Philippines - Apply for Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program

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Procedure

Apply In-Person:

1. To Apply for Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program, the applicant has to approach the Department of Justice offices link
2. An application form will be provided to the applicant by the concerned officer. Or the applicant can download the application form from the following link
3. The applicant has to fill in all the necessary details in the application form. (Incomplete applications are not accepted)
4. Make sure that the applicant has attached all the necessary documents that are mentioned in the “Required Documents” section of this page.
5. The applicant has to attach the photocopies of the required documents along with the application form while submitting.
6. Submit all the documents with the completed form to the concerned officer.
7. The fee for this procedure has to be paid as per the authority’s request.
8. After receiving the application, the concerned authority will check the submitted application and document set. If all are in place, the application will be accepted.
9. All applications are processed within a reasonable time, having regard to the particular circumstances of each application, including the completeness of information and documents submitted to the authority by the applicant.
10. The authority may seek additional information from an applicant if this is necessary to assess the application. The authority does not need to deal further with an application until the applicant has provided this additional information.
11. The entire process can be completed within 30 days or as per the timeline advised by the respective department authority.

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Required Documents

• Duly accomplished Application form link
• Referral or Recommendation letter from the proper Government Agency
• Classification of offense in which testimony is to be used as grace felony.
• Statement under oath that he is not a law enforcement officer.
• Sworn Statement of the witness-applicant detailing his knowledge or information on the commission of the crime.
• Sworn Statement or corroborating witness
• Sworn Statement of Police investigator
• Police Report
• Marriage contract, if applicable duly certified by NSO/Civil Registrar’s Office.
• Birth Certificate of unmarried child/children below 18 years old duly certified by NSO/ Civil Registrar’s Office
• Certification from a law-enforcement agency/officer of the existence of the Threats or Harassment as contemplated under Sec. 3 (c) of R.A. 6981
• Certificate of Materiality and Indispensability of the Applicant’s testimony execute by the investigating prosecutor
• Resolution of the case
• Information of the case
• Use the following link to know in details about the required documents link

Office Locations & Contacts

Department of Justice - Philippines
Padre Faura Street
Ermita, Manila 1000
Republic of the Philippines
Telephone - (+632) 8523 8481 to 98
Contact Details link

Eligibility

• Any person who has knowledge of or information on the commission of a crime and has testified or is testifying or is willing to testify.
• A witness in a congressional investigation, upon the recommendation of the legislative committee where his testimony is needed and with the approval of the Senate President or the Speaker of the House of Representatives, as the case may be.
• A witness who participated in the commission of a crime and who desires to be a State witness.
• An accused who is discharged from an information or criminal complaint by the court in order that he may be a State witness.

Fees

• The fee for this procedure has to be paid as per the authority’s request.

Validity

Explain the time until which the certificate/document is valid.
e.g. Birth Certificate Valid Forever

Documents to Use

• Application form link

Sample Documents

Please attach sample completed documents that would help other people.

Processing Time

• The entire process can be completed within 30 days or as per the timeline advised by the respective department authority.

Related Videos

Videos explaining the procedure or to fill the applications.
Attach videos using the following tag <&video type='website'>video ID|width|height<&/video&> from external websites.
Please remove the '&' inside the tags during implementation.
Website = allocine, blip, dailymotion, facebook, gametrailers, googlevideo, html5, metacafe, myspace, revver,
sevenload, viddler, vimeo, youku, youtube
width = 560, height = 340, Video ID = Can be obtained from the URL of webpage where the video is displayed.
e.g In the following url 'http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y0US7oR_t3M' Video ID is 'Y0US7oR_t3M'.

Instructions

• Applicants must complete the application form before submitting it. Incomplete applications will not be accepted.
• Applicants must provide genuine information while applying for this procedure.

Required Information

• Date of Application
• Name of Applicant
• Address/ Residence
• Telephone No.
• Provincial Address
• Telephone No.
• Date of Birth
• Place of Birth
• Nationality
• Occupation
• Monthly Income
• Highest Educational Attainment
• Medical History
• Name of Spouse
• Highest Educational Attainment
• Name of Children
• Educational Background of Children
• Nature of Protection/Security or Benefit Desired

Need for the Document

• Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program is established under Republic Act No. 6981, "The Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act", which seeks to encourage a person who has witnessed or has knowledge of the commission of a crime to testify before a court or quasi-judicial body, or before an investigating authority, by protecting him from reprisals and from economic dislocation.

Information which might help

The benefits include the following:

• Security protection and escort services.
• Immunity from criminal prosecution and not to be subjected to any penalty or forfeiture for any transaction, matter or thing concerning his compelled testimony or books, documents or writings produced.
• Secure housing facility.
• Assistance in obtaining a means of livelihood.
• Reasonable traveling expenses and subsistence allowance while acting as a witness.
• Free medical treatment, hospitalization and medicine for any injury or illness incurred or suffered while acting as a witness.
• Burial benefits of not less than Ten Thousand pesos (P10,000.00) if the witness is killed because of his participation in the Program.
• Free education from primary to college level for the minor or dependent children of a witness who dies or is permanently incapacitated.
• Non-removal or demotion in work because of absences due to his being a witness and payment of full salary or wage while acting as witness.

Other uses of the Document/Certificate

Please explain what are other uses of obtaining this document/certificate.
e.g. Birth Certificate can be used as proof of identity.

External Links

• For More Information link
  

Others

A witness is discharged

• when he has already testified or has completed his witness duty
• if he fails or refuses to testify
• if he is no longer regarded as a necessary witness or
• if the danger falls away.