It was in 1996 that the first Manual for Prosecutors of the Department of
Justice was issued as a unified guide for prosecutors in their day-to-day
services to the public. In the ensuing years, the Rules on Criminal
Procedure had undergone revisions, several special laws were enacted,
and various jurisprudence emerged, thus, affecting the work of the
prosecutors. Yet, the Manual remained as it was in 1996. The need to revisit
the Manual to keep it attuned to recent developments in law and procedure
is the prime consideration for those involved in this project.
The Manual will provide for the procedural guidelines that will standardise
investigative and prosecutorial work in the National Prosecution Service in a
unified and simplified manner.
I thank all those who have laboured and partnered with the Department for
the development and production of this Manual. May you continue with such
noble work for the Filipino people, and may more join you in efforts to
strengthen the Department as an institution and the justice system as
whole.
To all DOJ prosecutors and prosecution attorneys, this is your Manual. A lot
of hard work, time and resources went into it to make sure that it is
comprehensive enough to cover the peculiarities of your work, while being a
user-friendly reference to you.
It is my hope that this would help you in the discharge of your sworn duty to
the people and ultimately improve the administration of justice in our
country.