What is criminal procedure?

Criminal procedure is the method prescribed by law for the apprehension and prosecution of persons accused of any criminal offense and for their punishment, in case of conviction. What is criminal procedure concerned with? Criminal procedure is concerned with the procedural steps through which the criminal case passes, commencing with the initial investigation of a crime and concluding with the unconditional release of the offender. It is a generic term used to describe the network of laws and rules which govern the procedural administration of criminal justice. What are the sources of criminal procedure? 1.SpanishLawofCriminalProcedure 2. General Order No. 58, dated April 23 1900 3. Amendatory acts passed by the Philippine Commission 4. The various quasi acts, the Philippine Bill of 1902, the Jones Law of 1916, the Tydings-McDuffie Law, and the Constitution ofthe Philippines 5. The Rule of Court of 1940, and the 1964, 1985, and 1988 Rules on Criminal Procedure 6. Various Republic Acts (RA 240, Judiciary Act, RA 8249 creating the Sandiganbayan, Speedy Trial Act 7. Presidential Decrees 8. 1987 Constitution, particularly Art. III Bill of Rights 9. Civil Code (Art. 32, 33, 34) 10. Certain judicial decisions 11. RA 8393 The Speedy Trial Act 12. Circulars 13. The Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure (Dec 1, 2000) What are the three systems of criminal procedure? 1. Inquisitorial the detection and prosecution of offenders are not left to the initiative of private parties but to the officials and agents of the law. Resort is made to secret inquiry to discover the culprit, and violence and torture are often employed to extract confessions. The judge is not limited to the evidence brought before him but could proceed with his own inquiry which was not confrontative. 2.Accusatorial The accusation is exercised by every citizen or by a member of the group to which the injured party belongs. As the action is a combat between the parties, the supposed offender has the right to be confronted by his accuser. The battle in the form of a public trial is judged by a magistrate who renders a verdict.The essence of the accusatorial system is the right to be presumed innocent.To defeat this presumption, the prosecution must establish proof of guilt beyond reasonable doubt (moral certainty). 3. Mixed This is a combination of the inquisitorial and accusatorial systems. The examination of defendants and other persons before the filing of the complaint or information is inquisitorial. The judicial set-up in the Philippines is accusatorial or adversary in nature. It contemplates two contending parties before the court, which hears them impartially and renders judgment only after trial. Distinguish between criminal law and criminal procedure. Criminal law is substantive; it defines crimes, treats of their nature, and provides for their punishment. Criminal procedure, on the other hand, is remedial or procedural; it provides for the method by which a

person accused of a crime is arrested, tried and punished. Criminal law declares what acts are punishable, while criminal procedure provides how the act is to be punished. How are the rules of criminal procedure construed? The rules of criminal procedure shall be liberally construed in favor of the accused and strictly against the state to even the odds in favor of the accused against whom the entire machinery of the state is mobilized. What is jurisdiction? Jurisdiction (in general) is the power or authority given by the law to a court or tribunal to hear and determine certain controversies. It is the power of courts to hear and determine a controversy involving rights which are demandable and enforceable. Distinguish jurisdiction from venue.

Venue is defined as the particular country or geographical area in which a court with jurisdiction may hear and determine a case. It means the place of trial. On the other hand, jurisdiction is the power of the court to decide the case on the merits. Venue is thus procedural, while jurisdiction is substantive. In civil cases, venue may be waived or stipulated by the parties. On the other hand, jurisdiction is granted by law or the Constitution and cannot be waived or stipulated. What is criminal jurisdiction? Criminal jurisdiction is the authority to hear and try a particular offense and impose the punishment for it. What are the elements of jurisdiction in criminal cases? 1. The nature of the offense and/or the penalty attached thereto 2. The fact that the offense has been committed within the territorial jurisdiction of the court. What are the requisites for a valid exercise of criminal jurisdiction? 1. Jurisdiction over the person 2. Jurisdiction over the territory 3. Jurisdiction over the subject matter What is jurisdiction over the subject matter? It is the power to hear and determine cases of the general class to which the proceedings in question belong and is conferred by the sovereign authority which organizes the court and defines its powers. Which law determines the jurisdiction of the court the law in force at the time of the commission of the offense or the one in force as of the time when the action is filed? Jurisdiction is determined by the law as of the time when the action is filed, not when the offense was committed. The exception to this rule is where jurisdiction is dependent on the nature of the position of the accused at the time of the commission of the offense. In this case, jurisdiction is determined by the law in force at the time of the commission of the offense. What is adherence of jurisdiction? The principle of Adherence of Jurisdiction means that once jurisdiction is vested in the court, it is retained up to the end of the litigation. It remains with the court until the case is finally terminated. The exception to this is where a subsequent statute changing the jurisdiction of a court is given retroactive effect, it can divest a court of jurisdiction over cases already pending before it before the effectivity of the statute.

A was charged with an offense whose penalty was below 6 years. The case was filed with the MTC. After trial, the MTC convicted him of an offense with a higher penalty. A questioned the conviction, claiming that the MTC had no jurisdiction over the offense since the penalty prescribed for it was higher than 6 years. Is A correct? A is wrong. Jurisdiction over the subject matter is determined by the authority of the court to impose the penalty imposable given the allegation in the information. It is not determined by the penalty that may be meted out to the offender after trial but to the extent of the penalty which the law imposes for the crime charged in the complaint. If during the proceedings, the court finds that it has no jurisdiction, how should it proceed? Where the court has no jurisdiction, lower courts should simply dismiss the case. On the other hand, the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals may refer the case to the court of proper jurisdiction. What is the jurisdiction of Municipal Trial Courts in criminal cases?