The Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980 and the Act Establishing the Sandiganbayan

Section 13

There are hereby created thirteen (13) Regional Trial Courts, one for each of the following judicial regions: The First Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Abra, Benguet, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Mountain Province, and Pangasinan, and cities of Baguio, Dagupan, Laoag and San Carlos; The Second Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Batanes, Cagayan, Ifugao, Kalinga-Apayao, Nueva Vizcaya, and Quirino; The Third Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Bataan, Bulacan (except the municipality of valenzuela), Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales, and the cities of Angeles, Cabanatuan, Olongapo, Palayan and San Jose; The National Capital Judicial Region, consisting of the cities of Manila, Quezon, Pasay, Caloocan and Mandaluyong, and the municipalities of Navotas, Malabon, San Juan, Makati, Pasig, Pateros, Taguig, Marikina, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, and Valenzuela; The Fourth Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Marinduque, Mindoro Occidental, Mindoro Oriental, Palawan, Quezon, Rizal (except the cities and municipalities embraced within the National Capital Judicial Region, Romblon, and Aurora, and the cities of Batangas, Cavite, Lipa, Lucena, Puerto Princesa, San Pablo, Tagaytay, and Trece Martires; The Fifth Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Albay, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon, and the cities of Legaspi, Naga and Iriga; The Sixth Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Iloilo, La Calota, Roxas, San Carlos, and Silay, and the subprovince of Guimaras; The Seventh Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Bohol, Cebu, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor, and the cities of Bais, Canlaon, Cebu, Danao, Dumaguete, Lapu-lapu, Mandaue, Tagbilaran, and Toledo, The Eighth Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces or Eastern Samar, Leyte, Northern, Samar, Southern Leyte, Ormoc, and Tacloban: The Ninth Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Sur, and the cities of Dapitan, Dipolog, Pagadian, and Zamboanga; The Tenth Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, and Surigao del Norte, and the cities of Butuan, Cagayan de Oro, Gingoog, Ozamis, Oroquieta, Surigao, and Tangub; The Eleventh Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, and Surigao del Sur, and the cities of Davao, and General Santos; and The Twelfth Judicial Region, consisting of the provinces of Lanao del Norte, Lanao del Sur, Maguindanao, North Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat, and the cities of Cotabato, Iligan, and Marawi. In case of transfer or redistribution of the provinces, subprovinces, cities or municipalities comprising the regions established by law for purposes of the administrative field organization of the various departments and agencies of the government, the composition of the judicial regions herein constituted shall be deemed modified accordingly.

Section 14

Regional Trial Court. (Please refer to the table below for the distribution of RTCs) (n) One hundred (100) positions of Regional Trial Judges-at-Large are created. The duly appointed Regional Trial Judges-at-Large shall have no permanent salas and may be assigned by the Supreme Court as acting or assisting judges to any Regional Trial Court in the Philippines as public interest may require. The said Judges-at-Large are entitled to salaries, privileges, allowances, emoluments, benefits, rank and title of a Regional Trial Judge. The Supreme Court shall determine the length of such temporary assignment: Provided, That the Judicial and Bar Council shall recommend to the President appointees to the Judges-at-Large positions, after the period of the temporary assignment, the Judicial and Bar Council shall recommend to the President the permanent sala to which the Judge-at-Large shall be appointed. (as inserted by RA No 11459 or the Judges-at-Large Act of 2019)

Section 15

No person shall be appointed Regional Trial Judge or Regional Trial Judge-at-Large unless that person is a natural-born citizen of the Philippines, at least thirty-five (35) years of age, and, for at least ten (10) years, has been engaged in the practice of law in the Philippines or has held a public office in the Philippines requiring admission to the practice of law as an indispensable requisite. (as amended by RA No 11459 or the Judges-at-Large Act of 2019)

Section 16

The time and duration of daily sessions of the Regional Trial Courts shall be determined by the Supreme Court: Provided, however, That all motions, except those requiring immediate action, shall be heard in the afternoon of every Friday, unless it falls on a holiday, in which case, the hearing shall be held on the afternoon of the next succeeding business day: Provided, further, That the Supreme Court may, for good reasons, fix a different motion day in specified areas

Section 17

Every Regional Trial Judge shall be appointed to a region which shall be his permanent station, and his appointment shall state the branch of the court and the seat thereof to which he shall be originally assigned. However, the Supreme Court may assign temporarily a Regional Trial Judge to another region as public interest may require, provided that such temporary assignment shall not last longer than six (6) months without the consent of the Regional Trial Judge concerned. A Regional Trial Judge may be assigned by the Supreme Court to any branch or city or municipality within the same region as public interest may require, and such assignment shall not be deemed an assignment to another station within the meaning of this section.

Section 18

The Supreme Court shall define the territory over which a branch of the Regional Trial Court shall exercise its authority. The territory thus defined shall be deemed to be the territorial area of the branch concerned for purposes of determining the venue of all suits, proceedings or actions, whether civil or criminal, as well as determining the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts over the said branch may exercise appellate jurisdiction. The power herein granted shall be exercised with a view to making the courts readily accessible to the people of the different parts of the region and making the attendance of litigants and witnesses as inexpensive as possible.

Section 19

Regional Trial Courts shall exercise exclusive original jurisdiction: (1) In all civil actions in which the subject of the litigation is incapable of pecuniary estimation; (2) In all civil actions which involve the title to, or possession of, real property, or any interest therein, where the assessed value exceeds Four hundred thousand pesos (P400,000.00), except for forcible entry into and unlawful detainer of lands or buildings, original jurisdiction over which is conferred upon the Metropolitan Trial Courts, and Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts; (3) In all actions in admiralty and maritime jurisdiction where the demand or claims exceeds Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00); (4) In all matters of probate, both estate and intestate, where the gross value of the estate exceeds Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00); (5) In all actions involving the contract of marriage and marital relations; (6) In all cases not within the exclusive jurisdiction of any court, tribunal, person or body exercising jurisdiction or any court, tribunal, person or body exercising judicial or quasi-judicial functions; (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 Two million pesos (P2,000,000.00). (as amended by R.A. Nos. 7691*, 11576)

Section 20

Regional Trial Courts 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.

Section 21

Regional Trial Courts shall exercise original jurisdiction: (1) In the issuance of writs of certiorari, prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, habeas corpus and injunction which may be enforced in any part of their respective regions; and (2) In actions affecting ambassadors and other public ministers and consuls.

Section 22

Regional Trial Courts shall exercise appellate jurisdiction over all cases decided by Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal 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 modification of the decision or judgment sought to be reviewed.

Section 23

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 quasi-judicial bodies and agencies, and/or such other special cases as the Supreme Court may determine in the interest of a speedy and efficient administration of justice.

Section 24

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 or by rules of court promulgated by the Supreme Court.