On 04 May 2026, the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) issued DOJ Department Circular No. 15, or the Special Guidelines in the Disposition of Old Petitions for Review (“Guidelines”) which will take effect on 09 October 2026. These Guidelines shall apply to all Petitions for Review and Motions for Reconsiderations thereof that were filed earlier than 01 January 2022 and remain pending before the DOJ, to date. 

Under the Guidelines, Petitioners, or other concerned parties, are directed to inform the DOJ of any supervening event that may have transpired and may have rendered the resolution of their cases moot and academic, such as, but not limited to: 

  1. The Respondent/Accused has been charged in court for the same offense subject of the Petition for Review and has been convicted or acquitted by the Trial Court; 
  2. Promulgation of a Resolution or Judgement in a civil action involving a prejudicial question; 
  3. Settlement of the dispute between or among the parties; 
  4. Lack of interest on the part of the Petitioner in pursuing the Petition for Review;
  5. Death of the Respondent/Accused; or
  6. Any other supervening event that may materially affect the disposition of the case.  

In the absence of any of the above supervening events, the Petitioners, or other concerned parties, are required to submit a Manifestaion expressly stating their intention to have the DOJ proceed with the resolution of their Petition for Review on the merits. 

The necessary Compliance or Manifestation, as the case may be, must be filed before the Secretary Appeals Management Office (“SAMO”) through registered mail or private within ninety (90) days from the effectivity of the Guidelines, or until 07 January 2027. Additionally, Petitioners, or the other concerned parties, must also file a Portable Document Format (PDF) copy through electronic mail to the official e-mail address of the SAMO at osecsamo@doj.gov.ph with the following subject and filename:

Subject: [Compliance/Manifestation] – [NPS Docket No XXXX] – [Case Title] – [Name of Filing Party]

Filename: [Compliance/Manifestation] – [NPS Docket No XXXX] – [Name of Filing Party]

Significantly, failure to file said Compliance or Manifestation within the said period shall be construed as a lack of interest on the part of the Petitioner, and shall result in the dismissal of the Petition for Review or denial of the Motion for Reconsideration. 

To ensure full understanding and compliance, it is best to read the circular in its original.