Mandate

COMPOSITION/PLACE OF HOLDING SESSIONS

The Court of Appeals is composed of the Presiding Justice and sixty-eight (68) Associate Justices. It has twenty-three (23) divisions, each composed of three (3) Associate Justices. The first seventeen (17) divisions are stationed in the City of Manila, the 18th to 20th divisions are in Cebu City, while the 21st to 23rd divisions are in Cagayan de Oro City.

EXERCISE OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONS (ADJUDICATIVE / JUDICIAL)

The Court exercises its adjudicative and judicial powers, functions, and duties through the twenty-three (23) divisions. The divisions in Manila station, over cases coming from the 1st to 5th judicial regions; the divisions in Cebu station, over cases coming from the 6th to 8th judicial regions; and the divisions in Cagayan de Oro station, over cases coming from the 9th to 12th judicial regions.

EXERCISE OF POWERS AND FUNCTIONS (ADMINISTRATIVE)

The Court sits en banc for the purpose of exercising administrative, ceremonial, or other non-adjudicative functions. The Presiding Justice presides over the Court en banc and has the control and supervision over administrative affairs of the Court.

JURISDICTION

Under Batas Pambansa Bilang 129, as amended by Republic Act No. 7902, the Court has original and appellate jurisdiction. It has original jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus, prohibition, certiorari, habeas corpus, quo warranto, and auxiliary writs or processes, whether or not in aid of its appellate jurisdiction; and over actions for annulment of judgments of Regional Trial Courts. It has 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.

The Court also exercises jurisdiction over certain actions and incidents as conferred by other laws and rules of the Supreme Court. Among others, it has jurisdiction over certain actions under Republic Act No. 9160 or the Anti-Money Laundering, as amended; Republic Act No. 10168 or the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2020; Republic Act No. 10142 or the Financial Rehabilitation and Insolvency Act of 2010, in relation to A.M. No. 12-12-11-SC; A.M. No. 07- 9-12-SC, over petitions for the issuance of writs of amparo; A.M. No. 08-1-16-SC over petitions for the issuance of writs of habeas data; and A.M. No. 09-6-8-S, over petitions for the issuance of writs of kalikasan and continuing mandamus. The Court has intermediate appellate jurisdiction over criminal cases decided by regional trial courts where the penalty imposed is reclusion perpetua, life imprisonment, or death; and, via certiorari, jurisdiction over decisions of the National Labor Relations Commission.

In the exercise of its jurisdiction, the Court has 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.