DoJ posts 89.3% case disposition rate in 2023

PROSECUTORS at the Department of Justice (DoJ) resolved more complaints in 2023 than in previous years.

Based on data, the Office of the Secretary of Justice Prosecution Service (OSJPS) posted an 89.31 percent disposition rate for 2023, a notable increase from 85.05 percent in 2022 and a notch higher from 53.18 percent in 2021.

Case disposition is the number of resolved complaints filed before the DoJ that underwent preliminary investigation, which determines if the case should be filed in court.

The pending cases also drastically decreased from 1,330 cases in 2019 to 465 cases in 2023.

Moreover, the OSJPS maintained in 2023 a “very satisfactory” adjectival rating, maintaining the same rating from the previous year.

This “exemplary performance” of state prosecutors earned a commendation from Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” Remulla, who described the figures as “exceeding expectations.”

“As the father of this department, I am honored and humbled to see the exceptional work of our dedicated prosecutors and personnel paying off prominently,” Remulla said in a statement issued over the weekend.

“I urge our hard-working men and women in the DoJ to carry on with what they have begun and remain relentless in reaching greater heights,” he added.

The DoJ chief said they have been working to professionalize the department bureaucracy and have strengthened the active participation of prosecutors in case build-up, among others.

“Let us remain true to our duties and responsibilities as servants of the people; let us continue to build a culture of excellence,” he told DoJ personnel.