Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 7691)
The primary purpose of Republic Act No. 7691 is to expand the jurisdiction of the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts, amending certain provisions of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129 or the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980.
Regional Trial Courts have exclusive original jurisdiction in civil actions involving title to or possession of real property where the assessed value exceeds Twenty thousand pesos (₱20,000.00) or in Metro Manila where it exceeds Fifty thousand pesos (₱50,000.00), except cases of forcible entry and unlawful detainer.
They have exclusive original jurisdiction over all city or municipal ordinance violations within their territorial jurisdiction and all offenses punishable by imprisonment not exceeding six years, including related civil liabilities, with an exception for offenses falling under exclusive Regional Trial Courts or Sandiganbayan jurisdiction.
They have exclusive original jurisdiction over civil actions and probate proceedings where the value of the personal property or estate, or the demand, does not exceed ₱100,000 or ₱200,000 in Metro Manila, including cases of forcible entry and unlawful detainer, and cases involving title or possession of real property not exceeding ₱20,000 or ₱50,000 in Metro Manila.
In cases of land not declared for taxation, the value of the property shall be determined by the assessed value of the adjacent lots as per the amended Section 33(3).
The Supreme Court may assign Metropolitan, Municipal, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts to hear and decide cadastral or land registration cases involving uncontested lots or contested lots valued not exceeding ₱100,000, with valuation based on affidavits or tax declarations.
After five years, the jurisdictional amounts increase to ₱200,000, and after ten years, they are further adjusted to ₱300,000. Specific amounts for Metro Manila are to be provided but are not fully stated in the excerpt.
Yes, Section 7 allows civil cases cognizable by municipal and metropolitan courts to be transferred from the Regional Trial Courts by agreement of all parties, and the executive judge of the Regional Trial Court defines the administrative procedure for such transfer.
Regional Trial Courts exercise exclusive original jurisdiction over all civil actions where the subject of litigation is incapable of pecuniary estimation, as stated in Section 19(1).
Metropolitan, Municipal, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts have exclusive original jurisdiction over offenses involving damage to property through criminal negligence, irrespective of other penalties or liabilities (Section 32(2), proviso).