ADVERTISEMENT
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Keep politics out of prosecution, Recto tells new prosecutors

Keep politics out of prosecution, Recto tells new prosecutors

Published Feb 15, 2026 08:40 am
OES photo
OES photo
Executive Secretary Ralph Recto directed 140 newly appointed Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors to keep politics out of their charging decisions, stressing that justice must be free from spin and influence.
“You are not here to bring politics into the charging decision. You are not here to serve personalities. You are not here to shield the powerful. You are here to be fair. To hold power— any power —accountable to the law,” Recto told the prosecutors during the oath-taking ceremony in Malacañan on Feb. 11.
“By doing so, you do not only become justice’s fiercest advocate, but democracy’s strongest guardrail,” he added.
President Marcos personally congratulated the new prosecutors, who will be deployed to prosecution offices nationwide to boost the DOJ’s capacity, reduce caseloads, and help eliminate case backlogs.

Due process ‘without spin’

In his speech, Recto said the prosecutors assume office at a time when institutions are allowed to function independently under the current administration.
“I must say that you assume your new role during these auspicious times when our institutions are allowed to do their jobs, where truth is pursued, not staged; where justice is supported, not steered,” he said.
Citing recent government experience, Recto underscored that the rule of law is proven when due process is respected regardless of rank.
“Even the highest offices have faced scrutiny. Even the Executive Secretary has faced complaints. These charges were met the only way a public servant with respect to the law should: with facts, with transparency, and with reverence to due process,” he said.
“For that is how the rule of law is proven: by letting due process run its course without spin, without shortcuts, without political seasoning,” he added.

Follow the evidence

Recto reminded the prosecutors that the President’s commitment to the rule of law carries both assurance and expectation that they follow evidence wherever it leads and dismiss cases that cannot be proven.
“Justice that needs instructions is not justice—it is obedience. And you are not here to obey personalities. You are here to uphold principles,” he stressed.
The Palace official urged the newly appointed prosecutors to take their oath seriously and uphold the law with courage and integrity.
“When the noise gets loud, let your answers be loud and clear: Kampi ako ng katotohanan. Panig ako sa batas. Hindi puwede kung hindi tama,” Recto said.
“May you always have the strength to stand up to power, without ever becoming power’s instrument, but only that of The People,” he added.
Also present at the ceremony were Justice Secretary Fredderick Vida, Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Anna Liza Logan, Senior Deputy Executive Secretary Maria Luwalhati Dorotan Tiuseco, Deputy Executive Secretary for Legal Affairs Jesse Hermogenes Andres, and DOJ Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato.

Related Tags

ralph recto Executive Secretary Ralph Recto DOJ prosecutor
ADVERTISEMENT
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function initializeAllSwipers() { // Get all hidden inputs with cms_article_id document.querySelectorAll('[id^="cms_article_id_"]').forEach(function (input) { const cmsArticleId = input.value; const articleSelector = '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .body_images'; const swiperElement = document.querySelector(articleSelector); if (swiperElement && !swiperElement.classList.contains('swiper-initialized')) { new Swiper(articleSelector, { loop: true, pagination: false, navigation: { nextEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-next', prevEl: '#article-' + cmsArticleId + ' .swiper-button-prev', }, }); } }); } setTimeout(initializeAllSwipers, 3000); const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); let article = entry.target; // Extract metadata const author = article.querySelector('.author-section').textContent.replace('By', '').trim(); const section = article.querySelector('.section-info ').textContent.replace(' ', ' '); const title = article.querySelector('.article-title h1').textContent; // Parse URL for Chartbeat path format const parsedUrl = new URL(newUrl, window.location.origin); const cleanUrl = parsedUrl.host + parsedUrl.pathname; // Update Chartbeat configuration if (typeof window._sf_async_config !== 'undefined') { window._sf_async_config.path = cleanUrl; window._sf_async_config.sections = section; window._sf_async_config.authors = author; } // Track virtual page view with Chartbeat if (typeof pSUPERFLY !== 'undefined' && typeof pSUPERFLY.virtualPage === 'function') { try { pSUPERFLY.virtualPage({ path: cleanUrl, title: title, sections: section, authors: author }); } catch (error) { console.error('ping error', error); } } // Optional: Update document title if (title && title !== document.title) { document.title = title; } } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // Offset values const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } const sentinel = document.getElementById("load-more-sentinel"); if (!sentinel) { console.log("Sentinel element not found."); return; } function isSentinelVisible() { const rect = sentinel.getBoundingClientRect(); return ( rect.top < window.innerHeight && rect.bottom >= 0 ); } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; if (isSentinelVisible()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { let article = document.querySelector('#widget_1690 > div:nth-last-of-type(2) article'); intersectionObserver.observe(article) loadCount++; }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); });
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.