Up to 90% of cases filed are dismissed —DOJ

The Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday said that up to 90% of the cases filed in courts are dismissed due to lack of evidence.

According to Justice spokesperson Mico Clavano, 80% to 90% of cases filed by prosecutors in court are dismissed.

“Umabot po ng 80% banda doon no yung mga na di-dismiss due to lack of documents or ‘yung standard po ng evidence ay hindi umabot po nung probable cause na sinasabi natin,” Clavano said in an ambush interview.

(Up to 80% are dismissed due to a lack of documents or the standard of evidence does not reach the probable cause that we talk about.)

He added that 90% to 95% of the cases filed with the DOJ or prosecutors are similarly dismissed.

For the part of the Philippine National Police (PNP), PNP acting chief Police Major General Emmanuel Peralta said they have a 21.4% conviction rate.

“At this moment ay mayroon lang po kaming 21.4% conviction rate. Hopefully, after this training and all the succeeding training ay taas po ‘yung conviction rate,” Peralta said.

(At this moment, we have a 21.4% conviction rate. Hopefully, it will increase after this training and all the succeeding training.)

Clavano said this is alarming as this may affect the public's mindset.

“Sa tingin po namin, ang attitude tuloy ng ating mga kababayan ay okay lang pala na gumawa ng krimen dahil ganyan po ang statistics natin,” he said.

(We think that the public's attitude might be that it’s okay to commit a crime because of such statistics.)

To address this, Clavano said prosecutors will now join police officers and agents of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in building up cases under Department Order No. 20.

According to Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres, different prosecutors will be assigned for the case build-up and the preliminary investigation.

“Pagkatapos gumawa ng isang team na magkakaroon ng case build-up in partnership with the law enforcement agents, may ibang team or a different set of eyes who will evaluate the evidence eventually. Kasi para lang mapakita na objective ‘yung proseso,” he said in a separate interview.

(After a team is formed for case build-up in partnership with law enforcement agents, another team or a different set of eyes will evaluate the evidence eventually. To show that the process is objective.)

This was echoed by Clavano, who said the DOJ is seeking to be objective but not necessarily impartial.

“Kagaya po ng sinabi ni Usec. Andres, we are part of the executive branch and our job is to prosecute criminals. Ngayon kung impartial po tayo, para tayong judge na ie-evaluate na natin yung kaso,” Clavano said.

(Like Usec. Andres said, we are part of the executive branch and our job is to prosecute criminals. Now, if we are impartial, we are like a judge who will evaluate a case.)

“Pero ang talagang trabaho po ng mga prosecutor ay tignan ang ebidensya at kung malakas ang ebidensya ay i-prosecute na kaagad ang kriminal hangga’t ma convict na yan sa korte,” he added.

(But the job of a prosecutor is to look at the evidence, if the evidence is strong to prosecute criminals until they are convicted in court.)

Earlier, the DOJ and the PNP held a training program for its police officers in the National Capital Region regarding the department order.

“This is the chance for us to turn a new page and forget about… that bahala na si Batman, the attitude of the police… as long as they have already arrested the so-called criminals, bahala na si Batman [it's out of our hands],” Justice Undersecretary Raul Vasquez said.

“‘Yung fiscal naman, decide nila, ke mahina o malakas ‘yung kaso, bahala na si Batman, sa korte na lang sila mag-usap-usap,” he added.

(The fiscals, they decide, whether the case is weak or strong, whatever happens happens, let them discuss it in court.)

Meanwhile, Andres said the program will be cascaded nationwide.

“This training program is the first of a series of training programs that will be cascaded throughout the country,” he said.

“There is a budget specifically earmarked for this, for the training of prosecutors and law enforcement agents, specifically to improve the case build-up or evidence gathering capabilities,” he added. — BM, GMA Integrated News