WHEN IS AN ARREST

WITHOUT WARRANT
LAWFUL?
> A peace officer or private person may arrest without warrant:
1.    When,  in  his  presence,  the  person  to  be  arrested  has committed, is actually
committing, or is attempting to commit an offense;
2.    When  an  offense  has  just  been  committed  and  he  has probable  cause  to 
believe  based  on  personal  knowledge  of facts  or  circumstances  that  the  person  to 
be  arrested  has committed it; and
3.    When  the  person  to  be  arrested  is  a  prisoner  who  has escaped  from  a  penal 
establishment  or  place  where  he  is serving  final  judgment  or  is  temporarily  confined 
while  his case is pending, or has escaped while being transferred from one confinement to
another.
4.    In hot pursuit 

A  POLICE  OFFICER  WAS 

CHASING  A  PERSON  WHO 
HAD  JUST COMMITTED  AN 
OFFENSE.    THE  PERSON 
WENT  INSIDE  A  HOUSE, SO 
THE  POLICE  OFFICER 
FOLLOWED.    INSIDE  THE 
HOUSE,  THE POLICE  
OFFICER   SAW   DRUGS  
LYING   AROUND. CAN  HE
CONFISCATE THE DRUGS AND
USE THEM AS EVIDENCE?
> Yes.    The  plain  view  doctrine  is  applicable  to  this  case  because there was a valid
prior intrusion.  The police officer inadvertently discovered  the  evidence,  he  had  a  right 
to  be  there,  and  the evidence was immediately apparent. 

WHAT IF THE OFFICER MERELY

PEEKS THROUGH THE WINDOW
OF THE HOUSE AND SEES THE
DRUGS, CAN HE CONFISCATE
THEM AND USE THEM AS
EVIDENCE?
> He can confiscate them, without prejudice though to his liability for violation of domicile. 
> He cannot use them as evidence because the seizure cannot be justified  under  the 
plain  view  doctrine,  there  being  no  previous valid intrusion. 

WHAT IS THE EFFECT IF A

WARRANTLESS ARREST IS
ILLEGAL?
> It  doesn't  render  void  all  other  proceedings,  including  those leading to the conviction
of the accused nor can the state deprived of its right to convict the guilty when all the facts
of record point 
to his culpability 
Sec. 5. Arrest without warrant; when lawful. – A peace officer or a private person
may, without a warrant, arrest a person: 
(a)   When,   in   his   presence,   the   person   to   be   arrested   has committed,  is 
actually  committing,  or  is  attempting  to  commit  an offense; 

(b) When an offense has just been committed and he has probable cause   to  
believe   based   on   personal   knowledge   of   facts   or circumstances that the
person to be arrested has committed it; and 

(c) When the person to be arrested is a prisoner who has escaped from  a  penal 
establishment  or  place  where  he  is  serving  final judgment  or  is  temporarily 
confined  while  his  case  is  pending,  or has  escaped  while  being  transferred 
from  one  confinement  to another. 

In  cases  falling  under  paragraphs  (a)  and  (b)  above,  the  person arrested 
without  a  warrant  shall  be  forthwith  delivered  to  the nearest  police  station  or 
jail  and  shall  be  proceeded  against  in accordance with section 7 of Rule 112.

GUIDELINES TO
SAFEGUARD  THE  RIGHTS
OF AN ACCUSED WHO HAS
BEEN ARRESTED WITHOUT
A WARRANT
The  arresting  officer  must  bring  the  arrestee 
before  the  inquest fiscal to determine whether the
person should remain in  custody and  charged  in 
court  or  if  he  should  be  released  for  lack  of
evidence or for further investigation
WHAT  IS  THE  REMEDY  OF 
THE  PERSON  ARRESTED 
WITHOUT WARRANT   IF   HE  
WANTS   A   PRELIMINARY  
INVESTIGATION?
> Before  the  complaint  or  information  is  filed,  he  may 
ask  for  a preliminary investigation provided he signs a
waiver of his rights under  Article  125  of  the  RPC 
(Delay  in  the  Delivery  to  Judicial Authorities) in the
presence of counsel

o      He may still apply for bail in spite of the waiver

o      The investigation must be terminated within 15 days  

> After the complaint was filed but before arraignment, the
accused may within 5 days from the time he learns of the
filing, ask for a preliminary investigation

HOW SHOULD THE

COMPLAINT OR INFORMATION
BE FILED WHEN THE
ACCUSED IS LAWFULLY
ARRESTED WITHOUT
WARRANT?
> The  complaint  or  information  may  be  filed  by  the  prosecutor without  need  of  preliminary 
investigation  provided  an  inquest proceeding has been conducted in accordance with existing
rules
> In the absence of an inquest prosecutor, the offended party may file the complaint directly in court
on the basis of the affidavit of the offended party or police officer

WHAT IS A WARRANT OF
ARREST?
> Legal  process  issued  by  a  competent  authority,  directing  the arrest of a person or persons
upon grounds stated therein 
 

WHEN MAY A WARRANT OF

ARREST BE ISSUED?
> If issued by the RTC, 
1.    Within  ten  (10)  days  from  the  filing  of  the  complaint  or information, the judge shall
personally evaluate the resolution of the prosecutor and its supporting evidence.  
2.    He  may  immediately  dismiss  the  case  if  the  evidence  on record clearly fails to establish
probable cause.  
3.    If he finds probable cause, he shall issue a warrant of arrest, or  a  commitment  order  if  the 
accused  has  already  been arrested pursuant to a warrant issued by the MTC judge who
conducted   the   preliminary   investigation   or   when   the complaint  or  information  was  filed 
pursuant  to  section  7  of this Rule.  
o      Pangay v. Ganay modified this rule by providing that investigating judges’ power to order the
arrest of the accused  is  limited  to  instances   where  there  is necessity  for  placing  him  in 
custody  in  order  not  to frustrate the ends of justice
4.    In  case  of  doubt  on  the  existence  of  probable  cause,  the judge   may   order   the  
prosecutor   to   present   additional evidence within five (5) days from notice and the issue must be
resolved by the court within thirty (30) days from the filing of the complaint of information. 
5.    If  the  warrant  of  arrest  is  issued  by  the  MTC  and  if  the preliminary  investigation  was 
conducted  by  the  prosecutor, the same procedure as above is followed 
 

WHEN IS A WARRANT OF ARREST

NOT NECESSARY?
> A warrant of arrest is not necessary in the following instances: 
1.    When the accused is already in detention issued by the MTC 
2.    When  the  accused  was  arrested  by  virtue  of  a  lawful  arrest without warrant 
3.    When the penalty is of a fine only 
4.    Those covered by a summary procedure  
 

WHAT ARE THE PRINCIPLES

GOVERNING THE FINDING OF
PROBABLE CAUSE FOR THE
ISSUANCE OF A WARRANT OF
ARREST?
> There  is  a  distinction  between  the  objective  of  determining probable  cause  as  done  by  the 
prosecutor  and  that  done  by  the judge—the  prosecutor  determines  it  for  the  purpose  of 
filing  the complaint  or  information;  while  the  judge  determines  it  for  the purpose of issuing a
warrant of arrest to determine whether there is a necessity of placing the accused under immediate
custody in 
order not to frustrate the ends of justice
> Since the objectives are different, the judge shouldn't  rely solely on the report of the prosecutor in
finding probable cause to justify the issuance of warrant of arrest
> He must decide independently and must have supporting evidence other than the prosecutor’s
bare report

IS THE FINDING OF A JUDGE

THAT PROBABLE CAUSE EXISTS
FOR THE  PURPOSE  OF 
ISSUING  A  WARRANT  OF 
ARREST  SUBJECT  TO JUDICIAL
REVIEW?
> No, that would be tantamount to asking the court to examine and assess such evidence
submitted by the parties before trial and on the basis thereof and to make a conclusion as to
whether or not it suffices to establish the guilt of the accused

CAN THE ACCUSED FILE A

MOTION TO  QUASH  BASED
ON  INSUFFICIENCY OF
EVIDENCE?
>  No, he cannot preempt the trial by filing a motion to
quash on the ground of insufficiency of evidence

> Whether  the  function of  determining probable cause

has  been correctly  discharged by  the  prosecutor  is  a 
matter  that  the  trial court itself doesn't and may not pass
upon
IS THE DETERMINATION OF
PROBABLE CAUSE A JUDICIAL
OR EXECUTIVE FUNCTION?
> It depends
> Executive  function:  purpose  of  determining  whether  there  is reasonable ground to believe
that the accused has committed the offense and should be held for trial
> Judicial function: issuance of warrant of arrest by a judge

WHAT IS PROBABLE CAUSE?

> Probable cause is the existence of such facts and circumstances as would excite the belief in a 
reasonable  mind, acting on the facts within the knowledge of the prosecutor, that the person
charged was guilty of the crime for which he was prosecuted
> Based on the evidence that would be adduced by the parties

WHEN IS THERE A LAWFUL

WARRANTLESS ARREST?
1.    When, in his presence, the person to be arrested has
committed, is actually committing, or is attempting to
commit an offense;

2.    When  an  offense  has  just  been  committed  and 

he  has  probable cause  to  believe  based  on  personal 
knowledge  of  facts  or circumstances that the person to
be arrested has committed it;

3.    When  the  person  to  be  arrested  is  a  prisoner 

who  has  escaped from  a  penal  establishment  or 
place  where  he  is  serving  final judgment or is
temporarily confined while his case is pending, or has 
escaped  while  being  transferred  from  one 
confinement  to another

4.    Hot pursuit