
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Wednesday directed the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) to come up with measures to ensure the safety and protection of the country’s prosecutors.
Prosecutors play an important role in the administration of justice, the President stressed.
“Our prosecutors are vital to the administration of justice. Given this role, we recognize the threats you that face in this line of duty,” President Marcos said during the signing ceremony for the Department of Justice – National Prosecution Service (DOJ-NTS) Rules on Criminal Investigation.
“I direct the DOJ and the PNP to recommend ways to help ensure the safety and protection of our prosecutors,” he said.
The President also asked the prosecutors not just to act as gatekeepers, but as shepherds as well of “highest integrity, ethics, and impartiality” in the administration of justice.
He said the country is now stepping into a new era of law enforcement and prosecution.
The President said the players in the justice system must know that every case they handle, every decision they make, and every reform they champion will impact the lives of every Filipino and shape the future of the country.
The President thanked the Supreme Court for granting the executive branch the authority to craft the rules on criminal investigation and acknowledged the efforts of everyone who worked to make the signing event possible.
With the signing of the 2024 DOJ-NPS Rules on Preliminary Investigations and Inquest Proceedings, President Marcos said the country moves towards the shared goal of a more robust and responsive legal system.
According to the President, the new rules and procedures will ensure fairness and due process as the government protects all of its citizens, including the accused, and hold the guilty accountable.
“The 2024 DOJ-NPS Rules are transformative as they institutionalize the executive and inquisitorial nature of preliminary [investigations], bringing them in line with historical and legal precedents that reinforce the authority of the Department of Justice,” Marcos pointed out.
“Through this, all prosecutors are now empowered to take the lead in criminal investigations, ensuring that there is proper and sufficient case build-up before filing in court,” he said. PND