JURISDICTION

JURISDICTION OF COURTS IN CRIMINAL CASES

MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT

CRIMINAL MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT
CASES
1. Offenses punishable with imprisonment not exceeding 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;

Note: the rule disregarding the amount of the fine and other
accessory penalties applies where the offense is punishable by
imprisonment or fine or both, but not when the offense is
punishable by fine only.

Note: the jurisdiction of the MTC is qualified by the phrase Except is

cases falling within the exclusive jurisdiction of the RTC and of the
Sandiganbayan. This indicates that the MTC does not at all times
have jurisdiction over offenses punishable with imprisonment not
exceeding 6 years, if jurisdiction is vested by law either in the RTC
(e.g. libel) or the Sandiganbayan (e.g. bribery).

2. Where the only penalty provided for by law is a fine, the amount
thereof shall determine the jurisdiction of the court. The MTC shall
EXCLUSIVE have exclusive original jurisdiction over offenses punishable with a
ORIGINAL fine of not more than PhP4,000 (Adm. Cir. 09-94).

3. Offenses involving damage to property through criminal

negligence.

4. Those covered by the Rule on Summary Procedure:

a. Violations of traffic laws, rules and regulations
b. Violations of the rental law;
c. Violations of municipal or city ordinances;
d. Violations of B.P. 22, otherwise known as Bouncing
Checks Law (A.M. No. 00-11-01-SC, effective April 15,
2003);
e. All other criminal cases where the penalty is
imprisonment not exceeding 6 months and/or PhP1,000
fine irrespective of other penalties or civil liabilities
arising therefrom; and
f. Offenses involving damage to property through criminal
negligence where the imposable fine does not exceed
PhP10,000.

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Applications for bail in criminal cases in the absence of all RTC judges
SPECIAL
in a province or City (B.P. 129, Sec. 35).

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REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

CRIMINAL REGIONAL TRIAL COURT

CASES
1. Criminal cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court,
tribunal or body, except those falling under the exclusive and
concurrent jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan;
2. Offenses the imposable penalty for which exceeds 6 years
imprisonment;
3. In cases where the only penalty is fine, the amount thereof shall
determine jurisdiction. If the amount exceeds PhP4,000, RTCs have
EXCLUSIVE jurisdiction (Adm. Cir. 09-94);
ORIGINAL 4. Criminal cases under specific laws:
a. Written defamation;
b. Jurisdiction of designated courts over cases in violation of the
Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 as provided in
Sec. 90 thereof;
c. Violation of intellectual property rights.
5. All cases on money laundering except those falling under the
jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.

Family Court Criminal cases where:

1. One or more the accused is/are below 18 years but not less than 9
years of age; or
2. Where one of the victims is a minor at the time of commission of
the offenses;
3. Cases against minors cognizable under the Dangerous Drugs Act;
4. Violations of R.A. 7610, otherwise known as the Special Protection
of Children Against Child Abuse, Exploitation and Discrimination
Act as amended by R.A. 7658; and
5. Cases of domestic violence against women and children.

APPELLATE All cases decided by the MTCs is their respective territorial jurisdiction.

To handle exclusively criminal cases as designated by the Supreme

SPECIAL
Court.

SANDIGANBAYAN

CRIMINAL SANDIGANBAYAN
CASES
EXCLUSIVE The Sandiganbayan shall exercise original jurisdiction in all cases
ORIGINAL involving:
1. Violations of:
a. R.A. 3019 (Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act);
b. R.A. 1379 (Forfeiture of III Gotten Wealth Act);
c. Chapter 2, Section 2, Title 7, Book 2 of the Revised Penal Code
(Bribery, etc.)
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Where, one or more of the accused are, whether permanent,

acting or interim capacity, at the time of the commission of the
offense:
a. Official of the executive branch occupying the positions of the
regional director and higher, otherwise classified as Grade
27 and higher of the Compensation and Position
Classification Act of 1989;
b. Members of Congress and officials thereof classified as Grade
27 and up under the Compensation and Position
Classification Act of 1989;
c. Members of the Judiciary without prejudice to the provisions of
the Constitution;
d. Chairman and members of the Constitutional Commissions,
without prejudice to the provisions of the Constitution; and
e. All other national and local officials classified as Grade 27
and higher under the Compensation and Position Classification
Act of 1989.

NOTE: It is not only the salary grade that determines the

jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan. The salary grade as no
reference, for example, toe provincial governors, vice governors
or members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, Sangguniang
Panlungsod, directors or managers of GOCCs, city mayors, vice
mayors, city treasurers, assessors, engineers, trustees of state
universities, and other officials enumerated in Sec. 4 (1) (a)
from letters a g of P.D. 1606 as amended.

2. Other offenses or felonies whether simple or complexed with other

crimes committed by the public officials and employees mentioned
in subsection a in relation to their office.

3. Civil and criminal cases filed pursuant to and in connection with

E.O. 1, 2, 14 and 14-A (Sequestration cases), issued in 1986.

4. Money laundering cases committed by public officers and private

persons who are in conspiracy with such public officers.

APPELLATE Appeals from the final judgments, resolutions or orders of RTCs

whether in the exercise of their own jurisdiction or of their appellate
jurisdiction where all the accused are occupying positions lower than
salary grade 27 or not otherwise covered by the preceding
enumeration.
1. Petitions for the issuance of the writs of mandamus, prohibition,
certiorari whether or not aid of its appellate jurisdiction (A.M. No.
07-7-SC);
2. Petitions for the issuance of writ of habeas corpus, injunction and
other ancillary writs and processes in aid of its appellate
jurisdiction and over petitions of similar nature, including quo
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warranto, arising or that may arise in cases filed or which may be

filled under E.O. 1, 2, 14 and 14-A, issued in 1986: Provided, that
the jurisdiction over these petitions shall not be exclusive of the
Supreme Court.

COURT OF APPEALS

CRIMINAL COURT OF APPEALS

CASES
EXCLUSIVE Crimes of Terrorism under the Human Security Act of 2007.
ORIGINAL

With the SC:

CONCURRENT Petitions for certiorari, probation and mandamus against the RTCs.

With the SC & RTC:

Petitions for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus against the MTCs.
By Notice of Appeal:

1. From the RTC in the exercise of its original jurisdiction, except

those appealable to the Sandiganbayan;
2. From the RTC where penalty imposed is reclusion perpetua or life
imprisonment or where a lesser penalty is imposed but for
offenses committed on the same occasion or which arose out of
the same occurrence that gave rise to the more serious offense for
which the penalty of death, reclusion perpetua, or life
APPELLATE imprisonment is imposed (Rule 122, as amended by AM. No. 00-5-
03-SC, Sec. 3).

By Automatic Review
(i.e. No Notice of Appeal Necessary)
From the RTC, in cases where the death penalty is imposed.

By Petition for Review under Rule 42

From the RTC in cases appealed thereto from lower courts and not
appealable to the Sandiganbayan.

SUPREME COURT

CRIMINAL SUPREME COURT

CASES
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EXCLUSIVE Petition for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus against the CA and
ORIGINAL the Sandiganbayan.
With the CA:
Petitions for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus against the RTCs.
CONCURRENT
With the CA & RTC:
Petitions for certiorari, prohibition and mandamus against MTCs.
By Petition for Review on Certiorari
1. From the CA;
2. From the Sandiganbayan;
3. From the RTC where only an error or question of law is involved.

Note: While the Fundamental Law requires a mandatory review by SC

of cases where the penalty imposed is reclusion perpetua, life
APPELLATE
imprisonment, or death, nowhere, however, has it proscribed and
intermediate review. If only to ensure utmost circumspection before
the penalty of death, reclusion perpetua or life imprisonment is
imposed, the Court now deems it wise and compelling to provide in
these cases a review by the CA before the case is elevated to the SC
(People v. Mateo, G.R. Nos. 147678-87, July 7, 2004).

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