Expanding Court of Appeals Jurisdiction

Section 1 amends Section 9 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as amended, known as the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980.
Section 1 provides that the Court of Appeals shall exercise specified original, exclusive original, and exclusive appellate jurisdiction.
Section 1 also grants the Court of Appeals authority to try cases, conduct hearings, receive evidence, resolve factual issues, and grant further proceedings when it is resolving cases within its jurisdiction.

Section 9(1) of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as amended by Section 1 of Republic Act No. 7902, grants the Court of Appeals original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, habeas corpus, and quo warrants, and auxiliary writs or processes.
The Court of Appeals may issue these writs whether or not they are in aid of its appellate jurisdiction.

Section 9(2) grants the Court of Appeals exclusive original jurisdiction over actions for annulment of judgments of Regional Trial Courts.

Section 9(3) grants the Court of Appeals exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all final judgments, decisions, resolutions, orders, or awards of Regional Trial Courts and quasi-judicial agencies, instrumentalities, boards or commissions.
The listed quasi-judicial bodies include the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Social Security Commission, the Employees Compensation Commission, and the Civil Service Commission.
Section 9(3) limits this appellate jurisdiction by excluding matters that fall within the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court under:
- the Constitution, and
- the Labor Code of the Philippines under Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, and
- the provisions of this Act, and
- subparagraph (1) of the third paragraph and subparagraph (4) of the fourth paragraph of Section 17 of the Judiciary Act of 1948.

Republic Act No. 7902 expressly provides that the Court of Appeals shall have the power to try cases and conduct hearings, receive evidence, and perform any and all acts necessary to resolve factual issues raised in cases within its original and appellate jurisdiction.
Republic Act No. 7902 grants the Court of Appeals the power to grant and conduct new trials or further proceedings.
Trials or hearings in the Court of Appeals must be continuous and must be completed within three (3) months, unless extended by the Chief Justice.

Section 2 provides that all provisions of laws and rules inconsistent with Republic Act No. 7902 are repealed or amended accordingly.