The Supreme Court of the Philippines (SC) has officially approved a set of “Rules on Extradition Proceedings” designed to standardize and speed up how extradition cases are handled in the country.
Key points of the new framework:
- The Rules apply to all aspects of extradition proceedings, including arrest warrants, hold-departure orders, and bail requests.
- Extradition will only be permitted if the offense is punishable under both Philippine law and the law of the requesting state — even if the legal definitions differ.
- If someone is being extradited to serve a sentence, there must be at least six months of the sentence remaining.
- Extradition proceedings are summary in nature — meaning the court’s role is not to determine guilt or innocence, but to assess whether the request meets legal and treaty requirements.
- Courts must render a decision within 30 calendar days after the last witness is heard (or last pleading filed) and the Court of Appeals must decide any appeal within 90 days.
- The Rules will take effect on November 10, 2025.
These amendments aim to make the legal process around extradition clearer and more efficient, addressing past delays and ambiguities.