Not all complaints warrant charges — DOJ

Justice Secretary Frederrick Vida said thousands of complaints undergo preliminary investigation at the Department of Justice (DOJ), but not all result in criminal charges, as prosecutors assess whether the evidence meets the required standard for prosecution.

The DOJ chief said approximately 4,000 prosecutors nationwide handle cases undergoing preliminary investigation, underscoring the volume of complaints that pass through the justice system.

“Thousand cases na dumadaan sa amin for preliminary investigation. Yan ay dumadaan sa humigit kumulang apat na libong prosecutor natin sa buong Pilipinas,” Vida said.

He stressed that prosecutors do not automatically file charges against every respondent, as complaints must meet the standard of prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction before an information can be filed in court.

“Hindi naman po lahat yan ay kinakikitaan na dapat sampahan ng kasuhan,” Vida said, explaining that prosecutors must first determine whether there is sufficient basis to pursue criminal charges.

Once an information is filed, the case proceeds to court, where the judge determines the next appropriate steps, including whether to issue a warrant of arrest.

He also cited the volume of cases moving through the system in discussing the number of warrants issued, although the figures he mentioned were not entirely clear in the interview transcript.

Vida noted that estimates based on the number of cases must account for the possibility that a single case may involve multiple accused persons.

The preliminary investigation process serves as a screening mechanism to determine whether complaints have a sufficient evidentiary basis to proceed to court, forming part of the country's criminal justice system.