MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Justice (DOJ) has adopted a higher standard for filing criminal cases, requiring prosecutors to establish “prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction" before charges are brought to court, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said.
Speaking in an interview, Vida said the policy marks a shift from the traditional standard of probable cause and is intended to ensure prosecutors are fully prepared for trial once an information is filed.
"We want our prosecutors to be trial-ready. By the time a case reaches the courts, the evidence should already be complete," he said.
Vida said the reform also changes how the DOJ measures the performance of its prosecution service, emphasizing successful prosecution and the speedy resolution of cases rather than the sheer number of complaints filed.
Under the new approach, the department will focus on securing convictions, plea bargains, compromises and other fair resolutions that deliver justice to victims while ensuring due process for the accused.
He said the stricter evidentiary requirement is also designed to prevent the filing of weak or malicious complaints intended only to harass individuals.
Cases involving purely civil disputes or unsupported allegations will be screened out before reaching the courts, freeing prosecutors and judges to focus on cases with sufficient evidence, Vida said.
The justice chief added that the policy is expected to reduce court congestion and shorten the time needed to resolve criminal cases by ensuring only well-prepared prosecutions proceed to trial.
Vida said the reform is complemented by closer coordination between prosecutors and law enforcement agencies during case build-up so that evidence is complete before charges are filed.
He said the department's objective is to improve the quality of prosecutions and strengthen public confidence in the criminal justice system by ensuring that cases filed in court have a reasonable likelihood of resulting in conviction.
