Department of Justice (Philippines)

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Department of Justice
Kagawaran ng Katarungan
Established September 26, 1898
Secretary Raul M. Gonzalez
Budget P5.397 billion (2007)
Website http://www.doj.gov.ph

The Department of Justice (Filipino: Kagawaran ng Katarungan), abbreviated as DOJ, is the executive department of the Philippine government responsible for upholding the rule of law in the Philippines. It is currently under the leadership of the Secretary of Justice Raul Gonzalez since 2004.

Its mission is to establish and maintain a just and orderly society through an effective, speedy and compassionate administration of justice.

Contents

[edit] History

The Department of Justice was founded on September 26, 1898 under the Philippine Revolutionary Government of Gen. Emilio Aguinaldo. A year later, the American Military Force established the office of "The Attorney of the Supreme Court" in place of the department. This new office was renamed "The Office of the Attorney General" after the Americans put up a civilian government on June 11, 1901. On September 1, 1901, the office became the Department of Finance and Justice. In the 1916 government reorganization, the Department of Justice became a separate entity and was given executive supervision over all courts of first instance and other inferior courts. The Department continued to function as such under the Philippine Commonwealth in 1935.

When Manila was overran by the Japanese invaders in 1942, the Department of Justice was transformed into a commission. Under the civilian government established by the Japanese in 1943, it became a ministry. In 1945, the government of the Philippine Commonwealth was reestablished and some government offices were reactivated, among them, the Department of Justice. The Department was carried over under the Philippine Republic established on July 4, 1946.

With the adoption of the 1973 Constitution and after the declaration of Martial Law, the Department again became a ministry. In the same year, administrative supervision over all courts was transferred from the ministry to the Supreme Court. The ministry continued to function after the 1986 EDSA Revolution and the adoption of the Freedom Constitution. The 1987 Constitution reestablished the Department of Justice.

[edit] Secretary of Justice

The Office of the Secretary of Justice (OSEC) is composed of the offices of the Secretary of Justice and his/her four Undersecretaries and three Assistant Secretaries.

OSEC has six major work divisions, namely, the Legal Staff; the Board of Pardons and Parole; the Office of the Chief State Prosecutor; and the Technical Staff. The two remaining work units of OSEC perform housekeeping chores. These are the Financial and Management Service and the Administrative Service.

[edit] List of Secretaries of Justice

No. Name Position Date started Date finished
1 Gregorio S. Araneta Secretary of Justice September 26, 1898 May 19, 1899
2 Florentino Torres Attorney General May 29, 1899 June 4, 1901
3 Henry C. Ide Secretary of Finance and Justice September 1, 1901 June 30, 1908
4 Gregorio S. Araneta Secretary of Finance and Justice July 1, 1908 October 10, 1913
5 Victorino Mapa Secretary of Finance and Justice November 1, 1913 June 30, 1920
6 Quintin B. Paredes Secretary of Justice July 1, 1920 December 15, 1921
7 Jose Abad Santos Secretary of Justice April 26, 1922 July 17, 1923
8 Jose Abad Santos Secretary of Justice September 1, 1928 June 18, 1932
9 Luis P. Torres Secretary of Justice August 31, 1928 June 19, 1932
10 Alexander A. Reyes Secretary of Justice June 19, 1932 December 31, 1932
11 Quirico M. Abeto Secretary of Justice January 1, 1933 July 5, 1934
12 Jose Yulo Secretary of Justice July 6, 1934 November 15, 1938
13 Jose Abad Santos Secretary of Justice December 5, 1938 July 16, 1941
14 Teofilo L. Sison Secretary/Commissioner of Justice July 18, 1941 November 27, 1941
15 Jose P. Laurel Secretary/Commissioner of Justice December 24, 1941 December 4, 1942
16 Teofilo L. Sison Secretary/Commissioner of Justice December 4, 1942 October 14, 1943
17 Teofilo L. Sison Secretary/Commissioner of Justice October 19, 1943 October 24, 1944
18 Delfin J. Jaranilla Secretary of Justice March 8, 1945 December 31, 1945
19 Ramon Quisumbing Secretary of Justice January 2, 1946 May 28, 1946
20 Roman Ozaeta Secretary of Justice May 29, 1946 September 17, 1948
21 Sabino B. Padilla Secretary of Justice September 19, 1948 June 30, 1949
22 Ricardo P. Nepomuceno Secretary of Justice July 1, 1949 July 25, 1950
23 Jose P. Bengzon Secretary of Justice August 29, 1950 September 23, 1951
24 Oscar Castelo Secretary of Justice January 1, 1952 December 1953
25 Roberto Gianzon Secretary of Justice August 17, 1953 December 1953
26 Pedro T. Tuazon Secretary of Justice January 4, 1954 June 4, 1959
27 Jesus G. Barrera Secretary of Justice April 18, 1958 June 4, 1959
28 Enrique Fernandez Secretary of Justice June 11, 1959 July 13, 1959
29 Alejo R. Mabanag Secretary of Justice July 14, 1959 December 31, 1961
30 Jose W. Diokno Secretary of Justice January 2, 1962 May 19, 1962
31 Juan R. Liwag Secretary of Justice May 20, 1962 July 7, 1963
32 Salvador L. Marino Secretary of Justice July 8, 1963 December 31, 1965
33 Jose Yulo Secretary of Justice January 1, 1966 August 4, 1967
34 Claudio Teehankee Secretary of Justice August 5, 1967 December 16, 1968
35 Juan Ponce Enrile Secretary of Justice December 17, 1968 February 7, 1970
36 Felix Makasiar Secretary of Justice February 8, 1970 August 1, 1970
37 Vicente Abad Santos Secretary/Minister of Justice August 2, 1970 January 16, 1979
38 Catalino T. Macaraig, Jr. Minister of Justice January 17, 1979 July 22, 1979
39 Ricardo C. Puno Minister of Justice July 23, 1979 June 30, 1984
40 Estelito P. Mendoza Minister of Justice June 30, 1984 February 27, 1986
41 Neptali A. Gonzales Minister/Secretary of Justice February 28, 1986 March 8, 1987
42 Sedfrey A. Ordoñez Secretary of Justice March 13, 1987 January 2, 1990
43 Franklin M. Drilon Secretary of Justice January 4, 1990 July 14, 1991
44 Silvestre H. Bello III Secretary of Justice July 15, 1991 February 6, 1992
45 Eduardo G. Montenegro Secretary of Justice February 10, 1992 June 30, 1992
46 Franklin M. Drilon Secretary of Justice July 1, 1992 February 2, 1995
47 Demetrio G. Demetria Secretary of Justice February 3, 1995 May 19, 1995
48 Teofisto T. Guingona, Jr. Secretary of Justice May 20, 1995 February 3, 1998
49 Silvestre H. Bello III Secretary of Justice February 4, 1998 June 30, 1998
50 Serafin R. Cuevas Secretary of Justice July 1, 1998 February 15, 2000
51 Artemio G. Tuquero Secretary of Justice February 16, 2000 January 22, 2001
52 Hernando B. Perez Secretary of Justice January 23, 2001 January 2, 2002
53 Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez Secretary of Justice November 27, 2002 January 15, 2003
54 Simeon A. Datumanong Secretary of Justice January 16, 2003 December 23, 2003
55 Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez Secretary of Justice December 24, 2003 August 31, 2004
56 Raul M. Gonzalez Secretary of Justice September 1, 2004 September 5, 2007
57[1] Agnes Devanadera Acting Secretary of Justice September 5, 2007 November 2007
58 Raul M. Gonzalez Secretary of Justice November 2007

[edit] Offices

  • Legal Staff Department Proper
  • National Prosecution Service
  • Board of Pardons and Parole
  • Public Defender's Office

[edit] Attached Agencies

All attached agencies of the Department of Justice are also offices.

The Department of Justice pursues its mandate through these ten agencies:

  • Bureau of Immigration
  • National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)
  • Bureau of Corrections (BuCor)
  • Parole and Probation Administration (PPA)
  • Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) [2]
  • Public Attorney's Office (PAO)
  • Land Registration Authority (LRA)
  • Commission on the Settlement of Land Problems (COSLAP)
  • Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC)
  • Office of the Solicitor General

[edit] References

  1. ^ Although Raul M. Gonzalez is still the Justice Secretary because of his sick leave, Agnes V.S.T. Devanadera, the Solicitor-General, is the Acting Justice Secretary until Gonzalez re-assumes his post.
  2. ^ Executive Order No. 643 SC E-Library

[edit] External links

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Executive Departments of the Philippines

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