March 8, 2017

DOJ DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR NO. 018-17

TO : All Concerned

SUBJECT : Rule on Electronic Filing of Petitions for Review

In the interest of the service, pursuant to provisions of existing laws, in

order to promote the expeditious and efficient administration of justice, and
in line with current trends of procedure and advances in technology, the
following Rule on Electronic Filing of Petitions for Review is hereby
ADOPTED and made an integral part of the 2000 NPS Rule on Appeal 1
governing appeals from resolutions of prosecutors in the National
Prosecution Service. CAacTH

SECTION 1. Scope. — This Rule shall apply to Petitions for Review

filed before the Office of the Secretary and the Offices of Regional
Prosecutors, pursuant to Department Circular Nos. 70 and 70-A, s. 2000, as
well as comments thereon, other documents filed therefor, and any
pleadings or motions thereafter.
SECTION 2. Electronic Copies. — (a) All Petitions for Review filed
pursuant to Section 1 hereof shall have, in addition to its attachments, a
compact disc (CD) containing a PDF file of the Petition for Review and all its
attachments. No petition shall be docketed and deemed filed without the
accompanying CD.
(b) The Petition for Review and each of its attachments shall be
individually saved in PDF format, text-based whenever possible. The
filename of each shall be the same as the document title, viz.:
i. Petition for Review should bear the filename "Petition for
Review.pdf"
ii. Annex A — Resolution dated January 10, 2017 should bear the
filename "Annex A — Resolution dated January 10, 2017.pdf"
etc.
(c) The CD shall contain only the electronic documents pertaining to
the Petition for Review concerned. In the same manner, all electronic copies
of the Petition and its attachments shall be saved in one CD only. In case the
total size of the PDF files exceeds the capacity of the CD, the excess may be
saved in another CD, provided, that the CD be appropriately marked and
follows the aforementioned format.
(d) Any discrepancy in the paper-based document and the
electronic copy in the CD shall be a ground for dismissal of the petition for
review.
In the case of comments, other responsive pleadings and motions, the
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 foregoing shall likewise be required, otherwise, the same shall be deemed
not filed.
SECTION 3. Paper-Based Filing . — In order to be responsible to the
environment and to save on paper, the petitioner shall file only the original
of the Petition for Review with its required attachments, and the respondent
shall file only the original of his or her comment thereon. No copy of any
document, pleading or motion other than the original shall be received. cEaSHC

Petitions for Review and other documents filed in relation thereto shall
be deemed to have filed on the time and date of filing the paper-based
document. All paper-based documents shall be submitted in a long folder,
secured with fasteners, and chronologically paginated from bottom page
upwards.
Non-compliance with this provision shall constitute a ground for the
dismissal of the petition for review. In the case of comments, other
responsive pleadings and motions, the same shall be deemed not filed.
SECTION 4. Declaration of Completeness. — A verified declaration
that the pleadings or motions and its annexes submitted electronically are
complete and faithful electronic reproductions of the paper-based documents
and annexes shall be attached with the Petition for Review. The declaration
shall follow the foregoing format:
I, [name of petitioner], hereby declare that the documents and
annexes thereof hereto submitted electronically, in accordance with
the RULE ON ELECTRONIC FILING OF PETITIONS FOR REVIEW, are
complete and faithful electronic reproductions thereof filed with the
Department of Justice.
Signature
Printed Name
Date
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO before me on this _____ day of
__________, 20____, affiant exhibiting his or her competent evidence of
identity, to wit: ____________________.
________________________
Person Administering Oath
Doc. No. _____;
Page No. _____;
Book No. _____;
Series of 20____.
The declaration shall likewise be saved in the CD in PDF format.
Non-compliance with this provision shall constitute a ground for the
dismissal of the petition for review. In the case of comments, other
responsive pleadings and motions, the same shall be deemed not filed. IAETDc

SECTION 5. Dismissal for Non-Compliance with This Rule. — All

requirements abovementioned are MANDATORY and the non-compliance
with any provision shall constitute a ground for the dismissal of the petition
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 for review. In the case of comments, other responsive pleadings and
motions, the same shall be deemed not filed.
SECTION 6. Duties of the OSEC Docket Section (ODS). — Upon
receipt, the ODS shall indicate on the top right corner of the first page of the
document whether the same was personally filed or received through
registered mail or private courier (e.g., LBC).
Further, to ensure security, integrity and confidentiality of
electronically submitted documents, only the designated personnel in the
ODS shall have authority to access and open the files in the CD.
The designated personnel shall attach and upload the electronic
documents into the Petition for Review Information System (PRIS) under the
catalogue for the appealed case concerned.
SECTION 7. Implementation. — The ODS and the Management
Information System Division (MISD) shall design the process of filing in
accordance with this Rule, as well as update the PRIS in compliance with this
Circular.
SECTION 8. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Circular is
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected
thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
SECTION 9. Repealing Clause. — All provisions of existing issuances
that are inconsistent with this Circular are hereby repealed/amended
accordingly.
SECTION 10. Effectivity. — This Circular shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

(SGD.) VITALIANO N. AGUIRRE II

Secretary
Footnotes
1. Department Circular No. 70, s. 2000 dated July 3, 2000.

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