2004 Bar: Filomeno brought an action in the Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) of Pasay City against Marcelino pleading two causes of action. The first was a demand for the recovery of physical possession of a parcel of land situated in Pasay City with an assessed value of P40,000; the second was a claim for damages of P500,000 for Marcelino‘s unlawful retention of the property. Marcelino filed a motion to dismiss on the ground that the total amount involved, which is P540,000, is beyond the jurisdiction of the MeTC.
Is Marcelino correct? (4%)
No. Metropolitan Trial Courts (MeTCs) have exclusive original jurisdiction over a complaint for forcible entry and unlawful detainer regardless of the amount of the claim for damages (Sec. 33[2], BP 129). Also, Sec. 3, Rule 70 gives jurisdiction to the said courts irrespective of the amount of damages. This is the same provision in the Revised Rules of Summary Procedure (RRSP) that governs all ejectment cases (Sec. 1[A][1], RRSP).
