National Prosecution Service


The National Prosecution Service is the official prosecutorial agency of the Philippines. Although it is an official prosecutorial agency, it is not autonomous from the Department of Justice unlike its counterparts such as the Philippine National Police, National Bureau of Investigation, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Corrections, and the Bureau of Immigration.

History

The National Prosecution Service has existed before its creation in the form of the Prosecution Staff of the Bureau of Justice and later, the Department of Justice during the American colonial era. Through Presidential Decree No. 1275 signed by President Ferdinand Marcos on April 11, 1978, the Prosecution Staff was reorganized and the National Prosecution Service was created. P.D. No. 1275 was later amended and repealed by Republic Act No. 10071, or the Prosecution Service Act of 2010, which strengthened the powers and organization of the National Prosecution Service.

Leadership

The National Prosecution Service is divided into four levels:
  1. The Prosecution Staff, headed by the Prosecutor General, which is administratively under the Office of the Secretary of Justice;
  2. The Regional Prosecution Offices, headed by Regional Prosecutors;
  3. The Offices of the Provincial Prosecutors; and
  4. The Offices of the City Prosecutors.
Regional OfficesArea of ResponsibilityProvincial/City OfficesRegional Prosecutor
National Capital Region Prosecution Office National Capital Region – Metro Manila17 Prosecutor General
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – La UnionRegion I – Ilocos Region17 RP. Nonnatus Caesar R. Rojas
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – CagayanRegion II – Cagayan Valley14 RP. Rommel C. Baligod
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – PampangaRegion III – Central Luzon20 RP. Jesus C. Simbulan
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – San PabloRegion IV – CALABARZON and MIMAROPA30 RP. Ernesto C. Medoza
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – LegaspiRegion V – Bicol Region13 RP. Mary May B. De Leoz
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – IloiloRegion VI – Western Visayas22 RP. Kenneth John N. Amamanglon
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – CebuRegion VII – Central Visayas/ Cebu20 RP. Fernando K. Gubalane
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – TaclobanRegion VIII – Eastern Visayas/ Leyte13 RP. Irwin A. Maraya
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – ZamboangaRegion IX – Zamboanga Peninsula8 RP. Dennis F. Araojo
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – Cagayan De OroRegion X – Northern Mindanao14 RP. Merlynn B. Uy
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – DavaoRegion XI – Davao Region12 RP. Janet Grace D. Fabrero
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – KoronadalRegion XII – SOCKSARGEN / Bangsamoro barangays in North Cotabato9 RP. Al P. Calica
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – CaragaRegion XIII – CARAGA/ Butuan11 RP. John S. Magdaraog
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – ARMMBARMM – Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Cotabato City / Excluding Bangsamoro barangays in North Cotabato7 PP. Norma M. Tanggol
Office of the Regional Prosecutor – CordilleraCordillera Administrative Region--

Abbreviations

  • PG - Prosecutor General
  • RP - Regional Prosecutor
  • PP - Provincial Prosecutor
  • CP - ''City Prosecutor''

    Rank structure

The current rank system of the NPS as provided under Section 15 of Republic Act No. 10071:
RankPosition/Title
Prosecutor V
  • Senior Deputy State Prosecutors
  • Regional Prosecutors
  • Provincial Prosecutors or City Prosecutors of provinces or cities with at least twenty-five prosecutors, and City Prosecutors of cities within a metropolitan area established by law.
Prosecutor IV
  • Deputy State Prosecutors;
  • Deputy Regional Prosecutors;
  • Provincial Prosecutors or City Prosecutors of provinces or cities with less than twenty-five prosecutors; and
  • Deputy Provincial Prosecutors or Deputy City Prosecutors of provinces or cities within a metropolitan area established by law.
    • Prosecutor III
  • Senior Assistant State Prosecutors and Senior Assistant Regional Prosecutors;
  • Deputy Provincial or Deputy City Prosecutors of provinces or cities with less than twenty- five prosecutors; and
  • Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors or Senior Assistant City Prosecutors.
    • Prosecutor II
  • Assistant State Prosecutors;
  • Assistant Regional Prosecutors; and
  • Assistant Provincial Prosecutors or Assistant City
    • Prosecutor I
  • Associate Provincial Prosecutors or Associate City Prosecutors.