1.

WHAT ARE THE SYMBOLISMS

THAT ARE EVIDENT IN THE
SCULPTURE? WHAT DO THEY
REPRESENT?

2. HOW DO THESE SYMBOLS

ILLUSTRATE THE MEANING OF
 JUSTICE SYMBOLS
SCALES
• THE SCALES REPRESENT THE WEIGHING OF
EVIDENCE, AND THE SCALES LACK A FOUNDATION IN
ORDER TO SIGNIFY THAT EVIDENCE SHOULD STAND
ON ITS OWN.
BLINDFOLD
• THE BLINDFOLD REPRESENTS IMPARTIALITY, THE
IDEAL THAT JUSTICE SHOULD BE APPLIED WITHOUT
REGARD TO WEALTH, POWER, OR OTHER STATUS.
SWORD
• THE SWORD REPRESENTED AUTHORITY IN
ANCIENT TIMES, AND CONVEYS THE IDEA
THAT JUSTICE CAN BE SWIFT AND FINAL.
TOGA
• THE GRECO-ROMAN GARMENT SYMBOLIZES
THE STATUS OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL
ATTITUDE THAT EMBODIES JUSTICE.
 ESSENTIAL FEATURES OF THE JUDICIAL
BRANCH OF PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT

• AS INDICATED IN ARTICLE VIII OF THE 1987

PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION, THE JUDICIAL
POWER SHALL BE VESTED IN ONE SUPREME
COURT AND IN SUCH LOWER COURTS AS MAY
BE ESTABLISHED BY LAW.
• AS DEFINED IN THE SAME ARTICLE,
JUDICIAL POWER INCLUDES THE DUTY OF
THE COURTS OF JUSTICE TO SETTLE
ACTUAL CONTROVERSIES INVOLVING
RIGHTS WHICH ARE LEGALLY
DEMANDABLE AND ENFORCEABLE.
• THE ROLE OF JUDICIARY IS IMPORTANT
BECAUSE THIS BRANCH INTERPRETS THE
MEANING OF LAWS, APPLIES LAWS TO
INDIVIDUAL CASES, AND DECIDES IF LAWS
VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION.
 COMPOSITION OF THE
PHILIPPINE JUDICIAL SYSTEM

• ACCORDING TO THE JUDICIARY

ORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980, THE
PHILIPPINE JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS COMPOSED
OF LOWER COURTS AND THE HIGHEST
COURT.
 LOWER COURTS
• MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS AND MUNICIPAL
CIRCUIT TRIAL COURT
• METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS AND MUNICIPAL
TRIAL COURTS IN CITIES
• REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS (RTC)
• SHARI’A COURTS
• COURT OF APPEALS
• SANDIGANBAYAN
MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS AND MUNICIPAL
CIRCUIT TRIAL COURT
• EVERY MUNICIPALITY IN THE PHILIPPINES HAS A
MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT.
• IT IS CALLED MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT IF IT
COVERS ONLY ONE MUNICIPALITY.
• IT IS CALLED MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT TRIAL COURT
IF IT COVERS TWO OR MORE MUNICIPALITIES.
METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS AND
MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS IN CITIES
• MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS INSIDE THE
METROPOLITAN AREA ARE CALLED
METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS.
• MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS IN CITIES
OUTSIDE METROPOLITAN MANILA ARE
CALLED MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS IN CITIES.
 REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS (RTC)
• REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS ARE CALLED SECOND
LEVEL COURTS AND ARE DIVIDED INTO
THIRTEEN (13) JUDICIAL REGIONS (FURTHER
SUBDIVIDED INTO SEVERAL BRANCHES).
• RTCSARE CALLED APPELLATE COURTS
BECAUSE THESE COURTS HEAR APPEALS AND
REVIEW THE DECISIONS OF LOWER COURTS.
 SHARI’A COURTS

• SHARI’A COURTS SETTLE LEGAL

CONFLICTS BETWEEN MUSLIM FILIPINOS
IN THE SPHERE OF CUSTOMARY AND
PERSONAL LAWS.
 SHARI’A DISTRICT COURTS
•EQUIVALENT TO THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS
IN RANK ARE THE SHARI’A DISTRICT COURTS
WHICH WERE ESTABLISHED IN CERTAIN
SPECIFIED PROVINCES IN MINDANAO WHERE
THE CODE OF MUSLIM PERSONAL LAWS OF
THE PHILIPPINES IS BEING ENFORCED.
• THERE ARE FIVE (5) SHARI’A DISTRICT COURTS
AND FIFTY ONE (51) SHARI’A CIRCUIT COURTS
• A SHARI’A DISTRICT COURT IS OF LIMITED
JURISDICTION. IT WAS CREATED UNDER
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1083.

•THE SHARI’A DISTRICT COURT HAS APPELLATE

JURISDICTION OVER ALL CASES TRIED IN THE
SHARI’A CIRCUIT COURTS WITHIN THEIR
TERRITORIAL JURISDICTION.
• THE DECISIONS OF THE SHARI’A DISTRICT
COURTS, WHETHER ON APPEAL FROM THE
SHARI’A CIRCUIT COURTS OR NOT, SHALL BE
FINAL. THE SUPREME COURT SHALL,
HOWEVER, CONTINUE TO EXERCISE ORIGINAL
AND APPELLATE JURISDICTION OVER
CERTAIN ISSUES AS PROVIDED BY THE
CONSTITUTION.
 COURT OF APPEALS
(HUKUMAN NG PAGHAHABOL NG PILIPINAS)

• IS THE COUNTRY’S SECOND-HIGHEST JUDICIAL

COURT.
• COURT OF APPEALS HAS JURISDICTION OVER
APPEALS FROM THE DECISION OF THE
REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS.
• THE COURT OF APPEALS WAS ESTABLISHED
UNDER BATAS PAMBANSA BILANG 129 KNOWN
• COURT OF APPEALS HAS JURISDICTION OVER APPEALS
FROM THE DECISION OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURTS.
• THE COURT CONSISTS OF 68 ASSOCIATE JUSTICES AND 1
PRESIDING JUSTICE.
• THEY ARE ALL APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT.
• THE COURT SITS BY DIVISIONS, EACH DIVISION IS BEING
COMPOSED OF THREE MEMBERS.
• THE COURT MAY SIT EN BANC FOR THE PURPOSE OF
EXERCISING ADMINISTRATIVE, CEREMONIAL OR OTHER
NON-ADJUDICATORY FUNCTIONS.
 SANDIGANBAYAN
• THE SANDIGANBAYAN WAS ESTABLISHED UNDER
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1606.
• ITS RANK IS EQUIVALENT TO COURT OF APPEALS.
• IT TRIES AND DECIDES CRIMINAL AND CIVIL
CASES AGAINST GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND
EMPLOYEES ACCUSED OF GRAFT AND
CORRUPTION AND SIMILAR OTHER CASES.
• THE SANDIGANBAYAN SHALL SIT IN FIVE (5)
DIVISIONS WITH THREE (3) JUSTICES EACH.
• THE FIRST 3 DIVISIONS SHALL BE STATIONED IN
THE METRO MANILA AREA, THE 4TH DIVISION
SHALL BE IN CEBU CITY FOR CASES COMING
FROM THE VISAYAS REGIONS, AND THE 5TH
DIVISION SHALL BE IN CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY
FOR CASES COMING FROM THE MINDANAO
REGIONS.
 OMBUDSMAN OF THE
PHILIPPINES
• THE OMBUDSMAN OF THE PHILIPPINES, ALSO
KNOWN AS TANODBAYAN NG PILIPINAS, IS
AN OMBUDSMAN RESPONSIBLE FOR
INVESTIGATING AND
PROSECUTING PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS ACCUSED OF CRIMES, ESPECIALLY
GRAFT AND CORRUPTION.
• THE OMBUDSMAN "IS PRINCIPALLY TASKED TO
INVESTIGATE ON ITS OWN OR UPON COMPLAINT
BY ANY PERSON, IN ANY FORM OR MANNER,
ANY ACT OR OMISSION OF ANY PUBLIC OFFICER
OR EMPLOYEE, INCLUDING THOSE IN
GOVERNMENT-OWNED OR CONTROLLED
CORPORATIONS, WHICH APPEARS TO BE
ILLEGAL, UNJUST, IMPROPER OR INEFFICIENT.“
• AFTER AN INVESTIGATION, THE OMBUDSMAN
FILES CHARGES AT THE SANDIGANBAYAN, A
SPECIAL ANTI-GRAFT COURT.
 Name Position
Hon. Samuel Martires Tanodbayan (Ombudsman)
Hon. Warren Rex H. Liong Over-all Deputy Ombudsman
Hon. CornelioL. Somido Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon
Hon. Dante F. Vargas Deputy Ombudsman for Visayas
Hon. Anderson A. Lo Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao
Deputy Ombudsman for Military
Hon. Cyril E. Ramos
and Police
Hon. Edilberto G. Sandoval Special Prosecutor
Ombudsman Samuel R. Martirez
July 26,2018
 SUPREME COURT
• THE SUPREME COURT IS THE HIGHEST
COURT IN THE PHILIPPINES.
• IT IS THE FINAL COURT THAT DECIDES IN
ANY AND ALL JUDICIAL ISSUES.
• IT CAN REVIEW, REVISE, REVERSE, MODIFY,
OR AFFIRM, FINAL JUDGMENTS AND ORDERS
OF THE LOWER COURT.
• THE MOST COMMON REASON BY WHICH A CASE
REACHES THE SUPREME COURT IS THROUGH AN
APPEAL FROM A DECISION RENDERED BY A
LOWER COURT.
• APPEALED CASES GENERALLY ORIGINATE FROM
CASES TRIED IN THE TRIAL COURTS. THE
SUPREME COURT DOES NOT ENTERTAIN CASES
ORIGINALLY FILED BEFORE IT THAT SHOULD
HAVE BEEN FILED FIRST WITH THE TRIAL COURTS.
 FUNCTIONS OF THE SUPREME
COURT
THERE ARE TWO CATEGORIES IN THE
FUNCTIONS OF THE SUPREME COURT:
1. ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTION
2. JUDICIAL FUNCTION
 ADMINISTRATIVE FUNCTIONS
• SUPERVISION AND CONTROL OVER THE JUDICIAL
BRANCH OF THE GOVERNMENT AND ITS
EMPLOYEES.
• DECLARE RULES FOR THE ADMISSION INTO THE
PRACTICE OF LAW, FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO THE
UNDERPRIVILEGED, AND THE PROCEDURAL RULES
TO BE OBSERVED IN ALL COURTS THROUGHOUT
THE COUNTRY.
 JUDICIAL FUNCTIONS
• SETTLEMENT OF ACTUAL CONTROVERSIES
INVOLVING RIGHTS WHICH ARE LEGALLY
DEMANDABLE AND ENFORCEABLE.
• JUDICIAL REVIEW OR THE POWER OF THE
SUPREME COURT TO INQUIRE INTO THE
CONSTITUTIONALITY OF THE ACTS OF BOTH
THE EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE BRANCHES
 COMPOSITION OF SUPREME
COURT
• AS INDICATED IN ARTICLE VIII OF THE 1987
PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION, THE SUPREME COURT
IS COMPOSED OF ONE (1) CHIEF JUSTICE AND
FOURTEEN (14) ASSOCIATE JUSTICES. THE
PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT APPOINTS MEMBERS OF
THE JUDICIARY FROM A LIST SUBMITTED BY THE
JUDICIAL AND BAR COUNCIL WHICH IS UNDER
THE SUPERVISION OF THE SUPREME COURT.
Chief Justice Alexander G.
Gesmundo
Justice Estela M. Perlas-Bernabe
Justice Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen
Justice Alfredo Benjamin S. Caguioa
Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando
Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier
Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting
Justice Rodil V. Zalameda
Justice Mariano V. Lopez
Justice Samuel H. Gaerlan
Justice Ricardo R. Rosario
Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez
Justice Japar B. Dimaampao
Justice Jose Midas P. Marquez
Justice Antonio T. Kho, Jr.
 QUALIFICATIONS
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO BE
APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME COURT:
• NATURAL-BORN CITIZEN OF THE PHILIPPINES
• AT LEAST 50 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT
• MUST HAVE BEEN A JUDGE OF A LOWER COURT OR
ENGAGED IN THE PRACTICE OF LAW IN THE COUNTRY
FOR 15 YEARS OR MORE
• MUST BE A PERSON OF PROVEN COMPETENCE, INTEGRITY,
PROBITY AND INDEPENDENCE.
 TENURE OF SERVICE
• THE TERM OF OFFICE OF SUPREME COURT
MEMBERS IS NOT FIXED. THEIR TENURE
DURING GOOD BEHAVIOR IS UNTIL THEY
REACH SEVENTY YEARS OLD OR BECOME
INCAPACITATED TO PERFORM THEIR DUTIES.
• THEY CAN BE REMOVED FROM THEIR
POSITION ONLY THROUGH IMPEACHMENT.
 III. KATARUNGANG
PAMBARANGAY
• AS OF JULY 15, 2020, THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE OF THE
PHILIPPINE GOVERNMENT MENTIONED UNDER THE
TOPIC OF PHILIPPINE JUDICIARY THE EXISTENCE OF
KATARUNGANG PAMBARANGAY. THROUGH
KATARUNGANG PAMBARANGAY LAW
(PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1508), A SYSTEM OF
AMICABLY SETTLING DISPUTES AT THE BARANGAY
LEVEL WAS ESTABLISHED.
• IT AIMS TO PROMOTE THE SPEEDY
ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE BY EASING
THE CONGESTION OF COURT DOCKETS.
THE COURT DOES NOT TAKE
COGNIZANCE OF CASES FILED IF THEY
ARE NOT FILED FIRST WITH THE
KATARUNGANG PAMBARANGAY.
 ACTIVITY
• LOOK FOR THREE WORDS/CONCEPTS THAT ARE
RELATED WITH PHILIPPINE JUDICIARY IN THE
SEARCH BOX BELOW THEN EXPLAIN EACH WORD
BASED ON YOUR UNDERSTANDING. WRITE YOUR
ANSWER ON A ½ SHEET OF PAPER.