COURTS SHOULD PROTECT THE INNOCENT

OKABE vs. HON. DE LEON GUTIERREZ, G.R. No. 150185, May 27, 2004

The constitutional duty of this Court in criminal litigations is not only to acquit the
innocent after trial but to insulate, from the start, the innocent from unfounded
charges. For the Court is aware of the strains of a criminal accusation and the
stresses of litigation which should not be suffered by the clearly innocent. The
filing of an unfounded criminal information in court exposes the innocent to
severe distress especially when the crime is not bailable. Even an acquittal of the
innocent will not fully bleach the dark and deep stains left by a baseless
accusation for reputation once tarnished remains tarnished for a long length of
time. The expense to establish innocence may also be prohibitive and can be
more punishing especially to the poor and the powerless. Innocence ought to be
enough and the business of this Court is to shield the innocent from senseless suits
right from the start.