Short answer. File it directly with the first-level court that covers the barangay that issued the order. Section 21 requires a complaint for violating a barangay protection order to be filed with the municipal trial court, metropolitan trial court, or municipal circuit trial court having territorial jurisdiction over the issuing barangay.
What the law says
A complaint for a violation of a BPO issued under this Act must be filed directly with any municipal trial court, metropolitan trial court, or municipal circuit trial court that has territorial jurisdiction over the barangay that issued the BPO
RA 9262, Section 21 — Violation Of Protection Orders. Read the full provision →
Where the complaint goes
The section provides that a complaint for a violation of a BPO issued under this Act must be filed directly with any municipal trial court, metropolitan trial court, or municipal circuit trial court that has territorial jurisdiction over the barangay that issued the BPO. So the complaint goes to a first-level court — an MTC, MeTC or MCTC — and the right one is fixed by the location of the barangay that issued the order. The word directly matters: the complaint is brought to that court itself, keyed to the issuing barangay, rather than routed through a higher court first.
The violation is a distinct wrong
Filing for the violation is without prejudice to any other criminal or civil action the offended party may bring for the acts committed. So reporting the breach of the order stands apart from any complaint for the underlying act of violence itself — the two are separate matters and both can be pursued. Breaching the order is treated as its own wrong precisely so that the protection the order gives has real force; the person is not left to rely only on a charge for whatever fresh act accompanied the breach.
What the court can do
The section adds that during trial and upon judgment, the court may on its own initiative issue a protection order as it deems necessary, without the need for a separate application. So bringing a complaint for the violation can itself lead the court to put further protection in place, rather than leaving the complainant to file a fresh request. This power is written into the section to keep the complainant protected while the violation is being dealt with, which is often the period of greatest concern.
What this means, and next steps
Filing correctly comes down to identifying the barangay that issued the order and the first-level court covering it. Bringing the order itself and evidence of the breach helps the court act on the complaint. Because a protection-order violation and the underlying abuse are separate matters, it is worth taking advice on pursuing both, and on any immediate safety steps, rather than treating the breach as the whole of the problem. Prompt action also helps while the events and any witnesses are still fresh.