2014 Remedial Law, Q22

Which of the following decisions may be appealed directly to the Supreme Court (SC)? (Assume that the issues to be raised on appeal involve purely questions of law) (1%)
(A) Decision of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) rendered in the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction
(B) Decision of the RTC rendered in the exercise of its original jurisdiction
(C) Decision of the Civil Service Commission
(D) Decision of the Office of the President

Quick check

Which RTC decisions may be appealed directly to the Supreme Court on purely questions of law?

How are decisions of the Civil Service Commission appealed under the Rules of Court?

What is the proper remedy to appeal an RTC decision rendered in the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction?

What issue may be raised in a direct appeal to the Supreme Court from an RTC original decision under Rule 45?

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What is the consequence of appealing an RTC decision to the Supreme Court when questions of fact are raised?

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1. Direct SC Appeal
Under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court, a party desiring to appeal by certiorari from a judgment, final order, or resolution of the Regional Trial Court rendered in the exercise of its original jurisdiction may file a petition directly with the Supreme Court. This direct appeal is permissible only when the appeal raises purely questions of law. If the appeal involves questions of fact or mixed questions of fact and law, taking a direct appeal to the Supreme Court is improper and constitutes a ground for dismissal of the appeal.

2. Quasi-Judicial Appeals
Decisions, judgments, or final orders of quasi-judicial agencies such as the Civil Service Commission and the Office of the President are not appealable directly to the Supreme Court. Under Rule 43 of the Rules of Court, appeals from quasi-judicial bodies must be taken to the Court of Appeals via a petition for review. This rule applies regardless of whether the issues raised involve questions of fact, questions of law, or mixed questions of fact and law, establishing a uniform appellate procedure for administrative decisions.

3. RTC Appellate Judgments
When a Regional Trial Court renders a judgment in the exercise of its appellate jurisdiction reviewing a decision of a First Level Court, an appeal from such judgment must be taken to the Court of Appeals under Rule 42. A party cannot appeal an RTC appellate decision directly to the Supreme Court, even if the appeal raises purely questions of law. Rule 42 mandates filing a petition for review with the Court of Appeals, preserving the hierarchical order of appellate review.

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The questions reproduced here are the official texts of the Philippine Bar Examinations, published by the Supreme Court. They are reproduced for study purposes.The suggested answers are the author’s own.

They are not official answers, have no connection with the Supreme Court, the Office of the Bar Confidant, or any bar review institution, and are not endorsed by any of them. Official answer keys, where released, should be preferred over anything here.Nothing on this page is legal advice, and reading it creates no lawyer-client relationship. Do not rely on any suggested answer in an actual legal matter. Consult counsel on your own facts.Suggested answers reflect the law and jurisprudence the author considers applicable as of the date shown.

Where a question comes from an earlier examination, the suggested answer applies the law as it now stands, which may differ from the law in force when the question was given, and may therefore differ from what would have been the correct answer at that time. Where the difference is material, the answer notes it.The practice scoring feature measures wording overlap with the suggested answer. It is not a grade, carries no official weight, and says nothing about whether your reasoning is sound.Errors are possible. If you find one, please tell me and I will correct it.Last reviewed: October 2026