OVERVIEW OF THE PHILIPPINE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

I. HISTORY OF THE SUPREME COURT

I. A. Pre-Spanish Period
The laws enforced were derived from customs, usages and tradition. It was
headed by a chieftain called a datu who exercised all the functions of the
government—executive, legislative, and judicial. The datu acted as a
judge (hukom) in settling disputes and deciding cases in his barangay.

I. B. Spanish Period
The Pre-Spanish Period Prior to June 11, 1901, institutions exercising judicial power were
already in existence. Before the Spaniards came, judicial authority “in its primitive
form” was in the hands of barangay chiefs.

The Royal Audiencia, a collegial body established on May 5, 1583, was composed of,
among others, a president, four oidores (justices), and a fiscal. It was the highest
tribunal in the Philippines, below only the Consejo de Indias of Spain.

I. C. American Period
When the Americans took over the reins of government in 1898, Gen. Wesley Merritt
established a military government, suspended the criminal jurisdiction of the
Audiencias, and organized military commissions or court-martial and provost courts.

On May 29, 1899, Major General Elwell S. Otis issued General Order No. 20 re-
establishing the Audiencia and giving it jurisdiction over civil and criminal cases but
only insofar as this was compatible with the sovereignty of the United States.

The Audiencia, however, was abolished with the enactment of Act 136 on June 11,
1901. The new Supreme Court promulgated its first decision on August 8, 1901.

II. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE PHILIPPINES

June 11, 1901 marks the birth of the Supreme Court. Act 136 of the Second Philippine
Commission, otherwise known as the Judiciary Law, took effect on that date.

II. A. Under the Commonwealth Government

Unlike the tribunals established earlier, the SC was not made subservient to colonial,
military, or executive sovereigns. The judicial structure introduced by Act 136 was re-
affirmed by the US Congress with the passage of the Philippine Bill of 1902.

The Administrative Code of 1917 ordained the Supreme Court as the highest judicial
tribunal with nine members—a chief justice and eight associate justices.

The Filipinization of the Supreme Court happened from 1901 to 1935, although a
Filipino was always appointed chief justice, majority of the members of the Supreme
 Court were Americans. Complete Filipinization was achieved only with the
establishment of the Commonwealth in 1935.

II. B. Under the 1973 Constitution

With the ratification by the Filipino people of the 1935 Constitution on May 14, 1935,
the membership in the Supreme Court was increased to 11—a chief justice and ten
associate justices, who sat en banc or in two divisions of five members each.

II. C. Under the 1987 Constitution

As in the 1935 and 1973 Constitutions, the 1987 Constitution provides that “the judicial
power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lower courts as may be
established by law.” (Art. VII, Sec. 1).

The exercise of judicial power is shared by the Supreme Court with all the courts below
it, but it is only the Supreme Court’s decisions that are vested with precedential value
or doctrinal authority, as its interpretations of the Constitution and the laws are final
and beyond review by any other branch of government.

III. THE PHILIPPINE JUDICIAL SYSTEM AT PRESENT

III. A. Trial Courts of Limited Jurisdiction

When it has authority to hear and determine only a few specified cases

Example:
Jurisdiction of Special Court (Heinous Crimes cases, Intellectual Property Rights
Violations, Dangerous Drug Cases, The Family court etc.)

III. B. Trial Courts of General Jurisdiction

When it is empowered to decide all disputes which may come before it except those
assigned to other courts.

III. C. The Intermediate Appellate Court

It is empowered to decide all disputes which may come before it except those
assigned to other courts.

IV. D. The Court of Last Resort

The Supreme Court is often called as the “Court of Last Resort” since Decisions and
Resolutions issued by it with finality may no longer be appealed.

It is the highest court of the land and is composed of a Chief Justice and 14 associate
Justices.
IV. HIERARCHY OF COURTS IN THE PHILIPPINES

There are four levels of courts in the Philippines. The Lowest are the Municipal Trial
Courts. The next higher courts are the Regional Trial Courts, and then followed by the
Court of appeals including the Sandiganbayan and the Court of Tax appeals. The
Highest is the Supreme Court of the Philippines.

The following are the courts in the Philippines as established by the Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980 (BP 129), which took effect on January 18, 1983 and other
laws.

IV. A. SUPREME COURT OF THE PHILIPPINES

Highest court of the land and composed of the Chief Justice and 14 Associate Justice.
As stated in the 1987 constitution, the Supreme Court has the power to review, revise,
reverse, modify or affirm on appeal or certiorari as the law or the rules of court may
provide.

IV. B. COURT OF APPEALS

It appeals on the decision of the RTC, Quasi-Judicial agencies, Board or commission.
It also reviews the awards, judgement, final orders or resolutions of, or authorized by
quasi judicial agencies exercising quasi-judicial functions mention in Rule 43 of the
1997 of Civil Procedure.

IV. C. COURT OF TAX APPEALS

This is the court of specialized appellate jurisdiction which has the exclusive appellate
decisions of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and the Commissioner of Custom
on certain matter.
It acquired both the original and appellate jurisdictions over civil and criminal tax
cases involving the National Internal Revenue Code, Tariff and Customs Code and the
Local Government Assessment Code.

IV. D. SANDIGANBAYAN
A “graft court” which has exclusive jurisdiction over violations of the Anti-Graft and
Corrupt Practices Act (RA 3019), as amended, the Unexplained Wealth Act (RA
1379) and other offenses or felonies committed by public officials and employees in
relation to their office, including those employees in government-owned or controlled
corporations

IV. E. REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

It was formerly called as the Court of First Instance

It has the following Civil Case jurisdiction:

• In all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is incapable of pecuniary
estimation;
• In all civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of, real property, or any
interest therein, where the assessed value of the property involved exceeds Twenty
thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or, for civil actions in Metro Manila, where such value
exceeds Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) except actions for forcible entry into and
unlawful detainer of lands or buildings, original jurisdiction over which is conferred
upon the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial
Courts.
• In all actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where the demand or claim
exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or, in Metro Manila, where
such demand or claim exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00).
• In all matters of probate, both testate and intestate, chocolate where the gross
value of the estate exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or, in
probate matters in Metro Manila, where such gross value exceeds Two Hundred
thousand pesos (P200,000.00).
• In all actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations.
• In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body
exercising jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body exercising judicial or
quasi-judicial functions.
• In all civil actions and special proceedings falling within the exclusive original
jurisdiction of a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and of the Court of Agrarian
Relations as now provided by law.
• In all other cases in which the demand, exclusive of interest, damages of whatever
kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs or the value of the property in
controversy exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or, in such other
cases in Metro Manila, where the demand exclusive of the abovementioned items
exceeds Two Hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00)

It has the following Criminal Case jurisdiction”

• 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.

• RTC Criminal Courts typically try cases of serious crimes like murder and robbery, as
opposed to petty crimes, which reduce the burden of court cases

IV. F. MUNICIPAL AND CITY TRIAL COURTS

• MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT

-One court in one municipality

• MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL COURT

-One court in two or more municipalities

• Metropolitan Trial Court

-Municipal courts in Metro Manila

• Municipal Trial Court in Cities

-Courts in cities outside Metro Manila

It has the following jurisdiction:

• Exclusive original jurisdiction over all violations of city or municipal ordinances

committed within their respective territorial jurisdiction; and
• 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)
• Exclusive original jurisdiction over civil actions and probate proceedings, testate
and intestate, including the grant of provisional remedies in proper cases, where
the value of the personal property, estate, or amount of the demand does not
exceed One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) or, in Metro Manila where such
personal property, estate, or amount of the demand does not exceed Two
hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) exclusive of interest damages of whatever
kind, attorney's fees, litigation expenses, and costs, the amount of which must be
specifically alleged: Provided, That where there are several claims or causes of
action between the same or different parties, embodied in the same complaint,
the amount of the demand shall be the totality of the claims in all the causes of
action, irrespective of whether the causes of action arose out of the same or
different transactions;
• Exclusive original jurisdiction over cases of forcible entry and unlawful detainer:
Provided, That when, in such cases, the defendant raises the question of ownership
in his pleadings and the question of possession cannot be resolved without
deciding the issue of ownership, the issue of ownership shall be resolved only to
determine the issue of possession.
• Exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil actions which involve title to, or possession of,
real property, or any interest therein where the assessed value of the property or
interest therein does not exceed Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or, in civil
actions in Metro Manila, where such assessed value does not exceed Fifty thousand
pesos (P50,000.00) exclusive of interest, damages of whatever kind, attorney's fees,
litigation expenses and costs: Provided, That value of such property shall be
determined by the assessed value of the adjacent lots. (as amended by R.A. No.
7691)

IV. SHARI’A COURTS

In some provinces in Mindanao where the Muslim Code on Personal Laws is enforced,
the law provides 5 Shari’s District Courts Which are equivalent in rank to the Regional
Trial Court in rank and for 51 Shari’a Circuit Court in the Municipalities equivalent in
rank to the Municipal Circuit Courts.