TOPIC: Doctrine of Hierarchy of Courts

GIOS-SAMAR, INC. V. DOTC

G.R. No. 217158 March 12, 2019
JARDELEZA, J.

DOCTRINE:
The doctrine of hierarchy of courts dictates that, direct recourse to [the Supreme] Court
is allowed only to resolve questions of law, notwithstanding the invocation of paramount or
transcendental importance of the action. This doctrine is not mere policy, rather, it is a
constitutional filtering mechanism designed to enable the Court to focus on the more
fundamental and essential tasks assigned to it by the highest law of the land.

FACTS:
The Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and its attached agency,
the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP), posted an Invitation to Pre-qualify and Bid
(Invitation) on the airport development, operations, and maintenance of the Bacolod-Silay,
Davao, Iloilo, Laguindingan, New Bohol (Panglao), and Puerto Princesa Airports (collectively
called “Projects”). The total cost of the Projects is P116.23 Billion. The Invitation stated that the
Projects aim to improve services and enhance the airside and landside facilities of the key
regional airports through concession agreements with the private sector. The Projects will be
awarded through competitive bidding.

Herein Petitioner GIOS-SAMAR, Inc., represented by its Chairperson Gerardo M.

Malinao (petitioner), suing as a taxpayer and invoking the transcendental importance of the
issue, filed the present petition for prohibition directly with the Supreme Court. Petitioner alleges
that it is a non-governmental organization composed of subsistence farmers and fisherfolk from
Samar, who are among the victims of Typhoon Yolanda relying on government assistance for
the rehabilitation of their industry and livelihood. It assails the constitutionality of the bundling of
the Projects and seeks to enjoin the DOTC and the CAAP from proceeding with the bidding of
the same.

Petitioner argues that the bundling of the Projects is unconstitutional because it will: (i)
create a monopoly in violation of Sec. 19, Art. XII of the Constitution; (ii) allow the creation and
operation of a combination in restraint of trade; (iii) violate anti-dummy laws and statutes giving
citizens the opportunity to invest in public utilities; and (iv) enable companies with shaky
financial backgrounds to participate in the Projects. Petitioner asserts that the foregoing
arguments involve legal as opposed to factual issues, and consequently, the Supreme Court
has jurisdiction to resolve the same.

For its part, the CAAP asserts that the petition violated the basic fundamental principle of
hierarchy of courts. It argued that the petitioner had not alleged any special and compelling
reason to allow it to seek relief directly from the Court. The case should have been filed with the
trial court, because it raises factual issues which need to be threshed out in a full-blown trial.
 In its reply, the petitioner argues that it need not wait for the conduct of the bidding to file
the suit because doing so would render useless the very purpose for filing the petition for
prohibition. As it is, five groups have already been pre-qualified to bid in the Bundled Projects.
Petitioner also submits that direct recourse to the Supreme Court is justified as the "matter of
prohibiting the bidding process of the illegally bundled projects are matters of public interest and
transcendental importance."

ISSUE:
Whether or not the petition violated the basic fundamental principle of hierarchy of courts

RULING:
Yes. The doctrine of hierarchy of courts dictates that, direct recourse to [the Supreme]
Court is allowed only to resolve questions of law, notwithstanding the invocation of paramount or
transcendental importance of the action. This doctrine is not mere policy, rather, it is a
constitutional filtering mechanism designed to enable the Court to focus on the more
fundamental and essential tasks assigned to it by the highest law of the land. Thus, although the
SC, the CA, and the RTC have concurrent original jurisdiction over petitions for certiorari,
prohibition, mandamus, quo warranto, and habeas corpus, parties are directed, as a rule, to file
their petitions before the lower-ranked court. Failure to comply is sufficient cause for the
dismissal of the petition.

Through the years, however, the Supreme Court has allowed litigants to seek direct
relief from It upon allegation of "serious and important reasons." The Diocese of Bacolod v.
Commission on Elections (Diocese) summarized these circumstances in this wise:

(1) when there are genuine issues of constitutionality that must be addressed at the
most immediate time;
(2) when the issues involved are of transcendental importance;
(3) cases of first impression;
(4) the constitutional issues raised are better decided by the Court;
(5) exigency in certain situations;
(6) the filed petition reviews the act of a constitutional organ;
(7) when petitioners rightly claim that they had no other plain, speedy, and adequate
remedy in the ordinary course of law that could free them from the injurious effects
of respondents' acts in violation of their right to freedom of expression; and
(8) the petition includes questions that are "dictated by public welfare and the
advancement of public policy, or demanded by the broader interest of justice, or
the orders complained of were found to be patent nullities, or the appeal was
considered as clearly an inappropriate remedy."

A careful examination of the jurisprudential bases of the foregoing exceptions would

reveal a common denominator - the issues for resolution of the Court are purely legal. Similarly,
the Court in Diocese of Bacolod decided to allow direct recourse in said case because what was
involved was the resolution of a question of law, namely, whether the limitation on the size of the
tarpaulin in question violated the right to free speech of the Bacolod Bishop.

The Supreme Court took the opportunity to clarify that the presence of one or more of
the so-called "special and important reasons" is not the decisive factor considered by the Court
in deciding whether to permit the invocation, at the first instance, of its original jurisdiction over
the issuance of extraordinary writs. Rather, it is the nature of the question raised by the parties
in those "exceptions" that enabled the Supreme Court to allow the direct action before It.

The SC is not a trier of facts, and it is beyond its function to make its own findings of
certain vital facts different from those of the trial court, especially on the basis of the conflicting
claims of the parties and without the evidence being properly before it. While petitioner asserts
that the arguments it raises involve legal (as opposed to factual) issues, the SC’s examination of
the petition showed otherwise. Petitioner's arguments against the constitutionality of the
bundling of the Projects are inextricably intertwined with underlying questions of fact, the
determination of which require the reception of evidence.

Given that the Supreme Court is not a trier of facts and cannot resolve these factual
issues at the first instance, It resolved to DISMISS the petition.
 

\IU@M Nlaorogmo ti cur`sl`mt`ig: cur`sl`mt`ig mnggit ko iustol

MN]O GI. H.[. Gi. >86;65
MN]O GNDO Knrrndoln Vln. Lo Knbbostoris v. [urnb Kngj if Mngndng

DODKO[ Manrbogo Forgngloz

LIM\[@GO
  \a`s Miurt `s git ugd`glfub gir ugnwnro if tao limtr`go ig tao nlaorogmo if cur`sl`mt`ig. Aiwovor, tao rubo ig nlaorogmo
•

if cur`sl`mt`ig `s git nksibuto ngl ans oxmopt`igs. Igo if tao oxmopt`igs `s tant waog tao mangho `g cur`sl`mt`ig `s murnt`vo `g
manrnmtor.
  Bum`n‐s nmt`ig ko`gh n mbn`d nhn`gst [KM@ mng priporby ko migsib`lntol w`ta tao b`qu`lnt`ig primool`ghs kofiro tao [\M-
• [\M-
Dnjnt`. N b`qu`lnt`ig primool`gh ans koog oxpbn`gol `g tao mnso if @g [o3 Uot`t`ig fir Nss`stngmo `g tao B`qu`lnt`ig if tao
Kngj if KIJIL @gm. v. K@[ waoro`g `t stntol tant ‒n b`qu`lnt`ig primool`gh `s n s`ghbo primool`gh wa`ma migs`sts if
[urnb Kngj
n gudkor if mnsos priporby mbnss`f`ol ns ‒mbn`ds.— Nbb mbn`ds nhn`gst tao `gsibvogt nro roqu`rol ti ko f`bol w`ta tao b`qu`ln t`ig
miurt.

[OM@\-[ONLP L@HO]\
Bum`n f`bol n midpbn`gt kofiro tao [\M-@r`hn fir nggubdogt if Lool if Oxtrncul`m`nb Unrt`t`ig, Lool if Dirthnho ngl Lndnhos
nhn`gst aor ma`blrog. ]ao mbn`dol tant aor ma`blrog, w`taiut aor jgiwbolho ngl migsogt, oxomutol n lool if oxtrncul`m`nb pnrt`t`ig
ngl wn`vor if tao ostnto if aor lomonsol auskngl. Furtaor, [`mi (aor sig), dirthnhol Unrmob K if tao ostnto ti [KM@ wa`ma
dirthnho wns ko`gh firombisol. Ig tao itaor angl, [KM@ nrhuol tant `g >080, Bum`n sibl igo if tao ; pnrmobs ti [`mi ngl tant
tao oxtrncul`m`nb pnrt`t`ig, wn`vor, ngl dirthnho woro nbb oxomutol w`ta Bum`n‐s jgiwbolho ngl migsogt. Lur`gh pro -tr`nb,
[KM@‐s miugsob f`bol n dit`ig ti w`talrnw s`gmo UL@M wiubl anglbo tao mnso ns [KM@ anl nbronly koog mbisol ngl pbnmol
uglor romo`vorsa`p. [KM@, tariuha UL@M, f`bol n dit`ig ti l`sd`ss ig tao hriugl tant [\M-@r`hn anl gi cur`sl`mt`ig ivor tao
sukcomt dnttor if tao nmt`ig. [KM@ stntol tant pursungt ti ]om. =5 if [N Gi 86?= (Gow Mogtrnb Kngj Nmt), tao [\M-Dnjnt`,
nbronly migst`tutol `tsobf ns tao b`qu`lnt`ig miurt ti nss`st UL@M `g uglortnj`gh tao b`qu`lnt`ig ngl si tao sukcomt dnttor if tao
m`v`b mnso fobb w`ta`g tao oxmbus`vo cur`sl`mt`ig if suma b`qu`lnt`ig miurt. Bum`n ippisol tao dit`ig kut [\M-@r`hn hrngtol tao
dit`ig ti l`sd`ss ig tao hriugl tant ta`s miurt anl gi cur`sl`mt`ig ivor tao sukcomt dnttor if tao nmt`ig. Bum`n npponbol ti tao
MN ig tao hriugl tant tao [\M-@r`hn orrol `g l`sd`ss`gh tao mnso komnuso `t anl cur`sl`mt`ig ivor tao M`v`b mnso  uglor
tao rubo ig nlaorogmo if cur`sl`mt`ig . MN roglorol n lom`s`ig sott`gh ns`lo tao l`sd`ssnb if tao mnso ngl irlor`gh tao
migsib`lnt`ig if tao m`v`b mnso ngl tao b`qu`lnt`ig mnso pogl`gh kofiro tao [\M-Dnjnt`. Bum`n f`bol n dit`ig fir romigs`lornt`ig,
 kut `t wns
wns log`ol
log`ol ky tao
tao MN. Aogmo, tao prosogt pot`t`ig fir rov`ow ig mor
mort`irnr`.
t`irnr`. @3 X/G [\M-@r`hn `s vostol w`ta cur`sl`mt`ig
ti migt`guo try`gh ngl ubt`dntoby lom`lo ig tao m`v`b mnso.  ”   GI.  Bum`n‐s nrhudogt tant tao [\M-@r`hn [\M -@r`hn `s vostol w`ta
 cur`sl`mt`ig ti migt`guo try`gh tao m`v`b mnso ugt`b `ts f`gnb l`spis`t`ig, ov`logtby fnbbs iut frid n strn`gol `gtorprotnt`ig
`gtorprotnt`ig if tao
bnw ngl cur`sprulogmo. \a`s Miurt `s git ugd`glfub gir ugnwnro if tao limtr`go ig tao nlaorogmo if cur`sl`mt`ig. Aiwovor, tao
rubo ig nlaorogmo if cur`sl`mt`i
c ur`sl`mt`ig
g `s git nksibuto ngl ans oxmopt`igs. Igo if tao oxmopt`igs `s tant waog tao mangho `g cur`sl`mt`ig
`s murnt`vo `g manrnmtor. ]om. =5 [N 86?= `s murnt`vo `g manrnmtor waog `t lombnrol tant tao b`qu`lnt`ig miurt sanbb anvo cur`sl`mt`ig
`g tao sndo primool`ghs ti nss`st `g tao nlcul`mnt`ig if tao l`sputol mbn`ds nhn`gst tao kngj.

FNM\]
•  Uot`t`igor Bum`n Knrrndoln vln. Lo Knbbostoris (Bum`n) f`bol n midpbn`gt fir Nggubdogt if Lool if Oxtrncul`m`nb
Unrt`t`ig, Lool if Dirthnho ngl Lndnhos w`ta prnyor fir Urob`d`gnry @gcugmt`ig nhn`gst aor ma`blrog, [iy, [`ti, Ndy,
Nrnkob, [`mi, Nko, Uigmo [ox ngl Nllog, nbb surgndol Knbbostoris, ngl tao [urnb Kngj if Mngndng, @gm., Knni Krngma
([KM@) kofiro tao [\M-@r`hn.
•  @g tao midpbn`gt, Bum`n nbbohol tant aor lomonsol auskngl, Ouhog`i, boft ; pnrmobs if bngl bimntol `g ]ng G`mibns, Knni,
Mndnr`gos ]ur ngl tant ig Dnr. 6, >00?, w`taiut aor jgiwbolho ngl migsogt, aor ma`blrog oxomutol n lool if
oxtrncul`m`nb pnrt`t`ig ngl wn`vor if tao ostnto if aor auskngl waoro`g nbb tao ao`rs, `gmbul`gh Bum`n, nhrool ti nbbit tao
; pnrmobs ti [`mi Knbbostoris ([`mi)
•  Furtaor, st`bb w`taiut aor jgiwbolho ngl migsogt, [`mi dirthnhol Unrmob K if tao ostnto ti [KM@ wa`ma dirthnho wns
 ko`gh firombisol fir fn`buro ti sottbo tao bing somurol ky tao bit: ngl tant Bum`n wns immupy`gh Unrmob K ngl anl gi
itaor pbnmo ti b`vo.
•  ]ao prnyol tant tao lool if oxtrncul`m`nb pnrt`t`ig ngl wn`vor, ngl tao suksoquogt dirthnho ko lombnrol gubb ngl vi`l
anv`gh koog oxomutol w`taiut aor jgiwbolho ngl migsogt. ]ao nbsi prnyol fir lndnhos.
•
  @g `ts Ngswor, [KM@ mbn`dol tant `g >080, Bum`n sibl igo if tao ; pnrmobs ti [`mi wa`ma roprosogtol aor sanro
`g tao ostnto if aor auskngl ngl tant tao oxtrncul`m`nb pnrt`t`ig, wn`vor ngl dirthnho woro nbb oxomutol w`ta Bum`n‐s
jgiwbolho ngl migsogt, nbtaiuha sao wns git nkbo ti s`hg tao limudogt.

  >
 

•  \aoy furtaor mbn`dol tant Unrmob K anl nbronly koog firombisol wny knmj `g >000 wa`ma fnmt wns jgiwg ti Bum`n
tariuha tao numt`ig`gh gitnry pukb`m.
•  pro- tr`nb, [KM@‐s miugsob f`bol n dit`ig ti w`talrnw nftor ko`gh `gfirdol
\ao mnso wns sot fir pro-trn`b ngl lur`gh tao pro-tr`nb,
tant Ua`b`pp`go Lopis`t @gsurngmo Mirp. (UL@M) wiubl anglbo tao mnso ns [KM@ anl nbronly koog mbisol ngl pbnmol
uglor tao romo`vorsa`p if tao UL@M ngl si tao bnwyors if UL@M tiij ivor tao mnso if [KM@.
•  [KM@, tariuha UL@M, f`bol n dit`ig ti l`sd`ss ig tao hriugl tant tao [\M-@r`hn ans gi cur`sl`mt`ig ivor tao sukcomt
dnttor if tao nmt`ig.
•  [KM@ stntol tant pursungt ti ]om. =5, [N Gi. 86?= (Gow Mogtrnb Kngj Nmt), tao [\M-Dnjnt`, nbronly migst`tutol
`tsobf, por `ts Irlor lntol Nuh >5, ;55>, ns tao b`qu`lnt`ig miurt ti nss`st UL@M `g uglortnj`gh tao b`qu`lnt`ig if [KM@.
\aus, tao sukcomt dnttor if tao m`v`b mnso fobb w`ta`g tao oxmbus`vo cur`sl`mt`ig if suma b`qu`lnt`ig miurt.
•  Bum`n ippisol tao dit`ig kut tao [\M-@r`hn `ssuol ng irlor hrngt`gh tao Dit`ig ti l`sd`ss ig tao hriugl tant ta`s
miurt ans gi cur`sl`mt`ig ivor tao sukcomt dnttor if tao nmt`ig.
•  Bum`n npponbol ti tao MN ig tao hriugl tant tao [\M-@r`hn orrol `g l`sd`ss`gh tao mnso komnuso `t anl cur`sl`mt`ig ivor
tao M`v`b mnso uglor tao rubo ig nlaorogmo if cur`sl`mt`ig .
•  MN roglorol n lom`s`ig sott`gh ns`lo tao l`sd`ssnb if tao mnso ngl irlor`gh tao migsib`lnt`ig if tao m`v`b mnso ngl tao
b`qu`lnt`ig mnso pogl`gh kofiro tao [\M-Dnjnt`. Bum`n f`bol n dit`ig fir romigs`lornt`ig, kut `t wns log`ol ky tao MN.
Aogmo, tao prosogt pot`t`ig fir rov`ow ig mort`irnr`.

@]]_O/] ngl AOBL

>.  X/G [\M-@r`hn `s vostol w`ta cur`sl`mt`ig ti migt`guo try`gh ngl ubt`dntoby lom`lo ig tao m`v`b mnso.  ”  GI 
;.  X/G tao MN orrol `g irlor`gh tao migsib`lnt`ig if tao m`v`b mnso w`ta tao b`qu`lnt`ig mnso ns spom`nb primool`ghs if tao
Dnjnt`.  ”  GI
[\M if Dnjnt`. ” 

[N\@I
>.  Bum`n‐s nrhudogt tant tao [\M-@r`hn
[\M-@r`hn `s vostol w`ta cur`sl`mt`ig ti migt`guo try`gh tao m`v`b mnso ugt`b `ts f`gnb l`spis`t`ig,
ov`logtby fnbbs iut frid n strn`gol `gtorprotnt`ig if tao bnw ngl cur`sprulogmo. \ao Miurt romihg`zos tao limtr`go ig
nlaorogmo if cur`sl`mt`ig. Bum`n, aiwovor, dust ko rod`glol tant suma pr`gm`pbo `s git w`taiut oxmopt`igs.

\a`s Miurt `s git ugd`glfub gir ugnwnro if tao limtr`go ig tao nlaorogmo if cur`sl`mt`ig. Aiwovor, tao rubo ig nlaorogmo
if cur`sl`mt`ig `s git nksibuto ngl ans oxmopt`igs. Igo if tao oxmopt`igs `s tant waog tao mangho `g cur`sl`mt`ig `s murnt`vo
`g manrnmtor. ]om. =5 [N 86?= `s murnt`vo `g manrnmtor waog `t lombnrol tant tao b`qu`lnt`ig miurt sanbb anvo cur`sl`mt`ig `g
tao sndo primool`ghs ti nss`st `g tao nlcul`mnt`ig if tao l`sputol mbn`ds nhn`gst tao kngj.

Ns rohnrls Bum`n‐s migtogt`ig tant cur`sl`mt`ig nbronly

nbron ly nttnmaol waog tao m`v`b mnso wns f`bol w`ta, ngl cur`sl`mt`ig iktn`gol
 ky, tao [\M-@r`hn pr`ir ti tao f`b`gh if tao b`qu`lnt`ig mnso
mnso kofiro tao [\M-Dnjnt`, aor stngm
stngmoo fn`bs ti porsunlo ta`s Miur
Miurt.
t.
\i nbbiw Bum`n‐s mnso ti primool `glopoglogtby if tao b` qu`lnt`ig mnso, n piss`k`b`ty if fnvirnkbo culhdogt ngl oxomut`ig
taoroif nhn`gst tao nssots if [KM@ wiubl git igby procul`mo tao itaor mrol`tirs ngl lopis`tirs kut wiubl lofont tao vory
 purpiso fir wa`ma n b`qu`lnt`ig
b`qu`lnt`ig miurt wns migst`tutol
migst`tutol ns wobb.
wobb.

;.  \ao MN midd`ttol gi orrir. Bum`n‐s midpbn`gt `gvibv`gh tao nggubdogt if lool if dirthnho ngl lndnhos fnbb w`ta`g tao
 purv`ow if n l`sputol mbn`d `g migtodpbnt
migtodpbnt`ig
`ig if ]om.
]om. =5 if [N
[N 86?=. \ao cur`sl`mt`ig saiubl ko bilhol w`ta tao b`qu`lnt`ig
b`qu`lnt`ig
miurt. Bum`n‐s nmt`ig
nmt`ig ko`gh n mbn`d nhn`gst [KM@ mng priporby ko migsib`lntol w`ta tao b`qu`lnt`ig primool`ghs kofiro tao
[\M-Dnjnt`. N b`qu`lnt`ig primool`gh ans koog oxpbn`gol `g tao mnso if @g [o3 Uot`t`ig fir Nss`stngmo `g tao B`qu`lnt`ig
if tao [urnb Kngj if KIJIL @gm. v. v. K@[ waoro`g `t stntol tant ‒n b`qu`lnt`ig primool`gh `s n s`ghbo primool`gh wa`ma
migs`sts if n gudkor if mnsos priporby mbnss`f`ol ns ‒mbn`ds.— Nbb mbn`ds nhn`gst tao `gsibvogt nro roqu`rol ti ko f`bol w`ta
tao b`qu`lnt`ig miurt.

@t `s mbonr taorofiro, tant tao b`qu`lnt`ig miurt ans cur`sl`mt`ig ivor nbb mbn`ds, `gmbul`gh tant if Bum`n nhn`gst tao `gsibvogt
 kngj. @g sud, ta`s Miurt aibls tant tao migsib`lnt`ig `s pripor migs`lor`gh tant tao b`qu`lnt`ig miurt ans cur`sl`mt`ig ivor
Bum`n‐s nmt`ig. @t wiubl ko diro `g joop`gh w`ta bnw ngl oqu`ty `f Bum`n‐s mnso `s migsib`lntol w`ta tao b`qu`lnt`ig mnso `g
irlor ti oxpol`t`iusby lotord`go waotaor sao `s ogt`tbol ti romivor tao priporty sukcomt if dirthnho frid [KM@ ngl, `f si,
aiw duma sao `s ogt`tbol ti romo`vo frid tao rodn`g`gh nssots if tao kngj.

L@]UI]\@VO UI[\@IG
XAO[OFI[O, tao pot`t`ig `s LOG@OL.

  ;