Katarungang Pambarangay Law Reviewer

 Barangay justice system under the LGC

 An ADR at the community level to allow amicable settlement of disputes among family and
barangay members without resorting to the courts
 Provides for a speedy and inexpensive way of settling disputes
 Helps relieve the courts of docket congestion and enhances the quality of justice dispensed by
courts
Object of the katarungang pambarangay law
 Amicable settlement of disputes through conciliation proceedings voluntarily and freely entered
into by the parties.
 Parties are not compelled to settle their controversy during the barangay proceedings before the
lupon or the pangkat as they are free to instead find recourse in the courts in the event that no
true compromise is reached
Lupong tagapamayapa
Composition –          Punong barangay as chairman
–          10 to 20 members
Constitution –          Constitute every 3 years
STEP
Ø  1: Dtermining the actual number of Lupon Members STEP
Ø   2: Preparing a notice to constitute the Lupon STEP
Ø   3: Posting the notice to constitute the Lupon STEP
Ø   4: Appointment of Lupon Members STEP
Ø   5: Oath taking of Lupon members STEP
Ø  6: Posting
Membership to the 1.       Any person actually residing or working in the barangay
lupon 2.       Not disqualified by law
3.       Possessing integrity, impartiality, independence of mind, sense of fairness and
reputation for probity
Qualifications of lupon member:
 
ACTUAL RESIDENTS/    WORKING IN THE    BARANGAY  OF LEGAL AGE WITH
THE FOLLOWING    QUALITIES:      INTEGRITY,      IMPARTIALITY,     
INDEPENDENCE,      FAIRNESS,      REPUTATION FOR    PROBITY,     
PATIENCE,      RESOURCEFULNESS,      OPEN-MINDEDNESS
 
Disqualifications:
BELOW 18 YRS OF AGE      INCOMPETENT      CONVICTED OF A CRIME
CARRYING WITH IT PENALTIES OF PERPETUAL OR TEMPORARY
DISQUALIFICATION FROM HOLDING PUBLIC OFFICE      ELECTED
GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL      MEMBER OF ARMED FORCES WHO IS IN THE
ACTIVE SERVICE
Notice to –          Must include names of proposed members who have expressed their
constitute willingness to serveà
–          Prepared by punong barangay within the first 15 days from the start of his term
of office
–          Notice shall be posted in 3 cospicuous places in the barangay continuously for
a period of not less than 3 weeks
Appointment –          After consideration of any opposition
–          To be done 10 days after postiing
–          Appointments shall be in writing, signed by the punong barangay and attested
by the barangay secretary
Posting after –          The appointment shall be posted in 3 conspicuous places during the entire
appointment duration of the term.
Indigenous cultural –          If majority are IG, local systems of settling disputes through their councils of
communities datus or elders shall be recognized
Oath –          Must take an oath of office before the punong barangay
Term –          Until new lupon is constituted on the third year following his appointment
Early termination 1.       Resigned
2.       Transfer of residence or place of work
3.       Withdrawal of appointment by the punong barangay witht the concurrence of
majority of all members
Vacancy –          PB shall immediately appoint a qualified person who shall hold office only for
the unexpired portion of the term
Functions 1.       Exercise administrative supervision over conciliation panel [ administrative
supervision]
2.       Meet regularly once a month to provide a forum for exchange of ideas among its
members and the public on matters relevant to the amicable settlement of disputes
and to enable various conciliation panel members to share with one another their
observations and experiences in effecting speedy resolution of disputes [ regular
meeting]
3.       Exercise such other powers and perform such other duties and fucnctions as
may be prescribed by law or ordinance
4.       Withdrawal of appointment
5.       Execution of settlement or award
6.
Secretary of the –          Barangay secretary
lupon
Function of sec of 1.       Keep and maintain a record book of all complaints field and numbered
lupon consecutively
2.       Note the results of mediation proceeding before the pb and submit report to
local trial curt
3.       Record the willful failure or refusal of a witness to comply with a sub poena
4.       Record the willful failure or refusal of a party to comply with summons
5.       Receive and keep records of proceedings
6.       Transmit the settlement agreed upon by the parties to the proper court
7.       Transmit arbitration award to the proper trial court within 5 days from the date
thereof
8.       Issue cert required for filing an action. Such cert shall show that a confrontation
of the parties has taken place and that conciliation or settlement has been reached
9.       Issue cert for barring the complainant from filing a case or the respondent form
filing a counterclaim in court
10.   Furnishinng copies of the settlement or arbitration award to all the parties and to
the PB
11.   Issue certified true copies of any public record in his custody
 

The lupon is not a court but an administrative body with conciliation and arbitrational functions
and is under the executive branch
 Where no certification that lupon has been organized, there is no need to refer case to the
katarungang pambarangay
 Lupon’s primary function is to conciliate and not to adjudicate
Pangkat tagapagsundo

Composition –          3 members who shall be chosen by the parties to the dispute from the list of
members of the lupon
–          If there is a failure to agree on the composition- lots draw by the lupon
chairman

Officers –          1 chairman and 1 secretary

 Function of –          Prepare the minutes of the pangkat proceedings and submit a copy duly
secretary attested to by the chairman to the lupon secretary and the proper city or municipal
court

Certificates –          To be issued by sec

–          Certified true copies of any public record in hs custody that is not declared
confidential

Nature of –          Constituted to assist the lupon in bringing about the amicable settlement of
pangkat disputes brought before the lupon

Vacacncies –          To be chosen by the party

–          Failure to agree- lot to be drawn by lupon chair

Character of –          Lupon memebrs are deemd as persons in authority while in the performance of
office their official duties

 
 With compensation. Incentives for members who adequately demonstrate the ability to judiciously
and expeditiously resolve cases referred to them
 The members, whether in public or private employment, shall be deemed to be on official time
and shall not sufer from any diminution in compensation or allowance from employment
Conditions for lupon members as persons in authority
1. In their jursidction
2. While in the performance of their official duties
 
 There can be direct assaults and indirect, and resistance and disobedience to persons in
authority for PB and members
 The prosecutor or municipal legal officer shall render legal advice on matters involving questions
of law to the punong barangay or any lupon or pangkat member
 PB/ members may seek a review by SOJ of any legal advice rendered by the prosi.
 PB has authority over all disputes over parties actually residing in the same city or municipality
 XPN
 Where one party is the government or any subdivision or instrumentality
 One party is a public officer or employee, and the dispute relates to the
performance of his official function
 Offenses punishable by imprisonment exceeding 1k or fine 5k
 Offenses where there is no private offended party
 Dispute involves real properties located in different cities, unless the parties
agree to submit their differences to amicable settlement
 Disputes involving parties who actually reside in barangays of different cities or
municipalities, except IF SUCH BARANGAY UNITS ADJOIN EACH OTHER AND THE
PARTIES THERETO AGREE TO SUBMIT THEIR DIFFERENCES TO AMICABLE
SETTLEMENT
 Other classes of disputes
 Purpose of BC is to provide a conciliation mechanism as an alternative to litigations in
dispute settlements to members of the corresponding barangays who are actually residing
therein
 A case involving civil status of a person is not among the cases where prior resort to brgy
is necessary.
  Parties who actually reside in the same city or municipality should bring their controversy
first to the barangay court for possible amicable settlement before filing complaint in court
 Where the government or its instrumentality is only one of the contending parties, a
confrontation should still be undertaken among the parties.
 Although venue is generally determined by the residence of the parties, disputes
involving real property shall be brought in the barangay where the real property or any part
thereof is situated, notwithstanding tha the parties reside elsewhere within the same city or
municipality
 Any complaint by or against corporations, partnerships or juridical entites are not included
since only individuals shall be parties to barangay conciliation proceedings either as
complainants and respondents.
 Residence alone, without membership in said barangays would not be an accurate and
reliable criterion considering that such residence may be actual but merely temporary.
 Residence in a barangay within the same municipality if only transient or temporary is not
enough to vest jurisdiction upon the brgy lupin
 Requirement in residence and membership

Criminal offenses covered by KPB

 
1. Alarms and scandal
2. Falsification
3. Using false cert
4. Using fictitious name
5. Illegal use of uniforms or insignia
6. False testimony against a defendant
7. False testimony favorable to the defendant
8. Grave scandal
9. Physical injuries inflicted in a tumultuous affray
10. Giving assistance to suicide
11. Pharmacist without prescription dispense any abortive
12. Responsibility of participants in a duel
13. Less serious and slight physical injuries
14. Unlawful arrest
15. Abandonment of person in danger and of one’s own victim
16. Abandoning a minor under 7
17. Abandonment of minor by person entrusted with his custody
18. Qualified trespass to dwelling grave threats
19. Lights threats
20. Grave and light coercion
21. Other similar coercion
22. Formation, maintenance and prohibition of combination of capital or labor through violence and
threats
23. Discovering secrets through seizure of correspondence
24. Revealing secrets with abuse of office
25. Theft of property less than 50
26. Occupation of real property
27. Altering boundaries and landmarks
28. Estafa involving amount not less than 200
29. Other forms of swindling and deceit
30. Removal, sale or pledge of mortgaged property
31. Malicious mischief
32. Simple seduction
33. Acts of lasciviousness
34. Slander
35. Slander by deed not serious
 36. Incriminatory machinations
37. Simple imprudence or negligence
 
Not included:

Disputes where urgent legal action is necessary to prevent injustice from being committed or further
continued:
1. CRIMINAL CASES WHERE ACCUSED IS UNDER POLICE CUSTODY OR DETENTION
2. Petitions for habeas corpus by a person illegally deprived of his rightful custody over another or a
person illegally deprived of his liberty or one acting in his behalf
3. Actions coupled with provisional remedies such as preliminary injunction, attachment, delivery of
personal property and support during the pendency of the action
4. Actions which may be barred by the statute of limitations

 Actions with provisional remedies may be filed directly to court even without passing the lupon
 Barangay conciliation not applicable to labor cases. Requiring conciliation of labor disputes
before the barangay courts would defeat the very salutary purpose of the law.
 Confrontation before barangay council not the required first notice in terminating the employee
 In all kpb, the parties must appear in person without the assistance of counsels or his
representatives except for minors and incompetents who may be assisted by their next of kin who
are not lawyers
 Actions to annul judgment upon a compromise may be filed directly in court
 Disputes involving parties who are actual residents of barangay of different cities or municipalities
are not within the jurisdiction of the barangay court
 The CJ directed all courts not to receive complaints in cases falling under the lupon
 Case can be immediately filed in court where other codefendants reside in barangays of different
municipalities, cities and provinces
 The court has discretion to refer the case to the lupon although it may not fall within the authority
of the lupon. However, referring the subject civil cases to lupon is saliently an unsound exercise
of discretion considering that the matter falls within the rule of summary procedure. Summary
procedure was promulgated for the purpose of achieving an expeditious and iexpensive
determination of cases. The fact that unlawful detainer cases fall under summary procedure,
speedy resolution thereof is deemed a matter of public policy.
Venue:
1. Disputes between persons actually residing in the same barangay
2. Those involving actual residents of different barangays within the same city or municipality shall
be brought in the barangay where the respondent or any of the respondents actually resides at
the election of the complainant
3. All disputes involving real property or any interest therein shall be brought in the barangay where
the real property or the larger portion thereof is situated
4. Those arising in workplace where the contending parties are employed or at institution where
such parties are enrolled for study, shall be brought in the barangay where such workplace or
institution is located
 Objections to venue shall be raised in the mediation proceedings before the PB, otherwise it shall
be deemed waived
 Legal questions ma be brought by the PB by submitting to the SO or his rep whose ruling shall be
binding.
 The venue of criminal actions place where respondent resides not the place of the commission of
the crime.
 LUPON may not exercise authority outside its own barangay
 The proceedings in the barangay system are informal and are to be conducted without regard to
the technical rules of procedure under the ROC.
 Conciliation is not jurisdictional. Lupon cannot decide a case. It is only vested with
conciliation functions.
  For purposes of venue residence is actual or physical habitation or place of abode, which may not
necessarily be his legal residence or domicle provided he resides within continuity and
consistency.
 Referral for bgy conciliation applies only where real parties in interst actually reside in the same
city or municipality.
 The requirement of actual residence pertains to real party in interest and not to attorney in fact.
 If the real party in interest Is not an actual resident of the bgy where the defendant herein
respondent resides the local lupon has no jurisdiction over their dispute, hence, prior referral to it
for conciliation is not a precondition to its filing in court
Real party in interest
 A party who stands to be benefited or injured by the judgment or the party entitled to the avails of
suit
 The lupon shall have no jurisdiction over disputes where the parties are not actual residents of
the same city or municipality except where the barangay in which they actually adjoin each
other.
Procedure for amicable settlement

Who may initiate –          Payment of fees,

–          Any individual who has cause of action against another
individual involving any matter within the authority
–          Complaint may be in writing or oral

Mediation by lupon –          Summon of respondent wih notice to the complaiant for them
chairman and their witnesses to appear before him
–          If chair fails to mediate within 15 dys from first meeting

Suspension of prescriptive –          Interrupted upon the filing of the complaint

period of offenses –          Shall resume upon receipt by the complainant of the certificate
of repudiation or certificate to file action
–          Interruption shall not exceed 60 days from filing of complaint

Actions of pangkat –          Hear both parties and their witnesses

–          Summons may be issued for personal appearance of parties

Disqualification of pangkat –          Relationship, bias, interest, or other similar grounds-

member –          Resolved by the affirmative vote of the majority of the pangkat
–          Vacancy shall be filed [ either by choice of the parties or draw
lots by the brgy chair]

Period to arrive at a –          15 days from the day it convenes

settlement –          Extendible for another period which shall not exceed 15 days

 
Procedure:
Cause of action payment of filing fees summon to respondent and witnesses à mediation by lupon
chairman for 15 days à failure à constitution of pangkat . pangkat will convene 3 days from constitution à
hear both parties and their witnesses . Decision 15 days from constitution à settlement or resolution
 All amicable settlement shall be in writing in a language or dialect known to the parties, signed by
them and attested by the lupon or pangkat chair
 At any stage of the proceedings, the parties may agree in writing to abide by the arbitration
award. May be repudiated within 5 days from date thereof where consent is viaited by fraud,
violence or intimidaton
  Award shall be made after the lapse of 5 days from date thereof
 Proceedings open to public except in the interest of privacy, decency or public morals
 Amicable settlement or arbitration award may be enforced by execution by the lupon 6 months
from date of settlement. Thereafter, by action in the appropriate city
 Any party may repudiate the settlement within 10 days from date thereof where consent is viaited.
 Meeting at the office of brgy chair for possible settlement is substantial compliance with
precondition for filing cases in court.
 Where one party fails to appear for no justifiable reason convening pangkat serves no useful
purpose. à issue cert allowing complaint to bring controversy in court.

Re: prescription
Afflictive penalties- 15 years
Correctional penalty- 10 years XPN: arresto mayor- 5 years
Libel- 1 year
Oral defamation- 6 months
Light offenses- 2 months
Compound- highest penalty as basis
Special acts-
1 year- fine and imprisonment not more than 1 month or both
4 years- more than 1 month but less than 2 years
8- 2 years or more but less than 6 years
12 years- 6 years or more except treason which shall prescribe after 20 years?
Internal revenue cases- 5 years
Actions to recovers movables- 8 years from the time possession is lost,
Real actions- 30 years
Mortgage- 10 years
 
Not extinguished by prescription
1. Right to demand right of way
2. Abate nuisance
Within 10 years from the time the right of action accrues:
1. Written contract
2. Obligation created by law
3. Upn a judgment
6 years
1. Oral contract
2. Quasi contract
4 years:
1. Inury to the rights of the plaintiff
2. Quasi delict
1 year:
1. Forcible entry and detainer
2. Defamation
 All other actions not mentioned- must be brought within 5 years from the right of action accrues
Start of running prescription
1. Enforcement of obligations to pay principal with interest- date of last payment of annuity or
interest
2. Actions to demand fulfillment of obligation- time the judgment became final
3. Actions to demand accounting- runs from the day the person who should render the same cease
in their functions
Form of settlement
 Should be in writing
 In a language or dialect known to the parties
 Signed by them
 Attested to by lupon chair or pangkat chair
 
 The minutes of bgy conciliation proceedings is a substantial compliance on amicable settlement
 No complaint, petition, action or proceeding involving any matter within the authority of the lupon
shall be filed or instituted directly in court- unless there has been a confrontation between the
parties before the lupon or pangkat
When can parties go directly to court:
1. Where the parties is under detention
2. Where a person has been deprived of personal liberty calling for habeas corpus proceedings
3. Where actions are couled with provisional remedies
4. Where the action otherwise may be barred by statute of limitation
 
 Conciliation proceeding is not a jurisdictional requirement and non-compliance therewith cannot
affect the jurisdiction which the lower court had already acquired over the subject matter and the
parties therein
 Conciliation procedure is not a jurisdictional requirement in the sense that failure to have prior
recourse to such procedure would not deprive a court of its jurisdiction over the subject matter or
over the person of the defendant
 Cases under revised rules on summary procedure, where no showing of compliance with
conciliation shall be dismissed without prejudice
 The effect of failure to comply with conciliation procedure has the same effect as non-exhaustion
of admin remedies.
 Conciliation process is a condition precedent for filing complaint in court
 Confrontation between parties is compulsory under the KPB.
 Refusal or failure to appear before the lupon or pangkat satisfied conciliation requirement of KPB.
 The willful refusal or failure to appear on the part of respondent is sufficient basis for the
complainant present to be given a cert to file action. The issuance of cert to file action means that
the complainant may already bring his case to the court or other government office for
adjudication.
 Noncompliance of the same could affect the sufficiency of the cause of action and make the
complaint vulnerable to dismissal on the ground of lack of cause of action or prematurity.
 Court can take cognizance of case when party did not object to lack of conciliation during hearing.
 A detainer suit is premature if it fails to exhaust all administrative remedies, such as KPB
conciliation.
 The barangay authorities must be presumed to have performed their official duties and to have
acted regularly in issuing the cert to file action.
 The defense on failure to comply with conciliation process must be raised at the first available
opportunity.
 The failure to allege fact of noncompliance with conciliation procedure constitutes a waiver.
 Court can motu porprio dismiss case for failure to comply with bgy conciliation, ground not those
mentioned which trial court may dismiss on its own initiative.
 The certification to file action need not be formally offered in evidence when deemed admitted in
the answer
 Suit between family relations shall not prosper unless earnest efforts toward a compromise have
been made

What constitutes family relations:

1. Between husband and wife
2. Between parents and children
3. Among other ascendants and descendants
4. Among brothers and sisters
Not subject to KPB
1. Civil status of persons
2. Validity of a marriage or legal separation
3. Any ground of legal separation
4. Future support
 5. Jurisdiction of courts
6. Future legitime
 The dismissal of the complaint for reinstatement as tenant of landholding for not having passed
the lipon is a procedural technicality.
 All proceedings for settlement shall be public and informal. However, the public may be excluded.
 When private respondent sated that he was never summoned or subpoenaed by the brgy chair,
he is in effect stating that since he was never summoned, he could not appear in person for the
needed confrontation of the parties before the lupon chair. Without mandatory personal
confrontation, no complaint could be filed with the MTC.
 The amicable settlement and arbitration award shall have the force and effect of a final judgment
of court upon the expiration of 10 days from the date thereof
 Shall not be applicable to court cases settled by the lupon in which case the compromise
settlement agreed upon by the parties before the lupon shal be submitted to court
 The amicable settlement or award may be enforced by execution by the lupon within 6 months
from the date of the settlement. After such time, the settlement may be enforced by action in
appropriate city or municipal court.
Procedure of execution

Payment of Party 5 days to make payment à PB will take possession of sufficient personal
money property located in the barangay à sale à if sufficient personal property exists, the
party is allowed to point out which of them shall be taken possession of. If insufficient,
the deficiency shall be satisfied according to ROC

Delivery or PB shall oust person

restitution of
property
located

Delivery of PB issuing notice shall authorize the PB where the bgy is situated to take possession
property of the property
located in
another bgy

Conveyance If there is failure, PB may direct lupon sec to perform the act at the cost of the
of land disobedient party

 
Any party to the dispute may within 10 days from date of settlement repudiate by filing with the
lupon chair a settlement to that effect sworn to before him, where the consent is viated by fraud,
violence or intimidation. Such repudiation shall be sufficient basis for the issuance of the cert for
filing complaint.
 Sec shall transmit the settlement or arbi award to court within 5 days from the date of the award
or from the lapse of 10 day period repudiating the settlement
 Copies shall be furnished to the parties
 Who can administer oaths
 PB as chair of lupon
 Members of the pangkat
 Only to matters relating to all proceedings in the implementation of PB.
 The object of the KPB is to effect an amicable settlement of disputes among family and
barangay members at the barangay level without judicial recourse and consequently help
relieve the courts of docket congestion.
KP vs Pre trial
 Katarungang pambarangay Pre trial

Lawyers are not allowed Lawyers are allowed

 
 Objections to venue shall be raised in the mediation proceedings before the punong barangay,
otherwise the same shall be deemed waived. Any legal question which may confront the punong
barangay in resolving objectiosn to venue herein referred to may be submitted to the SOJ or his
duly designated rep, whose ruling shall be binding.
 The amicable settlement or arbitration award may be enforced by execution by lupon within 6
months from date of settlement. After the lapse of such time, the settlement may be enforced by
action in the appropriate city or municipal court. If the award does not exceed 200k, it may be
enforced under small claims.

BARANGAY CONCILIATION MUST BEFORE FILING OF CASE

It is not compulsory for the parties to settle their issues before the Barangay. What is compulsory is that
the disputes which are within the jurisdiction of the barangay shall be referred first for barangay
conciliation/mediation proceedings before the same could be elevated to the proper court or
government agencies. This finds support under Section 412 of Republic Act (R.A.) No.7160 which states
that:
“No complaint, petition, action, or proceeding involving any matter within the authority of the
lupon shall be filed or instituted directly in court or any other government office for adjudication,
unless there has been confrontation between the parties before the lupon chairman or the
pangkat, and that no conciliation or settlement has been reached as certified by the lupon
secretary or pangkat secretary as attested to by the lupon or pangkat chairman or unless the
settlement has been repudiated by the parties thereto”.
The Supreme Court also said in Pang-et vs. Manacnes (G.R. No. 167261, March 2, 2007), that:
“What is compulsory under the Katarungang Pambarangay Law is that there be a confrontation between
the parties before the Lupon Chairman or the Pangkat and that a certification be issued that no
conciliation or settlement has been reached, as attested to by the Lupon or Pangkat Chairman, before a
case falling within the authority of the Lupon may be instituted in court or any other government office for
adjudication. In other words, the only necessary pre-condition before any case falling within the authority
of the Lupon or the Pangkat may be filed before a court is that there has been personal confrontation
between the parties but despite earnest efforts to conciliate, there was a failure to amicably settle the
dispute. Xxx xxx “.
In your case, it is sufficient that you have undergone the barangay conciliation/mediation proceedings
before filing your complaint in court or proper government agencies. All you have to do is to request for
the issuance of Certificate to File Action which shall serve as proof that the parties have undergone the
conciliation or mediation process before the barangay.
We hope that we were able to answer your queries. Please be reminded that this advice is based solely
on the facts you have narrated and our appreciation of the same. Our opinion may vary when other facts
are changed or elaborated.