Some Things You Need to Know About the Barangay Justice System

Did you know?

1. The barangay conciliatory proceeding is a pre-requisite to filing of case at court.

In 1993, then Chief Justice Narvasa issued an Administrative Circular (SC Administrative Circular No. 14-93) instructing all trial courts against entertaining suits which have not undergone through the barangay conciliatory proceedings. It is only upon showing of a Certification to File Action from the barangay that a case will be entertained. Of course, cases falling under the “exceptions” are not included.

2. The Barangay Justice System is NOT part of the Judicial System. The Lupong Tagapamayapa are not judges but arbitrators. And although the word “Justice”, there is no such thing as Barangay Court. The Lupon or Pangkat acts like a court (weighing evidence, hearing testimonies, deciding on the merits, etc.) only on the instances when the parties in dispute agree to arbitration.

Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration: what’s the difference?  

3. Lawyers (as counsel) are not allowed to appear in barangay hearings. Like in the Small Claims Court, lawyers, acting as counsel/representative,  are not allowed to appear in barangay hearings.

4. The following are the crimes within the authority of the lupon:

The crimes where the Lupon exercises authority are:

(1)     Alarms and Scandals (Art. 155, Revised Penal Code (RPC);

(2)     False medical certificates; false certificates of merit of service if committed by private person (Article 174, last par., RPC);

(3)     Using false certificates (Article 175, RPC);

(4)     Using fictitious and concealing true name (Article 178, RPC);

(5)     False testimony against a defendant in criminal cases (Article 180, No. 4, RPC);

(6)     Physical injuries inflicted in a tumultuous affray when injuries inflicted are of a less serious nature (Article 252, 2^nd par., RPC);

(7)     Less Serious Physical Injuries (Article 265, RPC);

(8)     Slight Physical Injuries (Article 266, RPC);

(9)     Kidnapping and failure to return a minor committed by a parent (Article 270 in relation to the last par. of Article 271, RPC);

(10)  Inducing a minor to abandon his home (Article 271, 2^nd par. RPC);

(11) Abandonment of persons in danger and abandonment of one’s own victim (Article 275, RPC)

(12)   Abandoning a minor (Article 276, RPC);

(13) Abandonment of minor by person entrusted with his custody; indifference of parents (Article 277, RPC);

(14)   Qualified Tresspass To Dwelling (Article 280, RPC);

(15)   Other forms of Tresspass (Article 281, RPC);

(16)   Grave Threat if the threat was not subject to condition (Article 282, No. 2, RPC);

(17)   Light threats (Article 283, RPC);

(18)   Other Light threats (Article 285, RPC)

(19)  Grave Coercions (Article 286, RPC)

(20)   Light Coercions (Article 287, RPC)

(21)   Unjust Vexation (Article 287, last paragraph, RPC)

(22)  Other similar coercions or compulsory purchase of merchandise and payment of wages by means of tokens (Article 288, RPC)

(23)  Formation, maintenance and prohibition of combination of capital or labor through violence or threats (Article 289, RPC)

(24)   Discovering secrets through seizure of correspondence without revealing such secrets (Article 290, 2^nd paragraph, RPC)

(25)  Revealing secrets with abuse of office (Article 291, RPC)

(26)  Theft if value of stolen goods does not exceed P50.00 (Article 309, nos. 5, 6, 7 and 8, RPC)

(27)  Altering boundaries or landmarks (Article 313, RPC)

(28) Swindling or estafa if the amount of the fraud does not exceed P200.00 (Article 315, 4^th paragraph, RPC)

(29)   Other forms of swindling (Article 316, RPC)

(30)   Swindling a minor (Article 317, RPC)

(31)  Other deceits (Article 318, RPC)

(32)   Removal, sale or pledge of mortgaged property (Article 319, RPC)

(33)  Special cases of malicious mischief where the value of the damaged property does not exceed one thousand pesos (Article 328, Nos. 2 and 3, RPC)

(34)  Other mischief (Article 329, RPC)

(35)  Destroying or damaging useful or ornamental painting of a public nature (Article 331, 2^nd paragraph, RPC)

(36)  Simple seduction (Article 338, RPC)

(37)   Acts of lasciviousness with the consent of the offended party

(38)  Premature marriage (Article 351, RPC)

(39) Threatening to publish and offer to prevent such publication for a compensation or blackmail (Article 356, RPC)

(40)  Publication of facts connected with the private life of a person (Article 357, RPC)

(41)  Slight Oral Defamation (Article 358, RPC)

(42)  Slight Slander by Deed (Article 359, RPC)

(43)  Incriminating Innocent Person (Article 363, RPC)

(44)  Intriguing against person (Article 364, RPC)

(45)  Reckless imprudence had it been intentional would constitute a less grave felony or a light felony (Article 365, RPC)

(46)  Simple Imprudence (Article 365, RPC)

(47)  Violation of BP 22