ROLES AND OBLIGATIONS OF

THE PHILIPPINE JUDICIARY

 TYPES OF COURTS IN THE PHILLIPPINES

1. SUPREME COURT
- It is the highest court in the
Philippines. It has an administrative
supervision over all courts and the
personnel.
- The court consists of 14 associate
justices and 1 Chief Justice.
- Its powers are defined in Article VIII
of the 1987 Constitution.
 The Philippine Judiciary
• It is the system of courts that interprets and
applies the law in the name of the state.
• Also provides a mechanism for the resolution of
disputes.
• Under the doctrine of the separation of powers,
the judiciary generally does not make law, but
rather interprets law and applies it to the facts
of each case. This branch of the state is often
tasked with ensuring equal justice under law. It
usually consists of a court of final appeal called
the "Supreme court”.
 Roles and Responsibilities of the Judiciary
• Its duty is to settle actual controversies
involving rights which are legally
demandable and enforceable (Art. VIII Sec.
1 (2)).
• Also, to check balances between the 3
branches of the Philippine legal system. It
oversees and make sure that none of he the
3 branches overlaps each other.
• Most especially, its duty is to check a law
passed by the congress or senate if it is
constitutional or not.
 These functions may be generally divided into
two – judicial functions and administrative
functions
• The administrative functions of the Court
pertain to the supervision and control over the
Philippine judiciary and its employees, as well
as over members of the Philippine bar.
• The Court is further authorized to promulgate
the rules for admission to the practice of law,
for legal assistance to the underprivileged, and
the procedural rules to be observed in all
courts.
2. COURT OF APPEALS
– is the Philippines' second-highest judicial court, just
after the Supreme Court.
– The court consists of 68 Associate Justices and 1
Presiding Justice.
– The Court of Appeals was established under Batas
Pambansa Bilang 129 known as "The Judiciary
Reorganization Act of 1980".
– The Court is composed of one Presiding Justice
and sixty eight (68) Associate Justices. They are all
appointed by the President.
• The Court sits by divisions,
each division being composed
of three members. The Court
may sit en banc for the
purpose of exercising
administrative, ceremonial or
other non-adjudicatory
3. Sandiganbayan
– the peoples advocate
- is a special court which was established
under Presidential Decree No. 1606. Its rank is
equivalent to the Court of Appeals.
- The SB or Sandiganbayan tries and
decides criminal and civil cases against
government officials and employees accused
of graft and corruption and similar other cases.
 - It shall sit in five (5) divisions of three
justices each. The five (5) may sit at the
same time. The first three divisions shall
be stationed in the Metro Manila area,
the fourth division shall be in Cebu City
for cases coming from the Visayas
region, and the fifth division shall be in
Cagayan de Oro City for cases coming
from the Mindanao region.
4. THE OMBUDSMAN ACT OF 1989
- Its main agenda is to oversee the
Philippine Laws Against Graft and
Corruption
Where people believe that, Public office is
a public trust and must at all times be
accountable to the people, serve them with
utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty,
efficiency, act with patriotism and justice
and lead modest lives.
5. Court of Tax Appeals - Hukuman ng
Paghahabol sa Buwis ng Pilipinas
- It is the special court of limited jurisdiction, and has the
same level with the Court of Appeals.
- The court consists of 8 Associate Justices and 1
Presiding Justice.
- Previously, only decision, judgment, ruling or inaction of
the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, the Commissioner of
Customs, the Secretary of Finance, the Secretary of Trade
and Industry, or the Secretary of Agriculture, involving the
National Internal Revenue Code and the Tariff and Customs
Code on civil matters are appealable to the Court of Tax
Appeals.
 The expanded jurisdiction transferred to
the CTA the jurisdiction of the Regional Trial
Courts and the Court of Appeals over matters
involving criminal violation and collection of
revenues under the National Internal
Revenue Code and Tariff and Customs Code.
In addition, it also acquired jurisdiction over
cases involving local and real property taxes
which used to be with the Regional Trial
Court and the Court of Appeals.
6. Regional Trial Courts
- were established among the thirteen regions in the
Philippines consisting of Regions I to XII and the National
Capital Region (NCR). There are as many Regional Trial
Courts in each region as the law mandates.
- It shall exercise exclusive original jurisdiction in all
criminal cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any
court, tribunal or body, except those now falling under the
exclusive and concurrent jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan
which shall hereafter be exclusively taken cognizance of by
the latter.
- RTC Criminal Courts typically try cases of serious
crimes like murder and robbery, as opposed to petty crimes,
which reduce the burden of court cases.
7. MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURTS
- Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal
Circuit Trial Courts shall be the same as in
the Regional Trial Courts, except (a) where a
particular provision expressly or impliedly
applies only to either of said courts; and (b)
in criminal cases governed by the Rule on
Summary Procedure in Special Cases
adopted on August 1, 1983, namely, (1)
Violations of traffic laws, rules and
regulations; (2) Violations of the rental law;
(3) Violations of municipal or city ordinances; and
(4) All other criminal cases where the penalty
prescribed by law for the offense charged does
not exceed six months imprisonment, or a fine of
one thousand pesos (P1,000.00) or both
irrespective of other imposable penalties,
accessory or otherwise, or of the civil liability
arising therefrom; Provided, however, that in
offenses involving damage to property through
criminal negligence, said Rule shall govern where
the imposable fine does not exceed ten thousand
pesos (P10,0000.00).
A. MUNICIPAL TRIAL COURT
- Every municipality in the Philippines has
its own Municipal Trial Court. It is referred to
as such if it covers only one municipality;

B. Municipal Circuit Trial Courts

- Are judicial courts of the Philippine
Judicial Sytem which covers two or more
municipalities in the country.
8. Shari’a District Courts
- Equivalent to the Regional Trial Courts in rank
are the Shari'a District Courts which were
established in certain specified provinces in
Mindanao where the Code of Muslim Personal
Laws of the Philippines is being enforced.
-There are five Shari'a District Courts and fifty
one Shari'a Circuit Courts in existence. A Shari'a
District Court is of limited jurisdiction. It was
created under Presidential Decree No. 1083.
 - Cases falling within the exclusive jurisdiction
of the Shari'a District Courts primarily pertain to
family rights and duties as well as contractual
relations of Filipino Muslims in the Mindanao.
- The Shari'a District Court has appellate
jurisdiction over all cases tried in the Shari'a Circuit
Courts within their territorial jurisdiction. It shall
decide every case on the basis of the evidence
and the records transmitted as well as such
memoranda, briefs or oral arguments as the
parties may submit.
 - The decisions of the Shari'a District Courts,
whether on appeal from the Shari'a Circuit Courts
or not, shall be final. The Supreme Court shall,
however, continue to exercise original and
appellate jurisdiction over certain issues as
provided by the Constitution.

9. THE SHARI'A CIRCUIT COURTS

- Equivalent to the Municial Circuit Trial Courts
are the Shari'a Circuit Courts which were
established in certain municipalities in Mindanao
where the Code of Muslim Personal Laws of the
Philippines is being enforced.
 - There are five Shari'a Circuit Courts and fifty
one (51) Shari'a Circuit Courts in existence. A
Shari'a Circuit Court has original jurisdiction over
the following:
1. All cases involving offenses defined and
punished under Presidential Decree No. 1083;
2. All civil actions and proceedings between parties
who are Muslims or have been married in
accordance with Article 13 of Presidential Decree
No. 1083 involving disputes relating to:
• a. Marriage;
b. Divorce recognized under Presidential
Decree No. 1083;
c. Betrothal or breach of contract to marry;
d. Customary dowry (mahr); e. Disposition
and distribution of property upon divorce; f.
Maintenance and support, and concolotary
gifts(mut'a); and g. Restitution of marital
rights.
3. All cases involving disputes relative to
communal properties.
 HOW DOES JUDICIARY EXERCISES
POLITICAL NEUTRALITY AND FAIRNESS?

In the Philippines, the separation of powers is a

model for the governance of a state to determine
how politicians exercise neutrality and fairness.
Under this model, a state's government is divided
into branches, each with separate and
independent powers and areas of responsibility so
that the powers of one branch are not in conflict
with the powers associated with the other
branches.
The typical division is into three branches:
- a legislature, an executive, and
- a judiciary, which is the trio political
model. It can be contrasted with the fusion
of powers in some parliamentary systems
where the executive and legislative
branches overlap.
Separation of powers, therefore, refers to the
division of responsibilities into distinct branches to
limit any one branch from exercising the core
functions of another. The intent of separation of
powers is to prevent the concentration of
unchecked power by providing for "checks" and
"balances" to avoid autocracy, over-reaching by
one branch over another, and the attending
efficiency of governing by one actor without need
for negotiation and compromise with any other.
Todays, Philippine Judiciary has a rotten system
where we witness a lot of injustices, betrayal,
misconceptions and abuse of political powers. We
were colonized for 333 years under the Spaniards-
colony where we were abused and belittled. Our
ancestors and heroes fought for our freedom yet
here we are, still experiencing injustices because
of our leaders/government officials who tend to be
our representatives but the ones who sting and
betray their constituents. After many researches,
We can say that, it is not the system but the
executors and undisciplined administrative officials
are the real problem why we can’t fix the Philippine
legal system problem .
 Evaluate the performance of the PH
judiciary as a dispenser of justice and a
protector of constitution safeguards to
freedom.
We witness judges from different branches and
courts who receive bribes from a high and
honoured official to flip a case and to deprive an
ordinary citizen from its freedom and liberty as a
filipino citizen. The government officials shall live
with the oath they promised in front of their
constituents and God. Thus, they shall abide all
the rules and obligations they are opted and
obliged to do. Thus, they shall always ensure to
serve their constituent’s benefits and necessities.
Thus, they shall always live with the vision of the
late President Manuel A. Roxas “Bayan Muna,
Bago Sarili”.