[In A.M. No. 08-8-7-SC dated 9 September 2008, the Supreme Court en banc approved “The Rule of Procedure for Small Claims Cases,” scheduled to take effect on 1 October 2008 for the pilot courts designated to apply the procedure for small claims cases following its publication in two newspapers of general circulation. Read the Basic Q&A on the Rule of Procedure for Small Claims Cases. Here’s the full text of the “The Rule of Procedure for Small Claims Cases.”]
RULE OF PROCEDURE FOR SMALL CLAIMS CASES
SECTION 1. Title. — This Rule shall be known as “The Rule of Procedure for Small Claims Cases.”
SEC. 2. Scope. — This Rule shall govern the procedure in actions before the Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts for payment of money where the value of the claim does not exceed One Hundred Thousand Pesos (P100,000.00) exclusive of interest and costs.
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. — For purposes of this Rule:
(a) Plaintiff refers to the party who initiated a small claims action. The term includes a defendant who has filed a counterclaim against plaintiff;
(b) Defendant is the party against whom the plaintiff has filed a small claims action. The term includes a plaintiff against whom a defendant has filed a claim, or a person who replies to the claim;
(c) Person is an individual, corporation, partnership, limited liability partnership, association, or other juridical entity endowed with personality by law;
(d) Individual is a natural person;
(e) Motion means a party’s request, written or oral, to the court for an order or other action. It shall include an informal written request to the court, such as a letter;
(f) Good cause means circumstances sufficient to justify the requested order or other action, as determined by the judge; and
(g) Affidavit means a written statement or declaration of facts that are sworn or affirmed to be true.
SEC. 4. Applicability. — The Metropolitan Trial Courts, Municipal Trial Courts in Cities, Municipal Trial Courts, and Municipal Circuit Trial Courts shall apply this Rule in all actions which are: (a) purely civil in nature where the claim or relief prayed for by the plaintiff is solely for payment or reimbursement of sum of money, and (b) the civil aspect of criminal actions, either filed before the institution of the criminal action, or reserved upon the filing of the criminal action in court, pursuant to Rule 111 of the Revised Rules Of Criminal Procedure.
These claims or demands may be:
(a) For money owed under any of the following:
1. Contract of Lease;
2. Contract of Loan;
3. Contract of Services;
4. Contract of Sale; or
5. Contract of Mortgage;
(b) For damages arising from any of the following:
1. Fault or negligence;
2. Quasi-contract; or
3. Contract;
(c) The enforcement of a barangay amicable settlement or an arbitration award involving a money claim covered by this Rule pursuant to Sec. 417 of Republic Act 7160, otherwise known as the Local Government Code of 1991.
SEC. 5. Commencement of Small Claims Action. — A small claims action is commenced by filing with the court an accomplished and verified Statement of Claim (Form 1-SCC) in duplicate, accompanied by a Certification of Non-forum Shopping (Form 1-A, SCC), and two (2) duly certified photocopies of the actionable document/s subject of the claim, as well as the affidavits of witnesses and other evidence to support the claim. No evidence shall be allowed during the hearing which was not attached to or submitted together with the Claim, unless good cause is shown for the admission of additional evidence.
No formal pleading, other than the Statement of Claim described in this Rule, is necessary to initiate a small claims action.
SEC. 6. Joinder of Claims. — Plaintiff may join in a single statement of claim one or more separate small claims against a defendant provided that the total amount claimed, exclusive of interest and costs, does not exceed P100,000.00.
SEC. 7. Affidavits. — The affidavits submitted under this Rule shall state only facts of direct personal knowledge of the affiants which are admissible in evidence.
A violation of this requirement shall subject the party, and the counsel who assisted the party in the preparation of the affidavits, if any, to appropriate disciplinary action. The inadmissible affidavit(s) or portion(s) thereof shall be expunged from the record.
SEC. 8. Payment of Filing Fees. — The plaintiff shall pay the docket and other legal fees prescribed under Rule 141 of the Revised Rules of Court, unless allowed to litigate as an indigent.
A claim filed with a motion to sue as indigent (Form 6-SCC) shall be referred to the Executive Judge for immediate action in case of multi-sala courts, or to the Presiding Judge of the court hearing the small claims case. If the motion is granted by the Executive Judge, the case shall be raffled off or assigned to the court designated to hear small claims cases. If the motion is denied, the plaintiff shall be given five (5) days within which to pay the docket fees, otherwise, the case shall be dismissed without prejudice. In no case shall a party, even if declared an indigent, be exempt from the payment of the P1,000.00 fee for service of summons and processes in civil cases.
SEC. 9. Dismissal of the Claim. — After the court determines that the case falls under this Rule, it may, from an examination of the allegations of the Statement of Claim and such evidence attached thereto, by itself, dismiss the case outright on any of the grounds apparent from the Claim for the dismissal of a civil action.
SEC. 10. Summons and Notice of Hearing. — If no ground for dismissal is found, the court shall forthwith issue Summons (Form 2-SCC) on the day of receipt of the Statement of Claim, directing the defendant to submit a verified Response.
The court shall also issue a Notice (Form 4-SCC) to both parties, directing them to appear before it on a specific date and time for hearing, with a warning that no unjustified postponement shall be allowed, as provided in Section 19 of this Rule.
The summons and notice to be served on the defendant shall be accompanied by a copy of the Statement of Claim and documents submitted by plaintiff, and a copy of the Response (Form 3-SCC) to be accomplished by the defendant. The Notice shall contain an express prohibition against the filing of a motion to dismiss or any other motion under Section 14 of this Rule.
SEC. 11. Response. — The defendant shall file with the court and serve on the plaintiff a duly accomplished and verified Response within a non-extendible period of ten (10) days from receipt of summons. The Response shall be accompanied by certified photocopies of documents, as well as affidavits of witnesses and other evidence in support thereof. No evidence shall be allowed during the hearing which was not attached to or submitted together with the Response, unless good cause is shown for the admission of additional evidence.
SEC. 12. Effect of Failure to File Response. — Should the defendant fail to file his Response within the required period, the court by itself shall render judgment as may be warranted by the facts alleged in the Statement of Claim limited to what is prayed for. The court however, may, in its discretion, reduce the amount of damages for being excessive or unconscionable.
SEC. 13. Counterclaims Within the Coverage of this Rule. — If at the time the action is commenced, the defendant possesses a claim against the plaintiff that (a) is within the coverage of this Rule, exclusive of interest and costs; (b) arises out of the same transaction or event that is the subject matter of the plaintiff’s claim; (c) does not require for its adjudication the joinder of third parties; and (d) is not the subject of another pending action, the claim shall be filed as a counterclaim in the Response; otherwise, the defendant shall be barred from suit on the counterclaim.
The defendant may also elect to file a counterclaim against the plaintiff that does not arise out of the same transaction or occurrence, provided that the amount and nature thereof are within the coverage of this Rule and the prescribed docket and other legal fees are paid.
SEC. 14. Prohibited Pleadings and Motions. — The following pleadings, motions, or petitions shall not be allowed in the cases covered by this Rule:
(a) Motion to dismiss the complaint except on the ground of lack of jurisdiction;
(b) Motion for a bill of particulars;
(c) Motion for new trial, or for reconsideration of a judgment, or for reopening of trial;
(d) Petition for relief from judgment;
(e) Motion for extension of time to file pleadings, affidavits, or any other paper;
(f) Memoranda;
(g) Petition for certiorari, mandamus, or prohibition against any interlocutory order issued by the court;
(h) Motion to declare the defendant in default;
(i) Dilatory motions for postponement;
(j) Reply;
(k) Third-party complaints; and
(l) Interventions.
SEC. 15. Availability of Forms; Assistance by Court Personnel. — The Clerk of Court or other court personnel shall provide such assistance as may be requested by a plaintiff or a defendant regarding the availability of forms and other information about the coverage, requirements as well as procedure for small claims cases.
SEC. 16. Appearance. — The parties shall appear at the designated date of hearing personally or through a representative authorized under a Special Power of Attorney (Form 5-SCC) to enter into an amicable settlement, to submit to Judicial Dispute Resolution (JDR) and to enter into stipulations or admissions of facts and of documentary exhibits.
SEC. 17. Appearance of Attorneys Not Allowed. — No attorney shall appear in behalf of or represent a party at the hearing, unless the attorney is the plaintiff or defendant.
If the court determines that a party cannot properly present his/her claim or defense and needs assistance, the court may, in its discretion, allow another individual who is not an attorney to assist that party upon the latter’s consent.
SEC. 18. Non-appearance of Parties. — Failure of the plaintiff to appear shall be cause for the dismissal of the claim without prejudice. The defendant who appears shall be entitled to judgment on a permissive counterclaim.
Failure of the defendant to appear shall have the same effect as failure to file a Response under Section 12 of this Rule.
This shall not apply where one of two or more defendants who are sued under a common cause of action and have pleaded a common defense appears at the hearing.
Failure of both parties to appear shall cause the dismissal with prejudice of both the claim and counterclaim.
SEC. 19. Postponement When Allowed. — A request for postponement of a hearing may be granted only upon proof of the physical inability of the party to appear before the court on the scheduled date and time. A party may avail of only one (1) postponement.
SEC. 20. Duty of the Court. — At the beginning of the court session, the judge shall read aloud a short statement explaining the nature, purpose and the rule of procedure of small claims cases.
SEC. 21. Judicial Dispute Resolution. — At the hearing, the judge shall conduct Judicial Dispute Resolution (JDR) through mediation, conciliation, early neutral evaluation, or any other mode of JDR. Any settlement (Form 7-SCC) or resolution (Form 8-SCC) of the dispute shall be reduced into writing, signed by the parties and submitted to the court for approval (Form 12-SCC).
SEC. 22. Failure of JDR. — If JDR fails and the parties agree in writing (Form 10-SCC) that the hearing of the case shall be presided over by the judge who conducted the JDR, the hearing shall so proceed in an informal and expeditious manner and terminated within one (1) day.
Absent such agreement, (a) in case of a multi-sala court, the case shall, on the same day, be transmitted (Form 11-SCC) to the Office of the Clerk of Court for immediate referral by the Executive Judge to the pairing judge for hearing and decision within five (5) working days from referral; and (b) in case of a single sala court, the pairing judge shall hear and decide the case in the court of origin within five (5) working days from referral by the JDR judge.
SEC. 23. Decision.—After the hearing, the court shall render its decision on the same day, based on the facts established by the evidence (Form 13-SCC). The decision shall immediately be entered by the Clerk of Court in the court docket for civil cases and a copy thereof forthwith served on the parties.
The decision shall be final and unappealable.
SEC. 24. Execution. — If the decision is rendered in favor of the plaintiff, execution shall issue upon motion (Form 9-SCC).
SEC. 25. Applicability of the Rules of Civil Procedure. — The Rules of Civil Procedure shall apply suppletorily insofar as they are not inconsistent with this Rule.
SEC. 26. Effectivity.—This Rule shall take effect on October 1, 2008 for the pilot courts designated to apply the procedure for small claims cases following its publication in two newspapers of general circulation.
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sir pwede ba magtanong may case ako at hndi nman ako talaga humawak ng pera at ako ang hinhingian at pinagbabayaran wala siyang matibay n ebidensiya kung hndi breakdown lamang at walang kasulatan. nagdeposit kasi siya sakin sa libihan ng water station after 5days binabawi ang pera at lupa na lang ang bibilin sir paano ko ba itatama ang desisyon sa akin na pinagbabayad na ako at ang basehan niya ay oral contract sa civil code? paano po ang remedy sa kamalian desisyon sa small claims na ito? pwede ko pa po ba icetiotuari ito?
Hello po nagLoan po ako sa Online Lending na Cash Wagon ng 5k , meron sila pong agreement na magbayad ng 2,000 pesos para maExtend yung Loan for 30 days plus magKakainterest pa yun nga 2,500 so nagAgree naman ako kasi wala akong pambayad dahil nagKaEmergency at nagBayad ng Hospital Bills. At dahil di ako nkaPagBayad nagKakatubo ng 500.00 per week yung Loan ko. So Naging 8,000.00 na yung loan ko at nagRemind sila na kung gusto ko raw magExtend bayad lang po ako ulit ng 8,000.. so nagBayad nman ako kasu nang ilang Araw lang pinorward nila sa Legal Department nila at yung attorney na nagSisingil sa akin eh ng 11,200, sa System may extension namn ako ng 30 days as Thier office texted me at ngayon po mga 5 days na Naginsist ako magBayad ng Buo kasi nagAvail ako naman ng extension nagFile na sila sa Small Claims Court telling me to wait for my Summon at ako ngayon ay nagPanic so nagHanap naman ako ng Pera para mabayadan nalang yung Loan ko para Walang Eskandalo kaso Sabi ng Atty. Nila sa Legal Dept. Wala na Daw syang Magagawa a
Dahil nakaFile sya.. di na po ba Talagang maUurong ung File nila? Or thier just taking advantage of the Law to Gain Alot of money on me..tulong namn po..
What happened to you? Same thing here
I am having a headache about this
Hello. Ako din nakautang sa Cashwagon ng i guess 2k lang naman. Totoo ba pupuntahan talaga nila para ipresenta ito sa Brgy officials namin? Nangyari naba ito sa iyo?
Same here pupuntahan na daw ako kc homecvisit daw kasama legal at barannggay official
ganyan dn po ang sabi sakin pupuntahan dw po nila sa bhay to issue a bench warrant.
anu pong ngyari sau after nun..tinatakot na nila ang tao eh..dba harrassment na gngawa nila.sasabihan kp nila na makukulong ka.
Binisita kaba sa bhay nio ng cashwagon
Nasagot po ba mga katananungan mo?
Ano na po nangyari sa loan niyo? Totoo po ba yung small claim na sinabi po nila? Ganyan din po case ko ee..
gud evening attorney ask ko po na final judgement na po ako againts sa na colmplain sa akin in favor po sa kanila. hindi ko po naipresentar ang mga payments ko asi po hindi tinanggap ng judge dapat daw my notary e hindi ko po na motaryohan kasi sabi ng taga paw dalin ko lang ang answer ko sa judge tapos hindi pala pwede humingi ako ng time out para makapagpanotaryo hindi na daw pwede.collection of money ang pataw sa akin sabi ng sheriff e gagarnish ang salary ko .pwede po ba n kunin nilang lahat ang salary ko paano na ako mabbuhay single mom pa naman ako.ang loan ko po ay 130 k pero after two years kwenta ko ng mga payments ko e 123 k na.tapis ngayon ang balance ko pa dw ay 155k kasi may interest pa dw. masama ang loob ko kasi paano na ako kakain. ano po ang dapat kong gawin,salamat po
Magandang araw po. May sinampa po na sum of money sakin nung sineserve po ang summon sa office wala po ako hindi po ako naka attend ng first hearing. Sabi ko po sa guard pag bumalik paki receive na lang kasi panggabi po ang pasok ko unfortunately ng bumalik sila para sa reschedule hearing dipa rin po nila pina receive sa guard may nareceive po ako sa email na summon na ang hearing ko ay april 26 which is today wala po akong net sa bahay nag load lang ako ng pang net then nag pop out ang email nila whiich was send last week. Hindi pa rin po ako naka attend. Papano po kaya ang gagawin ko? Wala naman po ako napirmahan na summon sa email nagpadala.
Sana po masagot ang katanungan ko.
October 29, 2017 po nya hiniram ang aming motor.ito din po ang date na nadisgrasya ang aming motor at madaming nasirang parts.
Hi po!
Tanong ko lang po.
Bumili po kami ng motor last oct.3, 2017 pero noong oct.29,2017 ay hiniram iyon ng kasamahan ng asawa ko sa trabaho upang kuhanin sa bahay nila yung naiwang company wifi. Hiniram nya po ang motor namin ng maayos at wala kahit anong damage, pero pagsoli po nya ng motor namin ay nadisgrasya nya po ito at madaming nasirang spare parts na nagkakahalaga ng 19,800pesos. Una po ay kinausap namin sya at nangako na huhulugan nya na lang po ang amount, nakapag hulog naman po sya ng 3000pesos noong month ng dec. 2017 at jan.2018 pero pagtapos po noon ay hindi na po sya tumupad sa aming napagkasunduang verbal. At since malaki pa nga po ang kakulangan nya ay Nag file na po ako ng complain sa barangay at napagkasunduan na lang na babayaran nya yung nabasag na head light at kami na ang gagastos sa iba pa n na damage sa motor. Pumayag n po kami at napagkasunduan po namin na babayaran nya po kami ng 6,800pesos na lang, ang kasunduan po na ito ay pirmado namin both parties noong March 15, 2018 . Binigyan po sya ng palugit ng barangay na bayaran ang nasabing amount hanggang sa katapusan ng April 2018. Pero hindi po tumupad sa napagkasunduan yung inireklamo namin bagkus ay sya pa po itong matapang. Bus driver po yung aming inirereklamo at halos araw araw ang byahe.Plan po namin mag file ng small claims. Itatanong ko lang po na since hindi po sya tumupad sa napagkasunduan namin sa barangay?pwede na po b namin singilin sa kanya yung buong damage cost ng aming motor n worth 19,800pesos?at pwede din po ba namin singilin sa kanya ang mga magagastos namin sa pagsasampa ng kaso sa Small Claim Court?
Salamat po in advance!
Hi po!
I just want to ask about s case n sinampa ng kapitbahay namin sa tatay ko.
It was January 17 Fathers day!
My father went out to buy his medicine.
Then yung neighbor po namin is matagal na may galit sa amin, that day po nakipaginuman cia sa labas mismo ng bahay ng mother niya. Ito po kasing girl n ito, may aswa na pumunta lang talga sya sa bahay ng nanay nia para mag inom. This girl is super crazy when drunk.
So my father was about to enter our house tpos nagpaparinig yung girl then nung nasa loob n ng gate ng house namin yung tatay ko, mas lalo pa nagparining ung girl na ikinainit ng ulo ng tatay ko kaya ang nangyari tinanong nia yung girl ng ganito “AKO BA YUNG PINARIRINGGAN MO!?
and the girl replied, a big YES!
kya lumabas ulit c papa ng house at sinampal cia. After that the girl gone too mad and began to act crazily. First she throw the ice to our gate then next she throw a bottle as well and shes too aggressive that made her fell sa kanal..
And after that day, she went to the police and file a case.
Eventhough shes the one who provoke my dad for that to happen.
Now shes spreading rumors outside that my dad punched her, kicked her, and so much more though no marks naman na nakikita sa kanya.
Now my question is,
What can I do to help my dad?
We dont want this to take long. We want this to end by only one hearing. May laban po ba kami? If we settled this sa pagbabayad nlng. How much will it cost naman po?
Thanks for answering i need immidiate answer po sana.
More power to this page 🙂
Hello po,
May utang po ako sa isang teacher na 40k, with monthly interest of 5%,,, kaso sa kamalasan, natanggal ako sa trabaho, at nagkababy pa ako kaya d ko talaga mabayaran yung utang ko,, nagpadala na ng sulat yung pinagkakautangan ko, bale 32k na ang tubo nun kase isang taon ko nang di nababayaran… After 5days daw na d pa mabayaran, magFfile na daw ng case…
Tanong ko lang po kung pwede kaya makipagsettle nalang at buwan buwan nalang bayaran paunti2x… D po talaga kase kaya eh ???
Good day po meron po akong loan sa cashwagon na 4k…tapos di po ako nakapagbayd nag extend lng po ako ng 1k…last august…hanggang ngayon di po ako nakapagbayad kasi na hospital yong anak ko last sept.16 inoperahan sa palopyan tube…peto magbabayad sana ako ng extend sa monday..ng 1000 ulit…pero ngayon lng nagpadala sila ng SMALL CLAIMS CASE..#326-18 for a violation of article 354 of revised final code …at di po ako mag attend ng preliminary hearing dis oct 21..magpapadala po sila ng warrant of arrest….meron po bang ATTY. PAOLO BENITEZ rtc taguig..eh nandito po ako sa iloilo….ano po ba ang dapat kong gawin…ang taas kasi ng kanilang interes ang 4k ko naging 9000 na..paano ko pa ba yan mababayaran….ang taas ng interes.salamat po
same saken. cashwagon dn. article 354 of revised penal code daw. pero kpag niresearch nyo. hndi nman regarding sa loan/small claims yung sinasabi nilang article 354. 353 -36x is tungkol sa libel.. i think nananakot lang sila..
ano n po nangyari s ngayon? nkpagbayad n po b kyo? kung hindi po, ntuloy po b yang sinasabi nilang warant of arrest pag di umatend?
Wag mo bayaran kasi di naman sila sec registered at dapat nagpapadala muna sila ng demand letter. Loan shark yan illegal po yun.
Attention: Your invited to attend the Preliminary Hearing schedule on July 2,2019 in SMALL CLAIMS #326-18 for a Violation of Article 354 of Revised Penal Code Filed docketed june 28, 2019. If you failed to attend a Warrant of Arrest will be issued within 48 hours prior into compliance. You can verify your case at Clerk of Court under Atty. Paolo Benitez RTC Taguig -LEGAL DEPARTMENT OF PONDO PESO PHILIPPINES.
Ano po nangyri umattend ka po ba.?ganyan din case ko wala ako natanggap n pera pero sinsabi nila at sinisingil ako ng walang katibayan..please reply po..nang hharass n sila
ATTENTION:
Good Day, you are invited to attend the Preliminary Hearing schedule on November 11 2019 in SMALL CLAIMS #326-18 for a Violation of Article 354 of Revised Penal Code Filed docketed July 18, 2019. If you failed to attend a Warrant of Arrest will be issued within 48 hours prior into compliance.
You can verify your case at Clerk of Court under Atty. Paolo Benitez RTC Taguig
-LEGAL DEPARTMENT OF PONDO PESO PHILLIPINES
Is this legit?
09085335892 yan ang palaging nag text sakin ng ganyan . Wala akong nakuhang pera pero palagi silang naniningil.
My loan po ako 53k total sa lending company. 3yrs to pay 3200 monthly. 10months total payment pa lang di nako nakabayad. Pag nagfile ba sila sa small court claims ung reamaining na utang kasama interest ang sisingilin?