SONA 2026
SONA 2026 Page 9 of 9
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’
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
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
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
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…