A. SCOPE AND APPLICABILITY OF THE RULE 3.

Enforcement of barangay amicable settlement or

arbitration reward involving money claim
Scope of Revised Rules Of Procedures for Small Claims Cases
- Actions before first level courts for payment of
money when the value does not exceed:
o 300,000 for MTCCs, MTCs, MCTCs
o 400,000 for METCs

Nature of cases under RRPSCC

- Actions purely civil in nature or solely for payment
or reimbursement of sum of money

Kinds of claims and demands under Small Claims Cases

1. Money owed under
a. Lease
b. Loan
c. Contract of services
d. Sale
e. Mortgage
2. Liquidated damages arising from contracts
B. COMMENCEMENT OF SMALL CLAIMS ACTIONS
RESPONSE
Commencement of small claims
- Filing with the court an accomplished and verified
Statement of Claim in duplicate with
1. Certificate Against Forum Shopping, Splitting
a Single Cause of Action and Multiplicity of
Suits
2. 2 Duly Certified Photocopies of Actionable
Documents Subject of the Claim
3. Affidavits of Witnesses and other Evidence
to Support the Claim
Motu proprio dismissal of cases under RRPSCC
- Upon examination of allegations in the statement of
claim and other evidence
- Order of dismissal shall state if it is with or without
prejudice.
Effect if the case is not covered by RRPSCC but is still
cognizable by first level courts
- Case shall not be dismissed but shall be redocketed
under appropriate procedure and returned to the
court where it was assigned, subject to the payment
of appropriate filing fees.
Additional requirement imposed upon the plaintiff if
engaged in lending or banking business
- Plaintiff must state in the statement of claim the fact
of being engaged in the business of lending or
banking and the number of small claims cases filed
within the calendar year regardless of judicial
station
- If plaintiff misrepresents, the case shall be dismissed
with prejudice with additional sanctions
Rules on venue if plaintiff is engaged if plaintiff is engaged in
the business of lending and banking
- Where the branch is located
When may a party separate claims into one case?
- Provided that the total amount claimed does not
exceed jurisdictional thresholds
May additional evidence be offered during the hearing.
- No. unless good cause is shown for admission of
additional evidence.
Rules with respect to the payment of filing fees
- Plaintiff shall payment docket and other legal fees
unless allowed to litigate as an indigent
- Even if party is indigent, he shall still pay 1,000 fee
for service of summons and processes.
Filing of claims by indigent under RRPSCC
- File the claim with a motion to sue as indigent which
shall be preferred to the executive judge for
immediate action
Effect if motion to sue as indigent is denied
- Plaintiff shall be given 5 days to pay the docket fees
otherwise, claim shall be dismissed without
prejudice
Effect if summons cannot be initially be served to the
defendant
- Court shall order plaintiff to cause service of
summons and inform the court WON serve within
30 days from notice
- Statement of claim shall be dismissed without
prejudice as to those with unserved summons
Response under RRPSCC
- Defendant shall file and serve on the plaintiff a duly
accomplished and verified response within a non
 extendable period of 10 days from receipt of
summons
- Response must be accompanied by certified
photocopies of documents as well as affidavits and
other evidence in support thereof
Filing of counterclaim in the response
1. If claim against the plaintiff is within the coverage of Dismissal of the claim on grounds not raised by the
this rule defendant
2. If it arise out of the same transaction or event that is - Court may dismiss by itself the case even if the
the subject matter of the plaintiff’s claim ground was not pleaded in the response if the
3. If it does not require joinder of third parties ground was ascertained during the hearing.
4. If it is not a subject matter of another pending action
Note: defendant may also file a counter claim that does not
arise out of the same transaction as long as it is within the
coverage of this rule

Effect if defendant fails to file response and fails to appear

on hearings
- Court shall render judgment on the same day based
on facts alleged in the statement of complaint.

Effect if defendant fails to file response but appears on the

hearing
- Court shall ascertain his or her defense and proceed
to hear or adjudicate the case on the same day as if
a response has been filed
C. PROHIBITED PLEADINGS AND MOTIONS

1. Motion to dismiss statement of claim

2. Motion for bill of particulars
3. MNT/MR/Motion for reopening of trial
4. Petition for relief from judgment
5. Motion for extension for time to file
6. Memoranda
7. Petition for CPM
8. Motion to declare defendant in default
9. Dilatory motions for postponement
10. Reply and rejoinder
11. Third party complaints
12. Interventions
Note: same for RRSP
D. APPEARANCES
Appearance through representative
- GR: Not allowed
- Party may not be represented by counsel but must
personally appear on the date of hearing
- No attorney shall appear unless the attorney is the
party himself
Requisites for party to appear through representative
1. Valid cause
2. Representative is not a lawyer
3. Representative is related or next of kin of the party
4. SPA to enter into amicable settlement and to enter
stipulation of facts and documentary exhibits
Note: juridical entities may not be represented by a lawyer
in any capacity
What may the court do if party to the hearing cannot
properly present his claim or defense
- If the court determines that party needs assistance,
the court may allow another individual who is not an
attorney to assist the party upon the latter’s consent
Effect of non appearance of the plaintiff
- Cause for dismissal without prejudice
- Defendant who appears shall be entitled to
judgment on the permissive counterclaim
Effect if both parties fail to appear on hearing
- Dismissal with prejudice of the claim and
counterclaim
Effect of non appearance of defendant
- Court shall render judgment on the same day based
on facts on the statement of claim.
E. HEARING; DUTY OF THE JUDGE

As mediator
- At the hearing, judge shall first exert efforts to bring
parties to amicable settlement

Hearing proper
- If efforts at settlement fail, hearing shall
immediately proceed in informal and expeditious
manner and must not be terminated within the
same day.

Decision
- Within 24 hours from termination of hearing

Postponement of hearing
- Granted upon proof physical inability to appear
- Party may avail of one postponement
F. FINALITY OF JUDGMENT

Status of decisions rendered under RRPSCC

- Final executory and unappealable

MNT/MR/PFR
- Not allowed
- Prohibited motions/pleadings

Remedy of aggrieved party considering that the judgment is

unappealable
- Petition for review on certiorari under rule 65