National Prosecution Service’s improved case disposition cited

Department of Justice (DOJ) facade. PHOTO FROM FACEBOOK

MANILA, Philippines – The disposition of cases under the National Prosecution Service (NPS) has significantly improved, Prosecutor General Benedicto Malcontento said during the Planning Assessment and General Assembly of the Office of the Secretary of Justice Prosecution Staff (OSJPS) held last week.

He said the disposition of cases went from 54.20 percent in 2019 to 89.30 percent in 2023, while the number of pending cases decreased from 1, 330 to only 465 in the same period.

Malcontento said his office also has a “100 percent” resolution rate of petitions for review in 2023.

“The OSJPS was able to obtain a very satisfactory adjectival rating for 2022 and has maintained such rating for 2023,” he said as he acknowledged the hard work of the prosecutors.

He said, the prosecutors hard work made ” it possible for the OSJPS to surpass its target.”

The OSJPS’ performance was a collective effort of all the prosecutors and support staff,” he added, as he encouraged them to push it further so that the OSJPS can achieve an outstanding rating this year.

Meanwhile, Justice Undersecretary Jesse Andres said he is confident the state prosecutors and their staff will be able to surpass the rating this year.

“I applaud the OSJPS for its hard work for the past 18 months that they have been at the helm of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla,” Andres, who is the undersecretary-in-charge of the NPS, said.

Andres said the support of the prosecutors to the “significant and meaningful” reforms in the DOJ is a major boost to Remulla’s effort to further enhance the delivery of justice in the country.

He said this is more so in the case build-up as prescribed under Department Circular (DC) No. 20 s. 2023 issued by Remulla.

Under the said department order, once the case build-up is completed, the preliminary investigation will commence immediately to determine whether a probable cause exists to warrant the filing of charges against those involved in the alleged anomalies.

It also prescribes closer coordination between prosecutors and law enforcers investigating the case.