Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
Aala and Ferido asserted that the proposed ordinance classified and valued those ISSUE:
properties located in a predominantly commercial area as commercial, regardless of
Whether or not the petitioners comply with the doctrine on hierarchy of courts and Under Sec. 187 of the Local Government Code of 1991, aggrieved taxpayers who
exhaustion of administrative remedy? question the validity or legality of a tax ordinance are required to file an appeal before
the Secretary of Justice before they seek intervention from the regular courts.
HELD: Petitioners should have first filed their petition before the Secretary of Justice before
No. The Supreme Court denies the Petition for serious procedural errors. The doctrine resorting to the courts.
on hierarchy of courts is a practical judicial policy designed to restrain parties from
directly resorting to this Court when relief may be obtained before the lower courts. The
logic behind this policy is grounded on the need to prevent "inordinate demands upon
the Court's time and attention which are better devoted to those matters within its
exclusive jurisdiction," as well as to prevent the congestion of the Court's dockets.
Hence, for this Court to be able to "satisfactorily perform the functions assigned to it by
the fundamental charter," it must remain as a "court of last resort." This can be achieved
by relieving the Court of the "task of dealing with causes in the first instance."
As expressly provided in the Constitution, this Court has original jurisdiction "over
petitions for certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas
corpus."However, this Court has emphasized that the power to issue writs of certiorari,
prohibition, and mandamus does not exclusively pertain to this Court. Rather, it is
shared with the Court of Appeals and the Regional Trial Courts. Nevertheless, "this
concurrence of jurisdiction" does not give parties unfettered discretion as to the choice
of forum. The doctrine on hierarchy of courts is determinative of the appropriate venue
where petitions for extraordinary writs should be filed. Parties cannot randomly select
the court or forum to which their actions will be directed.
There is another reason why this Court enjoins strict adherence to the doctrine on
hierarchy of courts. The doctrine that requires respect for the hierarchy of courts was
created by this court to ensure that every level of the judiciary performs its designated
roles in an effective and efficient manner."
Consequently, this Court will not entertain direct resort to it when relief can be obtained
in the lower courts. This holds especially true when questions of fact are raised. Unlike
this Court, trial courts and the Court of Appeals are better equipped to resolve questions
of fact. They are in the best position to deal with causes in the first instance.