00:00The Department of Justice passed a new regulation on the filing of cases.
00:04Previously, a probable cause is the basis that requires solid evidence against the complainant.
00:10Here is my first news.
00:1630 people are seeking trial for Espasyong Pangsampula,
00:19a result of year-long or decades-long cases in the courts.
00:24The Department of Justice and the National Prosecution Service passed a new regulation on the preliminary investigation and inquest proceedings.
00:31Cases cannot be filed because there is a probable cause
00:34or on the basis that there is a crime committed.
00:37The complainants should be in the prison
00:40and will be filed in court if there is sufficient evidence to win the case.
00:44The standard of proof has been raised from probable cause to prima facie evidence
00:50with reasonable certainty of conviction
00:52thereby ensuring that only quality trial-ready cases are filed in court
00:58and no primulus or harassment suits could ever see their day in courts anymore.
01:04This is a huge disadvantage for the cases that will be filed in court
01:07and the right of the accused will be protected.
01:10In the new rules on preliminary investigation,
01:15we assure you that you will not be charged
01:19or issued a warrant for a case that has no evidence.
01:24The new rules on preliminary investigation and case build-up
01:29are also being strengthened by the Police and the Prosecution Service.
01:32Since the start of this case build-up scheme last year,
01:35the conviction rate has increased to 93 percent.
01:38Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption is in favor of this.
01:41This DOJ initiative is okay for us
01:44simply because the rate of conviction will be successful on a very high percentage
01:52simply because of the case build-up between the fiscal and the police before they file the case.
01:58Aside from the disadvantages of the caseload of courts and the increase in conviction rate,
02:02according to the former UP law dean Pacifico Agabin,
02:05this will be more fair for the accused victims of harassment
02:09and will change the mindset of the prosecutors
02:11to pass the responsibility of examining the evidence to the courts.
02:15The prosecutors should also be careful with the bias of the prosecutors
02:18and monitor the information.
02:21According to the DOJ, this is just one of the rules.
02:24Before filing the case in court,
02:29a certification will be signed by the prosecutor
02:33that according to his evaluation, the evidence is complete.
02:38If his certification is incorrect,
02:40if there's no evidence against him,
02:42he will be held accountable under the Prosecution Integrity Board.
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