MTC

BP 129 by RA 7691

Section 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. (as amended by R.A, No. 7691)

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.

RPC

Article 27. Reclusion perpetua. - Any person sentenced to any of the perpetual
penalties shall be pardoned after undergoing the penalty for thirty years, unless
such person by reason of his conduct or some other serious cause shall be
considered by the Chief Executive as unworthy of pardon.

Reclusion temporal. - The penalty of reclusion temporal shall be from twelve

years and one day to twenty years.

Prision mayor and temporary disqualification. - The duration of the penalties of

prision mayor and temporary disqualification shall be from six years and one day
to twelve years, except when the penalty of disqualification is imposed as an
accessory penalty, in which case its duration shall be that of the principal penalty.

Prision correccional, suspension, and destierro. - The duration of the penalties of

prision correccional, suspension and destierro shall be from six months and one
day to six years, except when suspension is imposed as an accessory penalty, in
which case, its duration shall be that of the principal penalty.

Arresto mayor. - The duration of the penalty of arresto mayor shall be from one
month and one day to six months.

Arresto menor. - The duration of the penalty of arresto menor shall be from one
day to thirty days.

Bond to keep the peace. - The bond to keep the peace shall be required to cover
such period of time as the court may determine.

Art. 353. Definition of libel. — A libel is public and malicious imputation of a

crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition,
status, or circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a
natural or juridical person.

Art. 355. Libel means by writings or similar means. — A libel committed by

means of writing, printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph, painting,
theatrical exhibition, cinematographic exhibition, or any similar means, shall be
punished by prision correccional(Prision correccional = 6 months and 1 day to 6
years) in its minimum and maximum periods or a fine ranging from 200 to 6,000
pesos, or both, in addition to the civil action(can range to more than a hundred
thousand pesos in Moral Damages plus Exemplary Damages and Attorneys Fees)
which may be brought by the offended party.

A case was decided in connection with libel convicted a person and was
sentenced to 6 months imprisonment with a 100,000.00 fine on Moral Damages
plus 50,000.00 in Exemplary Damages and 30,000.00 Attorneys Fee.

Art. 360. Persons responsible. Any person who shall publish, exhibit, or cause the
publication or exhibition of any defamation in writing or by similar means, shall
be responsible for the same.

PD 1606

Section 4. Jurisdiction. The Sandiganbayan shall have jurisdiction over:

(a) Violations of Republic Act No. 3019, as amended, otherwise, known as the
Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, and Republic Act No. 1379;

(b) Crimes committed by public officers and employees including those

employed in government-owned or controlled corporations, embraced in Title VII
of the Revised Penal Code, whether simple or complexed with other crimes; and
(c) Other crimes or offenses committed by public officers or employees,
including those employed in government-owned or controlled corporations, in
relation to their office.

RA 3019 - AN ACT INCREASING THE PRESCRIPTIVE PERIOD FOR

VIOLATIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 3019, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
THE “ANTI-GRAFT AND CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT', FROM FIFTEEN
(15) YEARS TO TWENTY (20) YEARS, AMENDING SECTION II
THEREOF.

RA 1379 - AN ACT DECLARING FORFEITURE IN FAVOR OF THE STATE

ANY PROPERTY FOUND TO HAVE BEEN UNLAWFULLY ACQUIRED
BY ANY PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE AND PROVIDING FOR THE
PROCEEDINGS THEREFOR.

BP 22

AN ACT PENALIZING THE MAKING OR DRAWING AND ISSUANCE OF

A CHECK WITHOUT SUFFICIENT FUNDS OR CREDIT AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.

RTC

BP 129

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.

Certiorari - a writ or order by which a higher court reviews a decision of a lower

court.
Mandamus - a judicial writ issued as a command to an inferior court or ordering
a person to perform a public or statutory duty.

Quo warranto - a special form of legal action used to resolve a dispute over
whether a specific person has the legal right to hold the public office that he or
she occupies

The "Great Writ" of habeas corpus is a fundamental right in the Constitution that
protects against unlawful and indefinite imprisonment.

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.

prima facie - based on a typical set of facts that, according to the general
experience of life, justifies the assumption of a certain cause or consequence, is
admissible

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.

SANDIGANBAYAN

REVISING PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1486 CREATING A SPECIAL

COURT TO BE KNOWN AS "SANDIGANBAYAN" AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
WHEREAS, the new Constitution declares that a public office is a public trust
and ordains that public officers and employees shall serve with the highest degree
of responsibility, integrity, loyalty and efficiency and shall remain at all times
accountable to the people;

WHEREAS, to attain the highest norms of official conduct required of public

officers and employees, Section 5, Article XIII of the New Constitution provides
for the creation of a special court to be known as Sandiganbayan;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the

Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested by the Constitution, do hereby
order and decree as follows:

REPUBLIC ACT No. 3019

ANTI-GRAFT AND CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT

REPUBLIC ACT No. 1379

AN ACT DECLARING FORFEITURE IN FAVOR OF THE STATE ANY

PROPERTY FOUND TO HAVE BEEN UNLAWFULLY ACQUIRED BY
ANY PUBLIC OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE AND PROVIDING FOR THE
PROCEEDINGS THEREFOR.