The Department of Justice (DOJ) has started preparations for the setting up of a Regional Prosecution Office (RPO) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR).
DOJ Acting Secretary Fredderick A. Vida said the RPO in CAR will bring swift, accessible justice right to the doorsteps of Cordillera communities, cut delays in case resolution, and strengthen coordination with local leaders and law enforcement for a safer Northern Luzon.
Vida met with CAR officials last March 24 and 25. Among those in the meetings were Baguio City Mayor Benjamin Magalong and Rep. Mauricio Domogan, the DOJ said.
With Vida during the meetings were DOJ Undersecretary Ian Norman Dato, Assistant Secretary Francis John Tejano, CAR Officer-In-Charge Regional Prosecutor Joy Marie Frances C. Cortez, and other officials of prosecution offices across the region.
The DOJ said the discussions centered on securing a permanent office, strengthening coordination with local governments and law enforcement, improving case management, enhancing witness and victim support, and addressing manpower and resource needs.
It also said the setting up of the CAR regional office is in line with Republic Act No. 10071, the Prosecution Service Act of 2010, and the 1987 Executive Order No. 2020 that created the CAR.
The CAR has six provinces -- Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, and Mountain Province – and two cities – Baguio City and Tabuk City in Kalinga.