members of Congress and officials thereof classified as grade 27 and up under the
Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989;
Members of the judiciary without prejudice to the provisions of the constitution;
Chairmen and members of constitutional commissions, without prejudice to the
provisions of the constitution; and
All other national and local officials classified as Grade 27 and higher under the
Compensation and Position Classification Act of 1989.
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.
Civil and criminal cases filed pursuant to and in connection with Executive Order
Nos. 1, 2, 14 and 14-A, s. 1986.
In addition, the Sandiganbayan exercises exclusive appellate jurisdiction over
final judgments, resolutions or orders or regional trial courts whether in the
exercise of their own original jurisdiction or of their appellate jurisdiction as
herein provided.

The Sandiganbayan also has 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.

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.

The Sandiganbayan comprises of one presiding justice and 14 associate justices, all
of which are appointed by the President from a shortlist submitted by the Judicial
and Bar Council. The associate justices shall have precedence according to the
dates (or order, in case of similar appointment dates) of their respective
appointments.

The qualifications to become a member of the Sandiganbayan are as follows:

a natural-born citizen of the Philippines;

at least 40 years of age
has been a judge of a court for at least ten years, or been engaged in the practice
of law in the Philippines or has held office requiring admission to the bar as a
prerequisite for at least ten years.
The current presiding justice of the Sandiganbayan is Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, who is
set to retire on November 8, 2024.

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