Criminal Jurisdiction of Trial Courts

Criminal Jurisdiction of Trial Courts however, that in offenses involving damage to
property through criminal negligence, this Rule shall

Basic Concepts govern where the imposable fine does not exceed
• Jurisdiction over the subject matter is conferred ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00).
by law. This Rule shall not apply to a civil case where the
• It is not conferred by the waiver of any party, or plaintiffs cause of action is pleaded in the same
consent, acquiescence or agreement of the complaint with another cause of action subject to the
parties. ordinary procedure; nor to a criminal case where the
• It may be raised by any party or motu proprio by offense charged is necessarily related to another
the court at any stage of the proceedings. criminal case subject to the ordinary procedure
• While jurisdiction is conferred by law, it is to be
determined by the allegations in the criminal Prohibited pleadings or motions under the Rules
complaint or information. on Summary Procedures:
a) Motion to dismiss the complaint or to quash the
CRIMINAL JURISDICTION OF THE FIRST LEVEL complaint or information except on the ground of
COURTS (MTC, MTCC, MeTC) lack of jurisdiction over the subject matter, or
failure to comply with the preceding section;
SECTION 32. Jurisdiction of Metropolitan Trial b) Motion for a bill of particulars;
Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal c) Motion for new trial, or for reconsideration of a
Circuit Trial Courts in criminal cases. — Except judgment, or for opening of trial;
in cases falling within the exclusive original d) Petition for relief from judgment;
jurisdiction of Regional Trial Courts and of the e) Motion for extension of time to file pleadings,
Sandiganbayan, the Metropolitan Trial Courts, affidavits or any other paper;
Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit f) Memoranda;
Trial Courts shall exercise: g) Petition for certiorari, mandamus, or prohibition
1) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all violations against any interlocutory order issued by the
of city or municipal ordinances committed within court;
their respective territorial jurisdiction; and h) Motion to declare the defendant in default;
2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over all offenses i) Dilatory motions for postponement;
punishable with imprisonment not exceeding six j) Reply;
(6) years irrespective of the amount of fine, and k) Third party complaints;
regardless of other imposable accessory or l) Interventions.
other penalties, including the civil liability arising
from such offenses or predicated thereon,
irrespective of kind, nature, value or amount Examples of Criminal Cases which are NOT
thereof: Provided, however, That in offenses cognizable by the first level courts even if
involving damage to property through criminal punishable by imprisonment not exceeding six
negligence, they shall have exclusive original (6) years:
jurisdiction thereof.
3) Violations of B.P. 22 (Bouncing Check Law, per 1. Libel
A.M. No. 00-11-01-SC, effective April 15,
2003) Art. 355. Libel means by writings or similar
means. — A libel committed by means of writing,
4) Special jurisdiction to decide on applications for printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph,
bail in criminal cases in the absence of all RTC painting, theatrical exhibition, cinematographic
Judges in a province or city (Section 35, B.P. exhibition, or any similar means, shall be punished
129 as amended by R.A. 7691). by prision correccional in its minimum and medium
periods or a fine ranging from 200 to 6,000 pesos, or
5) Criminal cases falling under the Revised Rules both, in addition to the civil action which may be
on Summary Procedures brought by the offended party.
Criminal Cases falling under the Rules on 2. Violations of Republic Act No. 3019, as
Summary Procedure amended, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and
Corruption Practices Act, and Republic Act
(1) Violations of traffic laws, rules and regulations; No. 1379, and Chapter II, Section 2, Title VII of
(2) Violations of the rental law; the Revised Penal Code, where one or more of
(3) Violations of municipal or city ordinances; the accused are officials mentioned under
(4) All other criminal cases where the penalty Section 4 (A) of P.D. 1606, as amended.
prescribed by law for the offense charged is
imprisonment not exceeding six months, or a fine not Art. 210. Direct bribery. — Any public officer who
exceeding (P1,000.00), or both, irrespective of other shall agree to perform an act constituting a
imposable penalties, accessory or otherwise, or of crime, in connection with the performance of this
the civil liability arising therefrom: Provided, official duties, in consideration of any offer,
promise, gift or present received by such officer, modification of the decision or judgment sought
personally or through the mediation of another, to be reviewed.
shall suffer the penalty of prision mayor in its
medium and maximum periods and a fine [of not Section 23. Special jurisdiction to try special
less than the value of the gift and] not less than cases. – The Supreme Court may designate
three times the value of the gift in addition to the certain branches of the Regional Trial Courts to
penalty corresponding to the crime agreed upon, handle exclusively criminal cases, juvenile and
if the same shall have been committed. domestic relations cases, agrarian cases, urban
land reform cases which do not fall under the
If the gift was accepted by the officer in jurisdiction of quasi-judicial bodies and
consideration of the execution of an act which agencies, and/or such other special cases as
does not constitute a crime, and the officer the Supreme Court may determine in the
executed said act, he shall suffer the same interest of a speedy and efficient administration
penalty provided in the preceding paragraph; of justice.
and if said act shall not have been
accomplished, the officer shall suffer the Criminal cases cognizable by the RTC under specific
penalties of prision correccional, in its medium laws
period and a fine of not less than twice the value
of such gift. 1) Libel (Article 360 of the RPC)
2) Criminal cases involving children in conflict with
3. Criminal cases involving a child or children in the law (R.A. 9344 & RA 8369)
conflict with the law 3) Violation of R.A. 9262 (VAWCI)
4) Violation of Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs
4. Violations of R.A. 9262 (VAWC) Act of 2002 (R.A. 9165)
5) Violation of the Intellectual Property Act (R.A.
CRIMINAL JURISDICTION OF THE REGIONAL 8293; A.M. No. 03-03-03-SC)
TRIAL COURTS (RTC) 6) Violation of Anti-Money Laundering Law.
However, those committed by public officers and
Section 20. Jurisdiction in criminal cases. – Regional private persons, who are in conspiracy with such
Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive original jurisdiction public officers, shall be under the jurisdiction of
in all criminal cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction the Sandiganbayan (Section 5, R.A. 9160)
of any court, tribunal or body, except those now falling
under the exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction of the Case is cognizable by MTC
Sandiganbayan which shall hereafter be exclusively
taken cognizance of by the latter.
Section 21. Original jurisdiction in other cases. –

Regional Trial Courts shall exercise original jurisdiction:
1) In the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, Case is cognizable by RTC

mandamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus and and is not punishable by reclusion perpetua/life
injunction which may be enforced in any part of imprisonment/death
their respective regions; and
2) In actions affecting ambassadors and other

public ministers and consuls.
3) Section 22. Appellate jurisdiction. – Regional

Trial Courts shall exercise appellate jurisdiction Case is cognizable by RTC
over all cases decided by Metropolitan Trial and is punishable by reclusion perpetua/life
Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal imprisonment/death
Circuit Trial Courts in their respective territorial
jurisdictions. Such cases shall be decided on the
basis of the entire record of the proceedings had
in the court of origin and such memoranda
and/or briefs as may be submitted by the parties
or required by the Regional Trial Courts. The
decision of the Regional Trial Courts in such
cases shall be appealable by petition for review
to the Court of Appeals which may give it due
course only when the petition shows prima facie
that the lower court has committed an error of
fact or law that will warrant a reversal or

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Criminal Jurisdiction of Trial Courts however, that in offenses involving damage to

property through criminal negligence, this Rule shall

Section 21. Original jurisdiction in other cases. –

1) In the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, Case is cognizable by RTC

2) In actions affecting ambassadors and other

3) Section 22. Appellate jurisdiction. – Regional

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