The document outlines the history and functions of the Department of Justice in the Philippines. It traces the origins and evolution of the DOJ from its establishment in 1897 to present day. It details the mandate of the DOJ as the principal law agency and legal counsel of the government. The DOJ oversees the administration of justice through agencies that investigate crimes, prosecute offenders, administer probation and corrections. It also regulates immigration and provides free legal assistance. The document lists the various attached agencies of the DOJ and briefly describes their functions.

4. • April 17, 1897
– beginnings at the Revolutionary Assembly in Naic,
Cavite.
• Don Severino delas Alas
– Headed the Department of Grace and Justice and was
tasked to the establishment of a regime of law.
• September 26, 1898-’99
– President Emilio Aguinaldo issued a decree on
reorganizing the Department.
– A year later, the American military force established
the Office of the Attorney of the Supreme Court in
place of the Department.

5. • June ll, 1901
– the new office was renamed the Office of the
Attorney General.
• September 1, 1901
– the Office became the Department of Finance and
Justice.
• In the 1916 government reorganization
– the Department became a separate entity and was
given executive supervision over all courts of first
instance and other inferior courts

6. • Under the Japanese occupation
– the Department was made a Commission
– The civilian government established by the Japanese
in 1943 changed it to a Ministry
• After the war in 1945
– the Government of the Philippine Commonwealth
was re-established and the Department of
Justice was re-activated. The Department continued
in this form under the Philippine Republic.

7. • Under the 1973 Constitution
– Department became a Ministry of Justice
• With the adoption of the 1987 Constitution and
the Administrative Code of 1987 (Executive
Order No. 292)
– the Department of Justice was named as the
principal law agency of the Republic of the Philippines
serving as its legal counsel and prosecution arm.

9. A just and peaceful society anchored on
the principles of transparency, accountability,
fairness and truth.
Towards the effective, efficient and equitable
administration of justice.

10. We undertake to provide every person equal
access to justice, to faithfully safeguard
constitutional rights and to ensure that no one is
deprived of due process of law.
Our commitment is to advocate for reforms
in partnership with our stakeholders, to simplify
processes and re-engineer systems to best serve
our constituents.
We shall work with honor and integrity for
the institution, for God and country.

11. The Department of Justice (DOJ) derives its mandate primarily
from the Administrative Code of 1987 (Executive Order No. 292). It
carries out this mandate through the Department Proper and the
Department's attached agencies under the direct control and
supervision of the Secretary of Justice.
Under Executive Order (EO) 292, the DOJ is the government's
principal law agency. As such, the DOJ serves as the government's
prosecution arm and administers the government's criminal justice
system by investigating crimes, prosecuting offenders and
overseeing the correctional system.
The DOJ, through its offices and constituent/attached agencies,
is also the government's legal counsel and representative in
litigations and proceedings requiring the services of a lawyer;
implements the Philippines' laws on the admission and stay of aliens
within its territory; and provides free legal services to indigent and
other qualified citizens.

12. 1. Administration of the Criminal Justice System
– investigates the commission of crimes and
prosecutes offenders. (NBI & NPS)
– administers the probation and correction system of
the country. (BuCor, BPP & PPA)
2. Legal Counsel of Government
– acts as the legal representative of the Government of
the Philippines, its agencies and instrumentalities
including government owned and controlled
corporations and their subsidiaries, officials and
agents in any proceeding, investigation or matter
requiring the services of a lawyer.

13. 3. Regulation of Immigration
– provides immigration and naturalization
regulatory services and implements the laws
governing citizenship and the admission and stay
of aliens through the Bureau of Immigration (BI)
4. International Cooperation
– the central authority of the Republic of the
Philippines relative to extradition and mutual
legal assistance treaties (MLAT) on criminal
matters and is involved in several aspects of
international cooperation such as the drafting
and implementation of legislation and
agreements as well as the negotiation of
extradition and MLAT

14. 5. Provision of Free Legal Assistance
– provides free legal assistance/representation to
indigents and poor litigants as well as other qualified
persons in criminal, civil, and labor cases,
administrative and other quasi-judicial proceedings
and non-commercial disputes through the Public
Attorney's Office (PAO) pursuant to RA No. 9406.
6. Alternative Dispute Resolution
– the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act of 2004 (RA
9285) created the Office for Alternative Dispute
Resolution (OADR), which is an agency attached to
the DOJ and which is tasked to promote, develop and
expand the use of alternative dispute resolution in
civil and commercial disputes.

15. 7. DOJ functions under other laws and other executive issuances:
In addition to performing its mandate under E.O. 292, the Department is significantly
involved in the implementation of the following penal, national security, and social welfare laws:
– Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act (R.A. 6981)
– Victims Compensation Program (RA 7309)
– Administrative Order No. 99 (1988)
– Executive Order 180 (1987)
– Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (RA 9165)
– Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 (R.A. 9160)
– Human Security Act of 2007 (RA 9372)
– Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998 (RA 8505)
– Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 (R.A. 9208)
– Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 (RA 9262)
– Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act (RA
7610)
– Anti-Child Pornography Act of 2009 (IRR of RA)
– Cybercrime Prevention Act of 2012 (RA 10175)
– Executive Order 45 (2011)
– Administrative Order 35 (2012)
– Memorandum Circular No. 68 (2014)
– Anti-Dummy Law (Commonwealth No. 108)
– Local Government Code (Section 187 of RA 7160)
– Executive Order 643 (2007)

18. Leila M. De Lima
Secretary of Justice(Former)

19. Francisco F. Baraan III
Undersecretary
Leah C. Armamento
Undersecretary

20. Jose Vicente B. Salazar
Undersecretary
Jose F. Justiniano
Undersecretary

21. Geronimo L. Sy
Assistant Secretary of
Administration
Zabedin M. Azis
Assistant Secretary of
Financial Service

22. Claro A. Arellano
Prosecutor General
Severino H. Gaña Jr.
Senior Deputy State
Prosecutor

23. Miguel F. Guido Jr.
Senior Deputy State
Prosecutor
Pedrito L. Rances
Senior Deputy State
Prosecutor

24. Richard Anthony D. Fadullon
Senior Deputy State
Prosecutor
Theodore M. Villanueva
Senior Deputy State
Prosecutor

26. • The Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) is
charged with custody and rehabilitation
of national offenders, that is, those
sentenced to serve a term of
imprisonment of more than three (3)
years.

27. • In accordance with the Revised Administrative
Code of 1987, the Commission on Immigration
and Deportation was renamed BUREAU OF
IMMIGRATION as it is more properly called
today. Under this code the Bureau is composed
of three (3) structural units namely: the Office
of the Commissioner, the Board of
Commissioners, and the Board of Special
Inquiry. These groups act as collegial bodies and
exercises quasi-judicial powers affecting the
entry and stay of foreign nationals in the
country.

28. • The main objective of the National Bureau of
Investigation is the establishment and
maintenance of a modern, effective and
efficient investigative service and research
agency for the purpose of implementing fully
principal functions provided under Republic
Act No. 157, as amended.

29. • The Parole and Probation Administration (PPA)
provides a less costly alternative to
imprisonment of offenders who are likely to
respond to individualized community based
treatment programs.

30. • The Presidential Commission on Good Government shall be
charged with the task of assisting the President in the recovery
of ill-gotten wealth accumulated by former President Ferdinand
E. Marcos, his immediate family, relatives, subordinates and
close associates, whether located in the Philippines or abroad,
including the takeover or sequestration of all business
enterprises and entities owned or controlled by them, during
his administration, directly or through nominees, by taking
undue advantage of their public office and/or using their
powers, authority, influence, connection or relationship; the
investigation of such cases of graft and corruption as the
President may assign to the Commission from time to time; and
the adoption of safeguards to ensure that the above practices
shall not be repeated in any manner under the new
government, and the institution of adequate measures to
prevent the occurrence of corruption.

31. • The Public Attorney's Office exists to provide the
indigent litigants, the oppressed, marginalized
and underprivileged members of the society free
access to courts, judicial and quasi-judicial
agencies, by rendering legal services, counseling
and assistance in consonance with the
Constitutional mandate that free access to courts
shall not be denied to any person by reason of
poverty in order to ensure the rule of law, truth
and social justice as components of the country's
sustainable development.

32. • To promote, develop and expand the use of
alternative dispute resolution (ADR) in the private
and public sectors; and, to assist government to
monitor, study and evaluate the sue by the public
and the private sector of ADR, and recommend to
Congress needful statutory changes to develop,
strengthen and improve ADR practices in
accordance with world standards.

33. • The Office of the Government Corporate Counsel
(OGCC) was founded on December 01, 1935 as a
Government Counsel Division under the
Department of Justice (DOJ). Todate, it has
emerged as the premier law office of
government-owned and controlled corporations
(GOCCs), their subsidiaries, other corporate
offsprings and government-acquired asset
corporations.

34. • The Office of the Solicitor General which is an
independent and autonomous office attached to
the Department of Justice for budgetary purposes
is the legal representative of the Government of
the republic of the Philippines, its agencies and
instrumentalities and its officials and agents in
any litigation, proceeding investigation or matter
requiring the services of a lawyer before the local
court systems or international fora.

35. • The Land Registration Authority is mandated to
issue decrees of registration and certificates of
titles and register documents, patents and other
land transactions for the benefit of landowners,
Agrarian Reform-beneficiaries and the registering
public in general; to provide a secure, stable and
trustworthy record of land ownership and
recorded interests therein so as to promote social
and economic well-being and contribute to
national development.

40. Department of Justice
Department of Justice Building,
Padre Faura St., Ermita, Manila 1004
523-8481 to 98 Trunkline
Websites: www.doj.gov.ph
http://www.gov.ph/directory/departmen
t-of-justice/