Jurisdiction of MTC, RTC, CA
Under Batas Pambansa 129
By: Froilan Jay C. Suarez
Municipal Trial Courts/ Metropolitan Trial
Courts
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 33. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts
and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts in civil cases. – Metropolitan Trial Courts,
Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall exercise:
(1) 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 (P300,000.00) or, in Metro Manila where such
personal property, estate, or amount of the demand does not
exceed Two hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00) 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;
(2) 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
Regional Trial Courts Court of Appeals
Section 19. Jurisdiction in civil cases. – Regional Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive original Section 9. Jurisdiction. – The Court of Appeals shall Exercise:
jurisdiction:
1. Original jurisdiction to issue writs
(1) In all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is incapable of pecuniary of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, habeas corpus, and quo
estimation; warranto,and auxiliary writs or processes, whether or not in aid
of its appellate jurisdiction;
(2) 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 2. Exclusive original jurisdiction over actions for annulment of
thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or for civil actions in Metro Manila, where such the value judgements of Regional Trial Courts; and
exceeds Fifty thousand pesos (50,000.00) except actions for forcible entry into and
unlawful detainer of lands or buildings, original jurisdiction over which is conferred upon
3. Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all final judgements,
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts;
resolutions, orders or awards of Regional Trial Courts and quasi-
judicial agencies, instrumentalities, boards or commission,
(3) In all actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where he demand or claim including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Social
exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) or , in Metro Manila, where such Security Commission, the Employees Compensation
demand or claim exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00); Commission and the Civil Service Commission, Except those
falling within the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in
accordance with the Constitution, the Labor Code of the
(4) In all matters of probate, both testate and intestate, where the gross value of the
Philippines under Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, the
estate exceeds One hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00) or, in probate matters in
provisions of this Act, and of subparagraph (1) of the third
Metro Manila, where such gross value exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos
paragraph and subparagraph 4 of the fourth paragraph od
(400,000.00); (as amended by RA 7691)
Section 17 of the Judiciary Act of 1948.
(5) In all actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations;
The court of Appeals shall have the power to try cases and conduct
hearings, receive evidence and perform any and all acts necessary to
(6) In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body resolve factual issues raised in cases falling within its original and appellate
exercising jurisdiction or any court, tribunal, person or body exercising judicial or quasi- jurisdiction, including the power to grant and conduct new trials or
judicial functions; Appeals must be continuous and must be completed within three (3)
months, unless extended by the Chief Justice.
(7) In all civil actions and special proceedings falling within the exclusive original
jurisdiction of a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and of the Courts of Agrarian
Relations as now provided by law; and
(8) 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 (100,000.00)
or, in such other abovementioned items exceeds Two hundred thousand pesos
(200,000.00). (as amended by R.A. No. 7691*)
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,
 issue of ownership, the issue of ownership shall be resolved only to except those now falling under the exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan which
determine the issue of possession. shall hereafter be exclusively taken cognizance of by the latter.

(3) Exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil actions which involve Section 21. Original jurisdiction in other cases. – Regional Trial Courts shall exercise original
title to, or possession of, real property, or any interest therein jurisdiction:
where the assessed value of the property or interest therein does
not exceed Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or, in civil actions
(1) In the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas
in Metro Manila, where such assessed value does not exceed Fifty
corpus and injunction which may be enforced in any part of their respective regions; and
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 (2) In actions affecting ambassadors and other public ministers and consuls.
the assessed value of the adjacent lots. (as amended by R.A. No.
7691) 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
Section 34. Delegated jurisdiction in cadastral and land registration cases. – Courts in their respective territorial jurisdictions. Such cases shall be decided on the basis of the
Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial entire record of the proceedings had in the court of origin and such memoranda and/or briefs as
Courts may be assigned by the Supreme Court to hear and determine may be submitted by the parties or required by the Regional Trial Courts. The decision of the
cadastral or land registration cases covering lots where there is no controversy Regional Trial Courts in such cases shall be appealable by petition for review to the
or opposition, or contested lots the where the value of which does not exceed
One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00), such value to be ascertained by Court of Appeals which may give it due course only when the petition shows prima facie that the
the affidavit of the claimant or by agreement of the respective claimants if lower court has committed an error of fact or law that will warrant a reversal or modification of the
there are more than one, or from the corresponding tax declaration of the real decision or judgment sought to be reviewed.
property. Their decisions in these cases shall be appealable in the same
manner as decisions of the Regional Trial Courts. (as amended by R.A. No.
7691) 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
Section 35. Special jurisdiction in certain cases. – In the absence of all the quasi-judicial bodies and agencies, and/or such other special cases as the Supreme Court may
Regional Trial Judges in a province or city, any Metropolitan Trial Judge, determine in the interest of a speedy and efficient administration of justice.
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. Section 24. Special Rules of Procedure. – Whenever a Regional Trial Court takes cognizance of
juvenile and domestic relation cases and/or agrarian cases, the special rules of procedure applicable
under present laws to such cases shall continue to be applied, unless subsequently amended by law
Section 36. Summary procedures in special cases. – In Metropolitan Trial or by rules of court promulgated by the Supreme Court.
Courts and Municipal Trial Courts with at least two branches, the Supreme
Court may designate one or more branches thereof to try exclusively forcible
entry and unlawful detainer cases, those involving violations of traffic laws,
rules and regulations, violations of the rental law, and such other cases
requiring summary disposition as the Supreme Court may determine. The
Supreme Court shall adopt special rules or procedures applicable to such cases
in order to achieve an expeditious and inexpensive determination thereof
without regard to technical rules. Such simplified procedures may provide that
affidavits and counter-affidavits may be admitted in lieu of oral testimony and
that the periods for filing pleadings shall be non-extendible.