THE DEPARTMENT of Justice (DoJ) has required government prosecutors to file criminal cases that would lead to a “reasonable certainty of conviction” as part of efforts to ease jail congestion, it said in a statement on Tuesday.
DoJ said it had issued guidelines requiring complaints to be supported by evidence that would lead to a high likelihood of conviction such as evidence that is not disputed by the accused.
“The difference between probable cause and proof beyond reasonable doubt has caused the temporary detention of many individuals who are eventually acquitted because of the prosecution’s failure to prove guilt in court,” it said.
Earlier this month, the DoJ lowered bail for poor Filipinos to half of the recommended bail or P10,000 whichever is lower. — John Victor D. Ordoñez