BATAS PAMBANSA Blg.

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AN ACT REORGANIZING THE JUDICIARY, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR

OTHER PURPOSES

CHAPTER III
METROPOLITAN TRIAL COURTS, MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS, AND MUNICIPAL CIRCUIT
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 (P100,000.00) or, in Metro Manila where such personal property, estate, or amount of
the demand does not exceed Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) 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 issue of ownership,
the issue of ownership shall be resolved only to determine the issue of possession.

(3) Exclusive original jurisdiction in all civil actions which involve title to, or possession of,
real property, or any interest therein where the assessed value of the property or interest
therein does not exceed Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) or, in civil actions in Metro
Manila, where such assessed value does not exceed Fifty 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 the assessed value of
the adjacent lots. (as amended by R.A. No. 7691)
Section 34. Delegated jurisdiction in cadastral and land registration cases. Metropolitan Trial
Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts may be assigned by the Supreme
Court to hear and determine cadastral or land registration cases covering lots where there is no
controversy 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 the affidavit of the claimant
or by agreement of the respective claimants if there are more than one, or from the corresponding
tax declaration of the real 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 35. Special jurisdiction in certain cases. In the absence of all the Regional Trial Judges in
a province or city, any Metropolitan Trial Judge, 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 36. Summary procedures in special cases. In Metropolitan Trial 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.

Section 37. Preliminary investigation. Judges of Metropolitan Trial Courts, except those in the
National Capital Region, of Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall have
authority to conduct preliminary investigation of crimes alleged to have been committed within their
respective territorial jurisdictions which are cognizable by the Regional Trial Courts.

The preliminary investigation shall be conducted in accordance with the procedure prescribed in
Section 1, paragraphs (a), (b), (c), and (d), of Presidential Decree No. 911: Provided, however, That
if after the preliminary investigation the Judge finds a prima facie case, he shall forward the records
of the case to the Provincial/City Fiscal for the filing of the corresponding information with the proper
court.

No warrant of arrest shall be issued by the Judge in connection with any criminal complaint filed with
him for preliminary investigation, unless after an examination in writing and under oath or affirmation
of the complainant and his witnesses, he finds that a probable cause exists.

Any warrant of arrest issued in accordance herewith may be served anywhere in the Philippines.

Section 38. Judgments and processes.

(1) All judgments determining the merits of cases shall be in writing, stating clearly the facts
and the law on which they were based, signed by the Judge and filed with the Clerk of Court.
Such judgment shall be appealable to the Regional Trial Courts in accordance with the
procedure now prescribed by law for appeals to the Court of First Instance, by the provisions
of this Act, and by such rules as the Supreme Court may hereafter prescribe.

(2) All processes issued by the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts and
Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, in cases falling within their jurisdiction, may be served
anywhere in the Philippines without the necessity of certification by the Judge of the
Regional Trial Court.