An end-to-end practical guide to what happens after a “not guilty” verdict—who issues what, when release should happen, how to deal with delays, and how to clean up the paper trail that follows you outside the jail gate.

1) Core legal concepts

A. “Acquittal” and its immediate effects

Presumption of innocence restored. A judgment of acquittal wipes out the basis for detention in that case.
Immediate release as the default. Upon promulgation of an acquittal, continued detention is unlawful unless the PDL is being held for another lawful cause (e.g., another pending case with a commitment order, a standing warrant, an Immigration hold for foreign nationals).
Finality and double jeopardy. As a rule, the State cannot appeal an acquittal; post-verdict detention cannot be extended while prosecutors “reconsider,” except in rare, jurisdiction-based extraordinary remedies that do not usually stay release.

B. Who holds the person—and who lets them go

BJMP (city, municipal, and district jails): typically holds pre-trial detainees and those serving sentences up to three (3) years.
BuCor (national prisons): holds persons serving final sentences of more than three years.
Police lockups/other custodians: very short-term or special custody (e.g., pursuant to warrants). The custodian obeys the trial or appellate court that issued the decision or controlling order.

2) The paperwork that actually opens the gate

A. Orders from the court

Judgment of Acquittal. Read and promulgated in open court.
Release Order / Order to Discharge. Addressed to the warden/sheriff, directing immediate release unless held for another cause. Many courts issue this together with the judgment or shortly after.
Notice to the Prosecutor and Entry in the Minutes. Administrative but important for the record.
(If on appeal): When the appellate court reverses a conviction and acquits, it transmits a Judgment/Resolution and Entry of Judgment to the lower court, which then issues a Release Order to the custodian.

Practice point: A separate “certificate of finality” is not a legal prerequisite to release after an acquittal at the trial-court level; the acquittal itself ends the basis for detention in that case. Facilities still often ask for a formal Release Order—have counsel secure it the same day.

B. Documents the jail or prison will look for

Certified true copy of the Judgment of Acquittal;
Release Order (or a sheriff’s return indicating service);
Commitment Order (for reference) and any lifting/recall thereof;
Clearance checks: internal verification that there is no other case, warrant, detainer, or disciplinary basis to hold the person.

C. If the PDL has other cases

Expect a “partial release” or a “hold and verify” notation. The custodian will only release once all other grounds for detention are cleared (e.g., another court issues its own Release Order, or a warrant is recalled).

3) Step-by-step: From acquittal to actual release

Promulgation: Court reads the acquittal; accused (or counsel) immediately asks that a Release Order issue and be served on the custodian that day.
Service on the facility: The sheriff, clerk of court, or defense team hand-serves the Release Order (and judgment) to the BJMP/BuCor facility. Log the service in the jail’s records.
Facility verification:
- Confirms the identity of the PDL against the commitment papers;
- Runs warrant checks and case inventory;
- If clean, prepares an Order of Discharge or Gate Pass.
Property and records: The PDL signs for personal effects; the facility prepares a Release/Discharge Certificate noting the legal basis for release.
Exit: The PDL is released to self, counsel, or family (as the facility’s SOPs require an adult receiver).
Post-release clean-up: See Section 5 (clearances and record hygiene).

Typical timelines: Same day for BJMP facilities when papers are complete; add courier time when an appellate acquittal must be entered below and the lower court still needs to issue its Release Order.

4) When things go wrong (and how to fix them)

A. Delay despite complete papers

Political question? No. Continued detention after acquittal is a judicially cognizable illegality.
Use the right tools:
- Urgent Motion to Implement Release Order (filed with the acquitting court);
- Petition for Habeas Corpus (if the custodian refuses to honor the court’s order or no longer has legal basis for custody);
- Administrative recourse to the BJMP/BuCor regional director (internal compliance escalation).
Document everything: Keep copies of stamped-received pleadings and the facility’s logbook entries.

B. “But there’s another case/warrant”

Ask for specifics (docket number, court, offense, date of warrant).
Coordinate with that other court to:
- post bail (if allowed),
- seek reconsideration/recall if the warrant is stale or already resolved, or
- secure a separate Release Order if that other case has also been cleared.

C. Immigration holds (foreign nationals)

An Immigration detainer or summary deportation order can block release to the street. Custody transfers to the Bureau of Immigration; counsel should handle custody turnover and any bond or lifting process there.

5) “Clearances” and cleaning your record after release

An acquittal frees you, but databases remember events. To avoid being re-arrested at checkpoints or blocked in background checks:

A. Court and prosecution records

Secure certified copies of the Judgment of Acquittal and the Release Order.
If appellate, also get Entry of Judgment.
Ask the Clerk of Court to promptly update eCourt or the court’s docket with the “acquitted” disposition.

B. NBI and police “hits”

When applying for NBI Clearance, an acquitted person often gets a “HIT.” Bring certified copies of the judgment/release; the NBI will annotate the case as terminated/acquitted so your next clearance shows “No Derogatory Record” (or an entry with acquitted status).
For PNP or local police clearance, present the same documents so local records match national ones.

C. Jail/prison records

Request a Certification of Detention/Discharge from BJMP/BuCor confirming dates of confinement and the acquittal as the basis of release. This helps with employment screenings and any claims (see below).

D. Digital hygiene

Keep scanned PDFs of all documents. Many government agencies now accept electronically certified or QR-coded copies; still, carry at least one paper CTC set for travel.

6) Civil liability and the money question

Acquittal ≠ automatic erasure of civil liability. If the acquittal is for reasonable doubt, the court may still adjudicate or reserve the civil aspect.
But civil liability never justifies continued jailing. Non-payment of damages is not a ground for post-acquittal detention.
Compensation for unjust imprisonment/detention. Philippine law provides limited avenues to seek compensation or damages (e.g., administrative Board of Claims mechanisms and civil actions against public officers in cases allowed by law). Strict filing periods and caps apply; consult counsel quickly after release.

7) Special scenarios

A. Partial acquittal / multiple counts

Release applies only to counts acquitted; custody may continue for counts still pending or with conviction. The custodian needs case-by-case orders.

B. Juveniles (CICL)

If a child in conflict with the law is acquitted, immediate release is coordinated with the social welfare officer and parents/guardians, following child-protection SOPs. Any diversion or welfare case files must be closed out accordingly.

C. Acquittal on appeal after years in prison

The appellate judgment is transmitted for entry below; counsel should move ex parte for the lower court’s Release Order the moment the transmittal is docketed to avoid bureaucratic lag.

D. Health, mental health, and transfers

If a PDL is in a hospital or medical referral center, the same release paperwork is served there, and discharge follows medical clearance plus the legal release order.

8) Ethical and professional duties of counsel

Act the same day. Prepare a template Release Order and service letter in advance for the court’s convenience.
Check for other holds before promising a walk-out. Run name and aliases through court and police indices where possible.
Client continuity. Arrange transportation, medications, and temporary shelter; release can occur late in the day.
Data-privacy mindfulness. Only share certified documents with agencies that need them; redact sensitive personal data when keeping digital copies.

9) Quick reference checklists

For defense counsel (day of acquittal)

☐ Obtain CTC of the Judgment and Release Order from the clerk;
☐ Serve on BJMP/BuCor and get logbook proof of receipt;
☐ Ask the court to direct the custodian by name (facility, warden) and to state “unless held for another lawful cause”;
☐ Verify other cases/warrants; start parallel clearances if any;
☐ Escort client through property release and discharge certificate;
☐ Calendar NBI/PNP clearance follow-ups (bring CTCs).

For the family

☐ Valid IDs, phone, small cash, change of clothes;
☐ Photocopies of judgment and release order;
☐ Contact numbers of counsel and the duty officer at the jail.

10) Frequently asked realities (plain answers)

“Do we need to wait for a certificate of finality?” Not for a trial-court acquittal; release should proceed upon promulgation and service of the Release Order, subject to other holds.
“Can the prosecutor block release with a motion?” Ordinarily, no; an acquittal is immediately executory for purposes of release.
“We were told there’s a ‘pending verification’—is that normal?” Briefly, yes. The custodian must ensure there’s no other cause to detain. It should be administrative, not an excuse for days-long delay.
“Will the case still show on my NBI?” Likely yes, but marked acquitted/terminated once you present the judgment; future clearances should pass without a “hold.”
“Can they keep me for unpaid damages?” No. Civil liability does not authorize detention.

11) Model forms (wording you can adapt)

Proposed text for a Release Order “In view of the Judgment of Acquittal promulgated on [date] in Criminal Case No. [____], the Warden of [facility] is hereby ORDERED to cause the immediate release of [Name], unless he/she is being held for some other lawful cause. Let a copy hereof be served personally on the Warden and recorded in the jail logbook. SO ORDERED.”

Sheriff’s Certificate of Service (key lines) “This is to certify that on [date, time], I personally served a copy of the Judgment of Acquittal and Release Order in Criminal Case No. [__] upon the Warden of [facility], who acknowledged receipt by signing the logbook at page [].”

12) Bottom line

After a Philippine court acquits a PDL, the law presumes immediate freedom. In practice, that freedom depends on fast paperwork, clean coordination with the custodian, and swift remedies against delay. Finish the job by cleaning up digital “hits” (NBI/PNP) and keeping certified copies of all papers—you’ll need them long after the jail gate closes behind you.