Due to close coordination with law enforcement agencies, the National Prosecution Service (NPS) of the Department of Justice (DOJ) has achieved an almost 94 percent conviction rate in cases filed before the trial courts.
“Dahil masinop na kinuha ng DOJ ang ebidensya kasama ang law enforcement agents, 93.59 percent conviction rate po ang nangyari sa Department of Justice (Because the DOJ carefully gathered evidence with law enforcement, the DOJ achieved a 93.59 percent conviction rate),” said Justice Undersecretary Jesse Hermogenes T. Andres during the “Bagong Pilipinas DOJ Town Hall" event held in Damarinas City in Cavite on Thursday, July 4..
Andres said the conviction rate covers court rulings on criminal cases from the second quarter of 2023 up to the first quarter of 2024.
He said that during the period, among the 3,757 court dispositions there have been 3,561 convictions which is 93.59 percent.
On the other hand, he added that the dismissed were 179 cases which is 4.76 percent and those that resulted in acquittals are 62 which is 1.65 percent.
DOJ records show that the department's NPS had a conviction rate of 84.8 percent in 2022 and 95.65 percent for the whole year in 2023.
Andres cited the Department Circular (DC) No. 20 issued by Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remula on March 31, 2023.
Under the circular, Andres explained “magtutulungan, magsasanib pwersa ang mga law enforcement agents at ang prosecutor para kumuha ng sapat at tamang ebidensya na mapapalakas ang kaso na isasampa sa korte (prosecutors and law enforcement agents will help each other and join forces in gathering evidence to strengthen the cases that will be filed in courts).”
“Hindi na po tayo pumapayag na may mahinang kaso na isampa sa korte para wala na po harassment, wala pong deprivation of liberty ng walang sapat na ebidensya (We no longer allow the filing of weak cases to avoid harassment and the deprivation of liberty without evidence),” he said.
Since the issuance of DC 20 and until March 2024, Andres said that “7,114 weak cases, out of 26,681 complaints, were not filed in court contributing to decongestion of court dockets.”