The criminal justice system for the NAPOLCOM exam: the five pillars, who does what, and the ethics that bind them.
The exam asks a future officer to see where the police sit in the larger machine. The Philippine criminal justice system is taught as five pillars, and the items test which agency belongs to which pillar, how a case moves from one to the next, and the standards of conduct that apply to everyone inside it. This page covers the five pillars with the agency behind each, the path of a case, and the RA 6713 norms the exam pairs with the topic.
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- Worked examples
- 3
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Quick facts
- Pillars
- 5: law enforcement, prosecution, courts, corrections, community
- PNP is
- The law enforcement pillar
- Prosecution
- National Prosecution Service, DOJ
- Corrections
- BJMP (jails), BuCor (prisons), parole and probation
- Ethics
- RA 6713's eight norms
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The five pillars
The five-pillar model is the standard description of the Philippine criminal justice system and the one the exam uses. Each pillar is a function, and each function has agencies that perform it. The PNP is the first pillar, which is why the exam expects an officer to know the other four.
| Pillar | Function | Principal agencies |
|---|---|---|
| Law enforcement | Prevent and investigate crime; arrest offenders; gather evidence | PNP; NBI; PDEA; the Bureau of Customs and other agencies with enforcement powers |
| Prosecution | Determine probable cause and prosecute cases in court | National Prosecution Service under the Department of Justice; the Office of the Ombudsman for public officials |
| Courts | Try cases and decide guilt; issue warrants | Supreme Court; Court of Appeals; Sandiganbayan; Regional Trial Courts; first-level courts |
| Corrections | Detain, rehabilitate and supervise offenders | BJMP (city and municipal jails, under DILG); Bureau of Corrections (national prisons, under DOJ); provincial jails; Parole and Probation Administration |
| Community | Prevent crime and reintegrate offenders | Barangays, schools, churches, civic groups; the public itself |
How a case moves through the pillars
A crime is reported or discovered; the police investigate, gather evidence and, where the law allows, arrest. The police file a complaint with the prosecutor, who conducts a preliminary investigation (for offences with a penalty of at least four years, two months and one day) to determine probable cause, and files an information in court if it exists. The court arraigns the accused, tries the case and renders judgment. A convicted person serves the sentence in a jail (for shorter terms, under the BJMP) or a prison (for three years and up, under the Bureau of Corrections), or under probation; on release, the community pillar is where reintegration succeeds or fails.
The exam tests the handoffs. The police do not decide probable cause to file; the prosecutor does. The prosecutor does not issue warrants; a judge does. The BJMP and the Bureau of Corrections are different agencies under different departments, and which one holds a prisoner depends on the sentence.
- 1
Law enforcement
Investigation, evidence, arrest with or without warrant as the law allows, and a complaint to the prosecutor.
- 2
Prosecution
Preliminary investigation and a finding of probable cause; an information filed in the proper court.
- 3
Courts
Arraignment, trial, judgment; warrants and bail decided here.
- 4
Corrections
Jail or prison by length of sentence; probation or parole where granted.
- 5
Community
Crime prevention before, and reintegration after.
RA 6713: the norms the exam pairs with the system
The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees (RA 6713, 1989) applies to everyone in the five pillars, and the exam treats its eight norms of conduct as the ethics baseline for a future officer. Section 4 lists them: commitment to public interest, professionalism, justness and sincerity, political neutrality, responsiveness to the public, nationalism and patriotism, commitment to democracy, and simple living. Items ask which norm a described act violates, and ask the mechanics: the statement of assets, liabilities and net worth filed by 30 April each year, the ban on receiving gifts in connection with official duty, and the duty to act on requests within fifteen working days.
Worked examples
These items are written specifically for this guide. The actual practice bank pulls from a separate pool of original NAPOLCOM-style items reviewed by passers.
Item 01
Which pillar of the criminal justice system does the Philippine National Police belong to?
- AProsecution
- BLaw enforcementCorrect
- CCorrections
- DCommunity
Explanation. The PNP is the principal agency of the law enforcement pillar, alongside the NBI and PDEA. Prosecution is the DOJ's prosecutors; corrections is the BJMP and BuCor.Item 02
Who determines whether there is probable cause to file a criminal case in court?
- AThe arresting officer
- BThe chief of police
- CThe prosecutor, after preliminary investigationCorrect
- DThe jail warden
Explanation. Filing is the prosecution pillar's decision. The police investigate and refer; the prosecutor conducts the preliminary investigation and files the information. A judge separately determines probable cause for a warrant.Item 03
Under RA 6713, public officials must file their statement of assets, liabilities and net worth on or before:
- A31 December each year
- B30 April each yearCorrect
- C15 April each year
- D30 June each year
Explanation. Section 8 of RA 6713 sets 30 April, and the same date applies even in years when an administrative extension is granted. 15 April is the income tax deadline, which is the distractor.
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Study tactics that actually move the score
- 01
Learn the five pillars as a sentence: the police catch, the prosecutor charges, the court tries, corrections holds, the community prevents and reintegrates.
- 02
Attach two agencies to each pillar and know their departments: BJMP under DILG, BuCor under DOJ is the pairing the exam tests most.
- 03
Know the three handoffs where authority changes hands: complaint to prosecutor, information to court, judgment to corrections. Items ask who does what at each.
- 04
Memorise RA 6713's eight norms by their first words and the 30 April SALN date.
Frequently asked questions
What are the five pillars of the criminal justice system?
Law enforcement, prosecution, courts, corrections and the community. The PNP belongs to the first.
What is the difference between the BJMP and the Bureau of Corrections?
The BJMP, under the DILG, runs city and municipal jails holding detainees and those serving shorter sentences. The Bureau of Corrections, under the DOJ, runs the national prisons for sentences of three years and more.
Why is RA 6713 on the NAPOLCOM exam?
It is the code of conduct for every public official, police included, and the general information area treats its eight norms and its mechanics (the SALN, the gift ban) as the ethics baseline for a future officer.
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Forty questions across all four subtests, forty minutes, and a per-subject breakdown against the 80.00 pass mark.