An outstanding arrest warrant is one of the most serious legal liabilities a person can have in the Philippines. Once a judge issues a warrant of arrest under Rule 112 of the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure, it remains valid nationwide and indefinitely until it is served, recalled, quashed, or the case is archived or dismissed. The Philippine National Police (PNP) is mandated to execute it at any time and in any place where the accused is found (Section 7, Rule 112).

Because there is no single, public, nationwide online database where ordinary citizens can anonymously search for arrest warrants against themselves or others, checking requires a combination of indirect and direct methods, each with its own risks, costs, and reliability.

1. Indirect but Practical Methods (Lowest Risk of Immediate Arrest)

A. Apply for NBI Clearance (Most Commonly Used Method)

The National Bureau of Investigation maintains the most comprehensive derogatory database in the country. When you apply for an NBI clearance, the system automatically checks against:

Criminal case records from courts
Warrants of arrest that have been transmitted to the NBI
Prosecutor-level complaints with “hit” flags

If there is an outstanding warrant in your name or an exact name-alike, the clearance will come out with a HIT and will indicate the court and case number.

Advantages:

Relatively fast (online appointment + same-day or next-day release if no hit)
Nationwide coverage
Costs only ₱130–₱200 + service fees

Risks:

If the warrant is for a non-bailable offense (e.g., murder, rape, large-scale drug trafficking), the NBI may coordinate with the PNP and you can be arrested on the spot. This happens occasionally, especially in Metro Manila NBI Clearance Centers.
Many provincial warrants are not immediately uploaded to the NBI system, so a “clear” NBI does not 100% guarantee there is no warrant.

Practical Tip: Use the online NBI clearance portal (clearance.nbi.gov.ph). If you are worried about arrest, send a trusted relative or lawyer with a Special Power of Attorney (SPA) to claim the result after processing.

B. Apply for PNP Police Clearance

The PNP National Police Clearance System (npcclearance.pnp.gov.ph) also checks the PNP’s own warrant database (e-Warrant System and CIDG databases).

A “hit” here is more likely to result in immediate coordination for arrest than at the NBI, because police clearance centers are usually inside or near police stations.

Use this only if your NBI clearance came out clean and you want a second layer of confirmation.

C. Check the PNP Most Wanted Lists (Publicly Available)

The PNP regularly publishes:

National Most Wanted Persons
Regional Most Wanted Persons
Provincial/City Most Wanted Persons

Links:

https://pnp.gov.ph/most-wanted-persons
Regional Police Office Facebook pages and websites

If your name or face appears on any of these lists, the warrant is actively being hunted and you should surrender immediately with counsel.

Note: Only a tiny fraction of the hundreds of thousands of outstanding warrants make it to these lists.

2. Direct but Higher-Risk Methods

A. Court-Level Verification (Most Accurate)

Since warrants are issued by judges, the only 100% reliable source is the court that issued it.

Procedure:

Identify the possible courts where a case could have been filed (usually the place where the alleged offense occurred or where the complainant resides).
Go to the Office of the Clerk of Court (OCC) of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) or Municipal Trial Court in Cities (MTCC)/Municipal Trial Court (MTC)/Municipal Circuit Trial Court (MCTC).
Request a Certification of No Pending Case/Warrant of Arrest or ask to inspect the record of the case (if you know the case number).
Pay the certification fee (₱100–₱300 depending on the court).

Safest way: Send your lawyer or a trusted representative with a Special Power of Attorney and your IDs. Court personnel will not arrest you; only police officers can.

B. Visit the PNP Warrant Section or CIDG

The PNP Directorate for Investigation and Detective Management (DIDM) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) maintain the national e-Warrant registry.

You may personally go to:

Camp Crame, Quezon City – DIDM or CIDG Warrant Section
Regional CIDG offices

Bring two valid IDs and request verification. They can print a certification stating whether or not you have an outstanding warrant.

High risk: If the warrant exists and is returnable (must be served), you will be arrested immediately.

This method is usually used only when the person is ready to post bail or surrender voluntarily.

3. Online or Semi-Online Options (Limited Scope)

Platform	What You Can Check	Limitations
Supreme Court eCourt Portal (ecourt.sc.judiciary.gov.ph)	Case status in pilot courts (selected RTCs)	Only shows if warrant is issued; many courts not yet covered
Philippine Judiciary Case Information Search (services.judiciary.gov.ph)	Limited to certain courts	Not comprehensive
DOJ National Prosecution Service Case Information System	Prosecutor-level cases only	No warrant info
Bureau of Immigration Watchlist Order Verification	Hold Departure Orders & Immigration Lookout Bulletin Orders only	Not criminal arrest warrants

None of these platforms allow a full nationwide warrant search.

4. Special Cases

A. Warrants Issued by Sandiganbayan (Anti-Graft Court)

Check directly at Sandiganbayan Clerk of Court, Commonwealth Avenue, Quezon City, or call (02) 8951-4514.

B. Warrants in Drug Cases (PDEA-involved)

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency maintains its own watchlist. A separate verification request may be filed at PDEA headquarters or through a lawyer.

C. Military Personnel or PNP/AFP Members

Warrants may also be coursed through the Judge Advocate General’s Office (JAGO) of the AFP or PNP.

5. What to Do If You Discover an Outstanding Warrant

Do not ignore it. The warrant will never expire and will prevent you from getting clearances, traveling abroad, or renewing licenses.
Contact a lawyer immediately. File an Urgent Motion to Recall Warrant and/or Motion to Post Bail (for bailable offenses).
Voluntary surrender is always looked upon favorably by the court and may result in lower or no bail, or release on recognizance (RA 10389).
For very old cases (10+ years with no activity), file a Motion to Quash or Motion to Archive.

6. Common Myths Debunked

Myth: “If I get an NBI clearance and it’s clear, I have no warrant.”
Reality: Many provincial warrants are not yet encoded in the NBI system. A clear NBI reduces but does not eliminate the risk.

Myth: “Warrants expire after 10 years.”
Reality: Criminal warrants in the Philippines have no expiration.

Myth: “I can check online anonymously.”
Reality: No such public service exists as of 2025.

Conclusion

The Philippines deliberately makes it difficult for the public to anonymously check for arrest warrants in order to prevent fugitives from evading service. The most practical and commonly used sequence for ordinary citizens is:

Apply for NBI clearance (online appointment, low risk).
If clear, apply for PNP police clearance.
If still worried, instruct your lawyer to conduct court-by-court verification in provinces where you have lived or where complaints could have been filed.

For anyone with reasonable suspicion of an outstanding warrant, the only truly safe and definitive solution is to engage a competent criminal lawyer to conduct discreet verification and, if necessary, facilitate voluntary surrender with the most favorable conditions possible. Acting early almost always results in significantly better outcomes than being arrested unexpectedly.