Bail, Where Filed

Sec. 17. Bail, where filed. – (a) Bail in the amount fixed may be filed with the court where the case is pending, or in the absence or unavailability of the judge thereof, with any regional trial judge, metropolitan trial judge, municipal trial judge, or municipal circuit trial  judge  in  the  province, city or municipality.  If  the  accused  is arrested  in  a  province,  city,  or  municipality  other  than  where  the case is pending, bail may also be filed with any regional trial court of  said  place,  of  if  no  judge  thereof  is  available,  with  any metropolitan trial judge, municipal trial judge, or municipal circuit trial judge therein.
 
(b) Where the grant of bail is a matter of discretion, or the accused seeks to be released on recognizance, the application may only be filed   in   the   court   where   the   case   is   pending,   whether   on preliminary investigation, trial, or appeal.
 
Any person in  custody who is not  yet charged  in court may apply for bail with any court in the province, city, or municipality where he is held.  

AS A GENERAL RULE, WHERE SHOULD BAIL BE FILED?

> It may be filed with the court where the case is pending.  In the absence  of  the  judge  thereof,  bail  may  be  filed  with  any RTC  or MTC judge in the province, city or municipality.
> If the accused is arrested in a province, city or municipality other than  where  the  case  is  pending,  bail  may  also  be  filed  with  the RTC of said place, or if no judge is available, with any MTC judge therein
> But  where  bail  is  a  matter  of  discretion  or  where  the  accused seeks to be released on recognizance, bail may only be filed in the court where the case is pending
> Any person in custody not yet charged may apply for bail with any court in the province, city or municipality where he is held
 

WHERE  SHOULD  ONE  POST  BAIL  IF  HE  HASN'T  BEEN  CHARGED YET?

> In the RTC of the place where he is in custody.  In the absence of RTC, in the MTC.

WHAT SITUATIONS ARE CONTEMPLATED UNDER THIS SECTION?

> First,  the  accused  is  arrested  in  the  same  province,  city  or municipality where his case is pending
> Second,   the   accused   is   arrested   in   the   province,   city   or municipality other than where his case is pending
 

MAY  A  JUDGE  ISSUE  A  BAIL  BOND  FOR  CASES  NOT  PENDING  IN HIS SALE OR ARE OUTSIDE HIS JURISDICTION CONTENDING THAT IT  WAS  DONE  MAINLY  IN  GOOD  FAITH  INTERPRETATION  AND APPLICATION OF THE RULES?

> No,  a  judge  cannot  shield  himself  from  the  consequence  of  his persistent deviant activities by the simple invocation of good fatih and the supplication that he was only moved by pity for the poor
and forsaken accused
> A judge’s jurisdiction is confined to that over which he presides
> Therefore  to  approve  bail  applications  and  issue  corresponding release  order  in  cases  pending  in  courts  outside  his  territorial jurisdiction,  particularly  so  where  the  accused  are  detained thereat and not in his jurisdiction and therefore cannot personally appear before him as required, constitute ignorance of the law so gross as to amount to incompetence and even corruption