"Justitae Pax Opus"

The Department of Justice (DOJ) logo/seal features three stars representing the three main geographical islands of the
Philippines; a scale symbolizing equality, which is balanced over a sword, symbolic of authority in the dispensation of
justice. These symbols are superimposed over a map of the Philippines representing the country. The Latin maxim
"Justitae Pax Opus", meaning "Justice for All", completes the logo and supports the rationale for DOJ's existence.
VISION
A just and peaceful society anchored on the principles of transparency, accountability, fairness and truth

MISSION
Towards the effective, efficient and equitable administration of justice

MANDATE
To uphold the rule of law by serving as the principal law agency of the government

PLEDGE
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.

THE MANDATE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

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 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 attached offices, 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; provides free legal services to indigent
Filipinos; and settles land disputes between and among small landowners and indigenous cultural minorities.

ADMINISTRATION OF THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM. The DOJ investigates the commission of crimes and
prosecutes offenders through the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)and the National Prosecution
Service (NPS), respectively. Likewise, the DOJ administers the probation and correction system of the country
through the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), the Board of Pardons and Parole (BPP) and theParole and
Probation Administration (PPA).

LEGAL COUNSEL OF GOVERNMENT. The DOJ, through theOffice of the Solicitor General (OSG) and
the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), 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.

EO 292 specifically designates the Secretary as Attorney-General and ex-officio legal adviser of government-owned
or controlled corporations (GOCC) and their subsidiaries. The Secretary exercises administrative adjudicatory
powers over all controversies between/among government agencies, including government owned and controlled
corporations including their subsidiaries. This power of adjudication of the Secretary originally stemmed
from Presidential Decree No. 242, and is now embodied in Sections 66 to 71, Chapter 14, Book IV of E.O.
292.

He is likewise empowered to act on all queries and/or requests for legal advice and guidance from private parties
and other officials and employees of the government.

REGULATION OF IMMIGRATION. The DOJ 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). Also, underAdministrative Order No. 142 dated August 23, 1994, the Secretary or his
duly-authorized representative is authorized to act on immigration matters, including waiver of visas and admission
of aliens, except deportation matters.
Likewise, the DOJ, through the DOJ Refugee Processing Unit (DOJ-RPU), processes applications for refugee
status of persons pursuant to the obligations of the Philippines as signatory to the 1951 Convention and 1967
Protocol relating to the Status of Refugees.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION. The DOJ is 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. Moreover, under Philippine Extradition Law (P.D. 1069), the DOJ handles
requests for extradition and/or mutual legal assistance and represents treaty partners in Philippine courts.

The Department is also involved in the negotiation of various investment and trade agreements with other foreign
countries. The Secretary is also the ex-officio Co-Vice Chairman of theCommission on Maritime and Ocean
Affairs (CMOA)pursuant to EO 612 and EO 612-A (2007), which is involved in the identification of the Philippine
baselines and in the preparation of the submission to the United Nations of the country’s claim for extended
continental shelf.

PROVISION OF FREE LEGAL ASSISTANCE. The DOJ provides free legal assistance/representation to indigents
and poor litigants in criminal, civil, and labor cases, administrative and other quasi-judicial proceedings and non-
commercial disputes through thePublic Attorney’s Office (PAO).

SETTLEMENT OF LAND DISPUTES The DOJ is tasked to investigate, conciliate, and settle land disputes involving
small landowners and members of indigenous cultural communities through the Commission on the Settlement
of Land Problems (COSLAP).

With regard to conciliation and mediation, 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.

DOJ FUNCTIONS UNDER OTHER LAWS. 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:

• The Human Security Act of 2007 (RA 9372) which created the and designated the Secretary as ex-
officio member thereof. Relative to this and under EO 292, the Secretary is also an ex-officio member of
the National Security Council (NSC), which advises the President with respect to the integration of
domestic, foreign, military, political, economic, social, and educational policies relating to national
security.

• The Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006 (R.A. 9344) which created the Juvenile Justice and
Welfare Council (JJWC) and which attached said council to the DOJ for administrative supervision.

• The Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act of 2003 (R.A. 9208), which mandates the prosecution of persons
accused of human trafficking and for that purpose, created the Inter-Agency Council on Trafficking
(IACAT), of which the Secretary is Chairman.

• The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 (RA 9165), which created the Dangerous Drugs
Boardto see to policy-making and strategy-formulation on drug prevention and control and designated the
Secretary or his representative as ex-officio member of such Board.

• The Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2001 (R.A. 9160),which created the Anti-Money Laundering
Council (AMLC) to which the DOJ is a support agency through the investigation of money laundering
offenses and the prosecution of offenders. With the DOJ Anti-Money Laundering Desk (DOJ-
AMLD), the DOJ works in close coordination with the AMLC in its task of combating money laundering and
financing of terrorism.

• The Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Act (R.A. 6981), which mandates the DOJ to formulate
and implement a Witness Protection, Security and Benefit Program for the admission and protection of
witnesses.

• The Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 (RA 9262), which designated the
Department as a member agency of the Inter-Agency Council on Violence Against Women and their
 Children (IACVAWC), the monitoring body of government initiatives to counter violence against women
and children.

• The Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998 (RA 8505), which mandated the DOJ to
participate in inter-agency efforts to establish Rape Crisis Centers in every city or province for the purpose
of rendering assistance to rape victims.

• Administrative Order 211 (2007), which designated the DOJ as a member agency of the Task Force
Against Political Violence tasked to undertake the prevention, investigation, prosecution and
punishment of political violence.

• Executive Order 180 (1987), which created the Public Sector Labor Management Council, of which
the Secretary is a member, to provide guidelines for the exercise of the right of government employees to
organize.

• The Special Protection of Children Against Abuse, Exploitation, and Discrimination Act (RA
7610). Pursuant to the said law, Executive Order 275 (1995)designated the Secretary as the Chairman
of the Special Committee for the Protection of Children.

Other tasks falling within the multifarious duties of the executive branch to administer the laws devolve upon the
Department through the Secretary, to wit:

• The Anti-Dummy Law (Commonwealth No. 108), as amended by Presidential Decree 715, whereby
the Secretary is empowered to authorize the employment of aliens as technical personnel in the
management of a franchise, business or enterprise expressly reserved by law to Filipino citizens or
corporations or associations whose equity at least 60% of which is owned by Filipinos;

• The Local Government Code (Section 187 of RA 7160) which vests in the Secretary appellate
jurisdiction over the constitutionality or legality of municipal tax ordinances and revenue measures;

• Executive Order 643 (2007) which vests the DOJ with administrative supervision over the Presidential
Commission on Good Government (PCGG)

The Secretary is also an ex-officio member of the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), [Section 8(1), Article VIII
of the 1987 Constitution], the Committee on Privatization [AO 48 (1987)], and the National Water
Resources Board (NWRB)(EO 123, series of 2002). He is also an ex-officio director of the Power Sector
Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) Corporation (RA 9136, otherwise known as Electric Power
Industry Reform Act of 2001). Under EO 648, series of 1981, an undersecretary of the DOJ is designated as
an ex-officio Commissioner of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board (HLURB).

History of DOJ
The Department of Justice was born during the Revolutionary Assembly in Naic, Cavite on 17 April 1897. The pursuit of the
mandate to establish a regime of law fell on the shoulders of Don Severino delas Alas, who was named Secretary of Grace
and Justice. As Spanish sovereignty was drawing to a close, it was reorganized in Kawit, Cavite under the decree dated 26
September 1898 of Gen, Emilio Aguinaldo. During the American occupation of the Philippines, the Department of Justice
was named at different times, as the Office of the Attorney of the Supreme Court, the Office of the Attorney General and
as the Department of Finance and Justice. The Department was established in 1916 by the Americans and continued to
function as such under Commonwealth Government. In 1942, the Japanese invaders transformed the Department into a
commission and under their puppet government, into a Ministry. In 1946, the Department of Justice was born under the
Philippine Republic. When the parliamentary system of government was set up in 1973, the Department was again named
into a Ministry. In 1986, EDSA Revolution ushered in the rebirth of the Department of Justice.

Strategic Thrusts and Programs

The strategic thrust and programs of the Department includes the achievement of Major Final Outputs (MFO’s) as
well as the Department’s programs, activities and projects, to wit:

MFO 1 Investigation and Prosecution Services

• Investigation of criminal cases
• Prosecution of criminal cases

• Monitoring of child related cases

MFO 2 Witness Protection Services

• Applications received and evaluated

• Witnesses covered by the program

MFO 3 Pardon and Parole Services

• Prisoners evaluated for release on parole and recommended for Executive Clemency
• Parolees / pardonees evaluated for final release and discharge
• Orders of arrest and recommitment of parolees and pardonees

• Confirmation of transfer of residence of parolees / pardonees

MFO 4 Claims Services

• Cases / claims acted upon

• Grant of compensation

MFO 5 Special Legal Services

• Legal opinions
• Decisions / rulings / orders / resolutions reviewed and prepared
• Replies / legal advice prepared / issued to other government personnel / private parties

• Special legal services / studies conducted and prepared

Logical Framework
The DOJ Organizational Structure

At present,the Department of Justice is headed by the Secretary of Justice, assisted by five(5) Undersecretaries and
three (3) Assistant Secretaries.

Attached to the Office of the Secretary of Justice is the Board of Pardons and Parole.

OSEC has six (6) major functional offices and services namely:

• Office of the Chief State Prosecutor

• Office of the Chief State Counsel

• Technical Staff

• Administrative Service

• Financial and Management Service

• Management Services Office

DOJ Organizational Chart

FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTION OF ORGANIZATIONAL UNITS

Secretary of Justice
Provides overall management and direction over the Department including all offices and agencies. Acts as the
Attorney-General of the Philippines and ex-officio legal adviser of all government-owned or controlled corporations.

Undersecretaries
Advise and assist the Secretary of Justice in the formulation and implementation of general objectives and policies
for the agencies and bureaus supervised and/or controlled by the Department. Oversee all the operational activities
of the Department and serve as deputies for the Secretary.

Assistant Secretary for Personnel Management and Development

Advises and assists the Secretary of Justice on matters pertaining to personnel planning, management and
development for the Department and its bureaus and offices.

Assistant Secretary for Financial and Management Service

Advises the Secretary of Justice in the formulation, determination and implementation of budgetary and fiscal
policies. Assists the Secretary in financial, budgetary, accounting and management matters pertaining to the
Department and its bureaus/offices.

Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs

Liaises with Congress, maintains a complete inventory of all bills/resolutions involving the DOJ as well as monitor
and advocates the passage of such bills/resolutions.
National Prosecution Service (NPS)
Assists the Secretary of Justice in the performance of powers and functions of the Department relative to its role as
the prosecution arm of the government, particularly investigation and prosecution of all criminal cases, except those
under the exclusive jurisdiction of the Office of the Ombudsman.

Legal Staff (Office of the Chief State Counsel)

Assists the Secretary of Justice in the performance of his functions as Attorney-General of the Philippines and as ex-
officio legal adviser of government-owned or controlled corporations or enterprises and their subsidiaries. This
includes evaluation and rendition of opinion upon request in writing on any question of law from the President,
heads of executive departments, bureaus and offices, and any government-owned or controlled corporation; and
processing, evaluation and action on all applications for recognition, visa, citizenship, refugee and other immigration
matters.

Board of Pardons and Parole

Grants parole and recommend to the President the grant of any form of executive clemency to deserving prisoners
or individuals. Function includes studies/reviews/deliberation of carpetas of prisoners qualified for parole/ executive
clemency, and review of reports submitted by the Parole and Probation Administration and make necessary
decisions.

Technical Staff
Assists the Secretary of Justice in the exercise of its control and/or supervision over agencies and offices under the
Department, and those devolving upon him as Chairman and member of various boards and inter-department
committees and ad-hoc bodies.

Administrative Service
Provides the Department services relating to personnel management, training and employee development,
information dissemination, records, supply and equipment management, collection and disbursement of funds,
medical and dental services, security, custodial, janitorial and general services.

a) Personnel Division
Advises management on personnel policy and administration. Performs personnel management functions such as
selection and placement, preparation of payrolls for the DOJ-OSEC proper (excluding field Prosecution Offices) and
process vouchers, performance rating, preparation/implementation of training programs, provision of medical
services, maintenance of personnel records/statistics, and general personnel administration including attendance,
leave of absence, appointment, promotion, transfer, and other personnel transactions.

b) General Services Division

Provides policy guidance and performs functions on matters of records management, communication,
transportation, custodial, general utility services, supply management including procurement, storage, distribution
and conduct of inventory, and other administrative services including provision/coordination of messenger,
document duplication, and encoding services.

c) Information Division
Develops effective public information programs on Department policies, plans and activities through preparation and
dissemination of media materials and coordination with central government information offices; monitors and
updates management on pertinent media/public affairs; and performs public/media relations functions.

Financial and Management Service

Provides the Secretary of Justice advice and assistance on budgeting, accounting, internal auditing, management
improvement and other related financial matters pertaining to the Department and its attached bureaus/offices.

a) Budget Division
Performs functions pertaining to budget preparation, authorization, implementation and accountability through
preparation/review/ consolidation of budget proposals, coordination/consultation with Congress and the DBM,
processing of budgetary documents, and preparation of expenditure reports. Develops and improves budgetary
methods and procedures, and provides technical advice on matters relating to budget.

b) Accounting Division
Performs general accounting functions including bookkeeping, verification of records, preparation of
vouchers/abstract and posting of such transactions, interpretation and reporting of financial records and
coordination on national accounting/reporting system, preparation of financial statements, schedules and reports for
submission to oversight agencies. Handles the processing and printing of payrolls for ATM Payroll System and
Continuous Form Checks for field Prosecution offices, and remits all monthly payroll deductions to
government/private institutions. Provides technical advice on financial matters.

c) Management and Audit Division

Conducts pre-audit of all disbursement vouchers in the DOJ-OSEC to ensure that utilization of resources are
consistent with existing COA and DBM rules and regulations, and monitors compliance with COA findings and
observations. Reviews computations of terminal leave credits of all officials and employees. Undertakes
management survey of organization structures, manpower and operations. Reviews existing methods, procedures
and systems and submits recommendations for improvement.

Management Services Office

Provides the Department with an efficient, effective and economical services pertaining to planning, programming,
research/statistics and development of an integrated information system.

a) Planning and Statistics Division

Undertakes organizational planning and programming based on strategic policy thrusts and national plans;
gathering, processing, documentation and reporting of statistical data from central/field operations; and studies and
recommends overall organizational development of the Department.

b) Management Information Systems Division

Provides technical support and information technology (IT) solutions for information/data management; prepares
and implements information systems plans; and translates management ideas/concepts into IT solutions.

ATTACHED AGENCIES
The DOJ pursues its mandate through nine agencies. These are the following:

1. BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION
2. NATIONAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
3. BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS
4. PAROLE AND PROBATION ADMINISTRATION
5. PUBLIC ATTORNEY'S OFFICE
6. LAND REGISTRATION AUTHORITY
7. COMMISSION ON THE SETTLEMENT OF LAND PROBLEMS
8. OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL
9. OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL

10. PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON GOOD GOVERNMENT

BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION

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.

NATIONAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

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.

BUREAU OF CORRECTIONS

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.

PAROLE AND PROBATION ADMINISTRATION

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.

PUBLIC ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

The Public Attorney's Office provides indigent litigants free legal assistance.

COMMISSION ON THE SETTLEMENT OF LAND PROBLEMS

The Land Registration Authority is mandated to issue decrees of registration and certificates of
title and register documents, patents and other land transaction 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 national development.

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT CORPORATE COUNSEL

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.
OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL

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.

PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION ON GOOD GOVERNMENT

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.

LAND REGISTRATION AUTHORITY

The Land Registration Authority is mandated to issue decrees of registration and certificates of
title and register documents, patents and other land transaction 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 national development.
Department
of justice

Submitted by:
Domagas, Jermeine Cara M.
ANU5-0

Submitted to:
Mr. Quetua
Pol-Sci Professor