Outgoing Justice Secretary Menardo I. Guevarra on Monday, June 27, expressed belief that the Department of Justice (DOJ) gained more trust and respect from the public under his leadership.

“In my opinion, collectively all of us have elevated the trust and respect of the people in the DOJ,” Guevarra said during his last flag-raising ceremony as justice secretary.

“I and my team have hopefully inspired you to think beyond yourselves and to aspire to fulfill our institutional duty to uphold the law and promote human rights at all times,” he told DOJ officials and employees.

Guevarra has been named the next solicitor general by incoming President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.

Cavite 7th District Rep. Jesus Crispin “Boying” C. Remulla is the incoming justice secretary.

Guevarra expressed his gratitude to the DOJ officials and personnel for their kindness, support and cooperation during his more than four-year stay at the department.

“It is my fervent prayer that you would extend the same kindness, same support and cooperation to the incoming secretary of justice and his team,” he urged.

Guevarra said his stint at the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) is not the first time he would be working for the government under a Marcos administration.

He recounted that during the term of the late former President Ferdinand E. Marcos, he was “a staff economist at the National Economic and Development Authority, then the super planning agency of the government from mid-1970s to mid-1980s.”

“Later on, I was bank economist at the Central Bank of the Philippines, now Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, before I went to the law profession later on,” he said.

He said he will miss being at the DOJ. He said: “I’m not really staying far away from the DOJ but nonetheless I would miss so many things about the DOJ.”

He also said:

“I will miss this classic imposing building that we have. I will miss our new justice hall and the very elegant ante room that it has for receiving VIP guests, such as ambassadors. I would also miss the unique cultural character of Padre Faura and the nearby Ermita district.

“But most of all I will miss the excitement our daily task here at the DOJ -- the sensational, criminal cases that we prosecuted; the well-crafted legal opinions that we issued; the congressional inquiries that we attended; the inter-agency activities that we led; our annual Christmas lighting ceremonies; our yearly DOJ station IDs...; of course, our regular Monday flag-raising ceremonies that I find very invigorating and inspiring to start the week.”