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Philippines keeps Tier 1 anti-trafficking status for 10th straight yearLatest in Department of Justice
Nation

Philippines keeps Tier 1 anti-trafficking status for 10th straight year

The Department of Justice (DOJ) said Saturday that the Philippines has maintained its Tier 1 standard in the fight against human trafficking for the past ten years, as the agency continues to confront the growing challenge of online crimes—particularly the sexual abuse and exploitation of…

Liam Demafelix·

More Department of Justice

DOJ’s war on online child sexual exploitation surges nearly ten-fold under Marcos Jr. administration
Nation

DOJ’s war on online child sexual exploitation surges nearly ten-fold under Marcos Jr. administration

The Department of Justice (DOJ) conducted nearly ten times more operations against online sexual abuse or exploitation of children or OSAEC under the Marcos Jr. administration than in the three years prior, rescuing almost 1,000 victim-survivors and filing hundreds of cases in court as part of its…

Alice Guo’s conviction is DOJ’s most high-profile anti-trafficking win
Nation

Alice Guo’s conviction is DOJ’s most high-profile anti-trafficking win

The Department of Justice (DOJ) cited the conviction of former Bamban, Tarlac Mayor Alice Guo on qualified human trafficking charges as its most high-profile anti-trafficking victory under the Marcos Jr. administration, saying the case sends an unmistakable message that public office offers no…

Plea bargaining surges as DOJ’s tougher evidence standard leaves accused with fewer options
Nation

Plea bargaining surges as DOJ’s tougher evidence standard leaves accused with fewer options

The number of accused entering plea bargains with Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors is rising, Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida said Saturday, a direct consequence of the DOJ’s tougher evidentiary standard that has made it significantly harder for the defense to fight cases once they reach…

DOJ brings free legal help to the regions through regional ‘Katarungan Offices’
Nation

DOJ brings free legal help to the regions through regional ‘Katarungan Offices’

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has established eight Regional Katarungan Offices across the country offering free legal assistance, referrals, mediation, and coordination with prosecutors, bringing the agency’s services within reach of ordinary Filipinos who previously saw the DOJ as distant…

DOJ becomes a top career destination for Filipino lawyers
Nation

DOJ becomes a top career destination for Filipino lawyers

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has become one of the most sought-after employers among Filipino lawyers, with applications to the National Prosecution Service (NPS) surging to levels that Secretary Fredderick Vida described Saturday as a “happy problem.” Justice Secretary Vida and Undersecretary…

Stronger justice from the ground up: How the DOJ is building the prosecution service the Philippines has needed for decades
Features

Stronger justice from the ground up: How the DOJ is building the prosecution service the Philippines has needed for decades

For years, the Philippine justice system operated with too few prosecutors, too little training, and offices that barely reached beyond Manila, a combination that left millions of Filipinos, especially those in the provinces, waiting years for cases to move and justice to arrive. Under the Marcos…

DOJ ends decades-old practice that weaponized the justice system against ordinary Filipinos
Features

DOJ ends decades-old practice that weaponized the justice system against ordinary Filipinos

For decades, a destructive practice haunted Philippine courtrooms and police precincts: cases were filed first, and evidence was gathered later, a pattern that allowed the powerful to harass the powerless, pile up cases that would never succeed, and turn the justice system into a tool of…

DENR traces El Nido black water to LGU drainage, flags 700 non-compliant structures as cases loom
Nation

DENR traces El Nido black water to LGU drainage, flags 700 non-compliant structures as cases loom

A viral video showing murky, sludge-like water flowing across a white sand beach and into the sea in El Nido, Palawan has been confirmed by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as LGU drainage outflow, with the agency now building cases against violators in coordination with…

How Ariel Nepomuceno is taking on corruption, patronage, and resistance at the Customs bureau
Features

How Ariel Nepomuceno is taking on corruption, patronage, and resistance at the Customs bureau

When Ariel Nepomuceno took over the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in July last year, he knew what he was walking into. The bureau had long carried a reputation for corruption so entrenched that even the mention of reform invited skepticism. His response was immediate—and deliberate. “‘Yung mga ayaw…

Customs moving to clear 42,000 stranded OFW balikbayan boxes, suing cargo firms responsible for abandoned shipments
Nation

Customs moving to clear 42,000 stranded OFW balikbayan boxes, suing cargo firms responsible for abandoned shipments

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) is working to deliver tens of thousands of balikbayan boxes sent by overseas Filipino workers that were left stranded at Philippine ports after several cargo companies abandoned the shipments without paying the required duties, taxes, and port charges. In an interview…

DOJ chief sees no reason to suspend NBI Director, rejects Cayetano’s call
Nation

DOJ chief sees no reason to suspend NBI Director, rejects Cayetano’s call

Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida rejected Senate President Alan Peter Cayetano’s call to suspend NBI Director Melvin Matibag alongside Acting Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Mao Aplasca, saying he sees no grounds for such a move and that it is not within his authority as Justice Secretary to issue a…

Bato dela Rosa to be arrested at border if he tries to leave country: DOJ
Nation

Bato dela Rosa to be arrested at border if he tries to leave country: DOJ

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa faces arrest at the border should he attempt to leave the Philippines. This after Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida confirmed Friday, May 15, that he has already signed and issued an Immigration Lookout Bulletin Order (ILBO) against the senator and directed border…

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