RULE 112 - PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION

Category: Criminal Procedure

RULE 112 - PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION

Section  1.  Preliminary  investigation  defined;  when  required.  – Preliminary investigation is an inquiry or proceeding to determine whether  there  is  sufficient  ground  to  engender  a  well-founded belief  that  a  crime  has  been  committed  and  the  respondent  is probably guilty thereof, and should be held for trial.
 
Except  as  provided  in  Section  7  of  this  Rule,  a  preliminary investigation  is  required  to  be  conducted  before  the  filing  of  a compliant   or   information   for   an   offense   where   the   penalty prescribed  by  law  is  at  least  four  (4)  years,  two  (2)  months  and one (1) day without regard to the fine. 

WHAT IS A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION?

> It  is  an  inquiry  or  proceeding  to  determine  whether  there  is sufficient  ground  to  engender  a  well-founded  belief  that  a  crime has  been  committed  and  the  respondent  is  probably  guilty
thereof, and should be held for trial

WHAT IS THE NATURE AND EFFECTS OF A PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION?

1.    It is merely inquisitorial
2.    Only   means   of   discovering   whether   the   offense   has   been committed and the persons responsible for it  
3.    To enable the fiscal to prepare his complaint and information  
4.    Not a trial on the merits

5.    Determine  whether  there  is  probable  cause  to  believe  that  an offense has been committed and the accused is probably guilty of it  
6.    Doesn't place the accused in jeopardy
7.    Doesn't affect the  jurisdiction of the court—only the regularity of the proceedings
8.    Accused  cannot  assert  lack  of  preliminary  investigation.    Court cannot dismiss the case based on  this ground—it should conduct the investigation or order the fiscal or lower court to do it
9.    Preliminary investigation may be waived
10.  Accused  should  invoke  right  to  PI  before  plea,  otherwise  it  is deemed waived
11.  Accused  doesn't  have  full  gamut  of  rights  yet.    He  doesn't  have right to counsel unless a confession is being obtained from him.
12.  There is also no right to confront witnesses against him.
 

WHEN IS IT REQUIRED?

> Before    a    complaint    or    information    is    filed,    preliminary investigation   is   required   for   all   offenses   punishable   by imprisonment of at least 4 years, 2 months and 1 day, regardless of the fine, except if the accused was arrested by virtue of a lawful arrest without warrant
> In  case  of  lawful  arrest  without  warrant:  the  complaint  or information may be filed without a preliminary investigation unless the  accused  asks  for  a  preliminary  investigation  and  waives  his rights under Article 125 of the RPC
> Whether or not there is a need for PI depends upon the imposable penalty for the crime charged in the complaint filed with the city or  provincial  prosecutor’s  office  and  not  upon  the  imposable penalty  for  the  crime  fund  to  have  been  committed  by  the respondent after a preliminary investigation