Pre-trial and Pre-trial Conference

Section  1. Pre-trial; mandatory  in criminal cases. – In all  criminal cases  cognizable 

by  the  Sandiganbayan,  Regional  Trial  Court, Metropolitan  Trial  Court,  Municipal 
Trial  Court  in  Cities,  Municipal Trial  Court  and  Municipal  Circuit  Trial  Court,  the 
court  shall,  after arraignment  and  within  thirty  (30)  days  from  the  date  the  court
acquires  jurisdiction  over  the  person  of  the  accused,  unless  a shorter  period  is 
provided  for  in  special  laws  or  circulars  of  the Supreme  Court,  order   a  pre-trial  
conference  to   consider  the following:

(a) plea bargaining;

(b) stipulation of facts;

(c) marking for identification of evidence of the parties;

(d) waiver of objections to admissibility of evidence;

(e)  modification  of  the  order  of  trial  if  the  accused  admits  the charge but
interposes a lawful defense; and

(f) such matters as will promote a fair and expeditious trial of the criminal and civil
aspects of the case.

WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF A PRE-TRIAL?

>     The purpose is to expedite proceedings

WHEN IS PRE-TRIAL REQUIRED?

>     Pre-trial  is  mandatory  in  all  criminal  cases  cognizable  by  the Sandiganbayan,
RTC, MTC and MCTC

WHEN SHOULD IT BE CONDUCTED?

>     After  arraignment,  and  within  30  days  from  the  date  the  court acquires
jurisdiction over the person of the accused
>     An exception to the rule is when the accused is under preventive detention.  The
case shall be raffled within 3 days.  Arraignment shall be done within 10 days after the
raffle.  Ten days thereafter, the pre-trial.  

WHAT SHOULD THE ORDER FOR  PRE-TRIAL  CONFERENCE CONTAIN?

1.    The  presence  of  the  accused  and  more  importantly  the  offended party,  for 
purposes  of  plea  bargaining  and  determination  of  civil liability.    Remember  that 
plea  bargaining  isn’t  allowed  in  cases involving violations of the Dangerous Drugs
Act.
2.    Referring  the  matter  for  preliminary  conference  to  the  clerk  of court.
3.    Warning  that  evidence  not  offered  during  preliminary  conference shall be
inadmissible except if because  of good  cause and under the discretion of the court

WHO SHOULD PRESIDE IN A PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE?

>     Clerk of court will preside the preliminary conference

WHAT SHOULD THE CLERK OF COURT DO IN PRESIDING OVER THE

PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE?

1.    The clerk of court is given a vital role in the speedy disposition of cases
2.    He shall serve as the mediator or arbitrator between the accused and offended
party for the two parties to reach a settlement as to the civil liability of the accused
3.    He shall serve as mediator between the parties with regard plea bargaining
4.    He shall serve as mediator in the stipulation of facts between the accused and
offended party
5.    He  shall  oversee  the  introduction  and  marking  of  documentary evidence
6.    He shall see that the evidence is genuine and duly executed
7.    He  shall  oversee  the  conference  if  there  will  be  any  waiver  to objections over
admissibility of evidence
8.    In  case  the  accused  gives  a  lawful  defense,  he  will  indicate  that there would
be a modification of the order of trial

N.B
1.    A preliminary  conference precedes a pre-trial.  It is officiated by the  clerk  of 
court.    The  clerk  of  court  plays  a  vital  role  in  the speedy disposition of cases.
2.    Often  times,  there  would  be  no  pre-trial  anymore  but  the  trial would
commence and the  judge would  issue the decision for the disposition of the case.
3.    The   pre-trial   conference   is   conducted   for   the   expeditious disposition of the
case.  What happens in the conference is more than what meets the eye.
4.    There  is  now  an  amendment  in  the  new  rules  providing  for  the parties  to 
talk  with  each  other  absent  their  lawyers.    Lawyers often  times  are  stumbling 
blocks  in  the  speedy  disposition  of
cases.  
5.    In the pre-trial and preliminary conference, there is narrowing of conflict between
the parties.  In furtherance of this, the judge is sanctioned to allow the number of
witnesses to be presented, limit the trial days, etc.  
6.    Remember that any evidence not presented or marked during the pre-trial
conference shall not be admitted during the trial.    This is  done  to  make  the
presentation  of  evidence  mandatory  for  the
parties  to  the  case.    Additional  evidence  shall  only  be  allowed  if there is good
cause and for furtherance of justice 
7.    Evidence is genuine and duly executed—in relation to notarial law when the lawyer
admits to the genuineness and due execution of the documentary evidence presented.
8.    The  preliminary  conference  is  to  minimize  the  things  to  be discussed during
the pre-trial conference that would be conducted by the judge.  After the pre-trial
conference, a pre-trial order shall
be  issued.    This  will  serve  as  the  bible  for  the  rest  of  the proceedings.
9.    See the Revised Rules on Pre-trial issued during August 2004.

The Supreme Court recently approved A.M. No. 15-06-10-SC, or the Revised Guidelines for
Continuous Trial of Criminal Cases (Revised Guidelines), which is set to take effect on 1
September 2017. The Revised Guidelines follows a series of pilot testing of continuous trial
procedure for criminal cases in several trial courts in Metro Manila beginning in 2014. The
Revised Guidelines are designed to cut trial duration in criminal cases from the usual three
years to just around three months.
Applicability
The Revised Guidelines will apply to newly-filed criminal cases (i.e. filed after 1 September
2017), and those already pending as of the effectivity date, with respect to the remainder of the
proceedings. Criminal cases before the Trial Courts, the Sandiganbayan, and the Court of Tax
Appeals will be affected.

New Rule on Presentation of Evidence

The Revised Guidelines seek to streamline the criminal litigation process by introducing several
changes to existing trial procedures. To achieve this objective, the Revised Guidelines has,
among others, set out revised rules on the form and timing of presentation of witnesses, which
are expected to impact trial preparation. In summary, the Revised Guidelines provide:

(a) In criminal cases before First Level Courts (i.e. Municipal and Metropolitan Trial Courts,
etc.), witness testimonies shall consist of (i) duly subscribed written statements given to law
enforcement officers; or (ii) affidavits or counter-affidavits submitted during preliminary
investigation; or (iii) if (i) and (ii) are not available, judicial affidavits.

(b) In criminal cases before Regional Trial Courts, the Sandiganbayan, and the Court of Tax
Appeals, the form of witness testimonies depends on the nature of the crime involved.

 In criminal cases where (i) the demeanor of the witness is not essential in determining
the credibility of the said witness, such as expert witnesses who will testify on the
authenticity, due execution, and contents of public documents or reports; and (ii) in
criminal cases that are transactional in character such as falsification, malversation, or
estafa, or other crimes where the culpability or innocence of the accused can be
established through documents, the testimonies of the witnesses shall be the, duly
subscribed written statements given to law enforcement officers, or the affidavits or
counter-affidavits submitted during preliminary investigation, or (iii) if (i) and (ii) are not
available, judicial affidavits.
 In all other cases where the culpability or innocence of the accused is based on the
testimonies of eyewitnesses, the testimonies of these witnesses shall in be oral form.

(c) Trial dates shall be scheduled one (1) day apart.

(d) The Revised Guidelines provide that courts should strictly enforce the rule that each witness
shall be fully examined in one (1) day, although it remains to be seen how this will be
implemented.
Why it affects you?
Clients involved in existing criminal litigations may need to adjust schedule of availability of their
witnesses, following a possible adjusted trial schedule which may be imposed by the court.
Additional arrangements may need to be made for the preparation of judicial affidavits and/or
preparation for oral testimonies, depending on the nature of the crime involved. Meanwhile,
those planning to institute criminal cases will need to secure the availability of possible
witnesses early on in the proceedings, and where possible, prepare the necessary affidavits
ahead of time.