THE Provincial Prosecutor's Office is seeking help from the Benguet Provincial Board for the creation of a Regional Prosecution Office (RPO).
In a recent session, a resolution was submitted asking the Provincial Board to adopt a motion asking the Department of Justice to approve the application for the Cordillera Administrative Region, which is one of the regions in the country, which does not have regional prosecutor's office.
The request is based under Section 6 of Republic Act 10071, which states there shall be at each administrative region, except the National Capital Region, a Regional Prosecution Office to be headed by a Regional Prosecutor who shall be assisted by one Deputy Regional Prosecutor, one Senior Assistant Regional Prosecutor, three Assistant Regional Prosecutors, and one Prosecution Attorney.
The creation of RPO is hoped to speed resolution of cases in the Cordillera.
Furthermore, RPO will de-clog the dockets of the prosecutor’s office of Ilocos Region and Cagayan Valley, where cases of CAR are appealed and at the same time put in effect DOJ's commitment to bring public service closer to the people.
RA 10071, or the Prosecution Service Act of 2010 empowers the regional prosecutor to implement policies, plans, programs, memoranda, orders, circulars and rules and regulations of the DOJ relative to the investigation and prosecution of criminal cases in his/her region.
Aside from the RPO, DOJ is the only national office which do not have a regional office in the Cordilleras.
However, during the session, the resolution was for scheduled further discussion.