Marcos orders DOJ, PNP to ensure safety of prosecutors

President Ferdinand ''Bongbong'' Marcos Jr. on Wednesday tasked the Department of Justice and the Philippine National Police to ensure the safety of the country's prosecutors.

''Our prosecutors are vital to the administration of justice. Given this role, we recognize the threats that you face in this line of duty. I direct the DOJ and the PNP to recommend ways to help ensure the safety and protection of our prosecutors,'' Marcos said during the signing ceremony of the DOJ Rules on Criminal Investigation.

''I want to take this moment to acknowledge the efforts of everyone who has worked tirelessly to make this historic day possible. We thank the Supreme Court for granting the executive branch the authority to craft the rules on criminal investigation,'' he added.

Marcos said the prosecutors not just gatekeepers but also ''the shepherds of the highest integrity, ethics, and impartiality in the administration of justice.''

The President said that with the signing of the 2024 Department of Justice-National Prosecution Service or DOJ-NPS Rules on Preliminary Investigations and Inquest Proceedings, the country is moving towards the shared goal of a more robust and responsive legal system.

He said 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.''

''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,'' Marcos said.

Marcos emphasized that the new rules and procedures ensure fairness and due process as ''we protect all of our citizens, including the accused, and hold the guilty accountable.''

''The new rules [elevated] the quantum of evidence from probable cause to prima facie evidence with a reasonable certainty of conviction. This means that only strong cases are brought to trial, reducing frivolous suits and malicious prosecution that clog our courts,'' he said.

''Veering away from the procedures that were more rigid, the new procedure now allows the submission of additional documents, enabling a more comprehensive examination of the case,'' he added. — Anna Felicia Bajo/RSJ, GMA Integrated News