Amendment to B.P. Blg. 129 Re: Expansion of CA Jurisdiction

February 23, 1995

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7902

AN ACT EXPANDING THE JURISDICTION OF THE COURT OF APPEALS, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION NINE OF BATAS PAMBANSA BLG. 129, AS AMENDED, KNOWN AS THE JUDICIARY REORGANIZATION ACT OF 1980

SECTION 1. Section 9 of Batas Pambansa Blg. 129, as amended, known as the Judiciary Reorganization Act of 1980, is hereby further amended to read as follows:

"Sec. 9. Jurisdiction. — The Court of Appeals shall exercise:

"(1) Original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, habeas corpus, and quo warranto, and auxiliary writs or processes, whether or not in aid of its appellate jurisdiction;

"(2) Exclusive original jurisdiction over actions for annulment of judgment of Regional Trial Courts; and

"(3) Exclusive appellate jurisdiction over all final judgments, decisions, resolutions, orders or awards of Regional Trial Courts and quasi-judicial agencies, instrumentalities, boards or commissions, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Social Security Commission, the Employees Compensation Commission and the Civil Service Commission, except those falling within the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court in accordance with the Constitution, the Labor Code of the Philippines under Presidential Decree No. 442, as amended, the provisions of this Act, and of subparagraph (1) of the third paragraph and subparagraph (4) of the fourth paragraph of Section 17 of the Judiciary Act of 1948.

"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 falling within its original and appellate jurisdiction, including 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. All provisions of laws and rules inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved: February 23, 1995

Published in the Manila Times on March 2, 1995. Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 91 No. 20 page 3030 on May 8, 1995.