Despite the leadership changes at the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 2025, it pursued relentlessly its mandate of prosecuting criminal offenders both in the public and the private sectors.

Last May, President Marcos appointed Darlene Marie B. Berberabe as head of the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) as replacement to then solicitor general Menardo I. Guevarra whose courtesy resignation was accepted by the President.

Based on nominations made by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), the President appointed then DOJ secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla as Ombudsman last October.

The President then appointed DOJ Undersecretary Fredderick A. Vida, first as officer-in-charge, and later as acting DOJ secretary.

With the assumption of former DOJ spokesperson and assistant secretary Jose Dominic F. Clavano IV as assistant Ombudsman, Prosecution Attorney Raphael Niccolo L. Martinez was named new spokesperson.

Last December, the President appointed Angelito DLP Magno as acting director of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) with the resignation of then director Jaime B. Santiago last August.

Former president Rodrigo R. Duterte was arrested last March 11 based on a warrant issued by the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged crimes against humanity.

The arrest warrant, coursed through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), was served by DOJ Prosecutor General Richard Anthony D. Fadullon together with DOJ Undersecretary Nicholas Felix L. Ty and members of law enforcement agencies.

Later, on March 11, Duterte was turned over to the ICC where he is now detained at The Hague in Netherlands.

Then justice secretary Remulla justified the arrest and turnover of Duterte to the ICC citing Republic Act (RA) No. 9851, the Philippine Act on Crimes Against International Humanitarian Law, Genocide, and Other Crimes Against Humanity.

The arrest and turnover to the ICC sparked the filing of several cases before the Supreme Court (SC) where the petitions for habeas corpus filed by Duterte, himself, and Sen. Ronald Dela Rosa, and the children of the former president are still pending resolution.

Taking cue from the President to run after those behind the multi-billion-peso anomalous flood control projects, the DOJ launched parallel investigations being conducted by the Office of the Ombudsman and the Independent Commission for Infrastructure (ICI).

This December, a DOJ panel of prosecutors submitted for resolution five cases that underwent preliminary investigation on “ghost” flood control projects undertaken by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with Syms Construction in the towns of Pandi and Balagtas in Bulacan.

The charges filed in the five cases include malversation through falsification of public documents under Article 217 in relation to Article 171 Paragraph 4 of the Revised Penal Code (RPC); perjury under Article 183 of the RPC; and violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.

In one of the five cases, former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and resigned congressman Elizaldy Co, now a fugitive from justice, were included as respondents.

Last Dec. 15, a separate DOJ panel of prosecutors started the preliminary investigation of two other cases of anomalous flood control projects involving Wawao Builders and Topnotch Catalyst Builders, Inc.

The respondents in the two cases were charged with direct bribery, corruption of public officials, malversation through falsification of public documents, violation of Republic Act (RA) 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act, and violation of RA 3019.

Among the respondents in the two cases were former DPWH officials in Bulacan -- former district engineer Henry Alcantara and former assistant district engineer Brice Hernandez.

While it continuously runs after those involved in the flood control anomalies, the DOJ also sought restitution from those who have been charged and applying as state witnesses.

Alcantara had surrendered to the DOJ over P181 million in cash; DWPH Regional Director Gerard P. Opulencia, the former head of the DPWH- National Capital Region (NCR), P40 million; and Sally Santos of Syms Construction, P20 million.

Also, DOJ prosecutors have wrapped up their investigation into the P7.1 billion tax evasion charges filed by the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) against contractor spouses Pacifico “Curlee” and Cezarah “Sarah” Discaya.

Last Nov. 21, the Discaya couple submitted their counter-affidavits and refuted the allegations against them.

Sarah is now detained based on an arrest order issued by the Lapu-Lapu City regional trial court (RTC), a special anti-graft court, on the non-bailable malversation of public funds in the P96.5 million “ghost” infrastructure project in Davao Occidental in 2022.

Curlee, on the other hand, is detained at the Senate on a contempt citation.

The tax evasion complaints filed by the BIR involved the Discayas alleged accumulated tax liabilities of P7,182,172,532.25 from 2018 to 2021.

The first set of cases involved the Discaya couple’s reported failure to pay their individual income taxes for taxable years 2018 to 2021.

The second set of cases involved their decision to divest from some of their corporations -- St. Gerrard, St. Timothy, St. Matthew, and Alpha and Omega.

The third set of cases involved the alleged failure of the Discayas and St. Gerard to file excise tax returns and pay the excise taxes for nine luxury vehicles registered under their names.

There was a breakthrough in the cases of the missing “sabungeros,” cockfight enthusiasts, when Julie “Dondon” Patidongan – one of those charged -- surfaced as a whistleblower and decided to reveal who were involved, including businessman Charlie “Atong” Ang.

Through Patidongan’s revelations, the DOJ launched a search for the remains of the victims in Taal Lake where the bodies of the missing “sabungeros” were dumped after killing them.

After preliminary investigation of the charges, the panel of prosecutors approved the filing in court of criminal charges against Ang and several co-accused.

Ang was charged with 10 counts of kidnapping with homicide and 16 counts of kidnapping with serious illegal detention.

The trial courts in Batangas and Laguna have yet to resolve if the charges have probable cause to warrant the issuance of arrest orders.

The year 2026 is a challenging year, the DOJ said. But it assured it will relentlessly pursue its mandate of prosecuting those who violate the laws.