# Secretary of Justice (Philippines)

The secretary of justice (Filipino: kalihim ng katarungan) is the head of the Department of Justice and is a member of the president's Cabinet.
The current secretary is Jesus Crispin Remulla, who assumed office on June 30, 2022.

## List of secretaries of justice

| # | Image | Name | Term Began | Term Ended | President | Period |
| The Department of Grace and Justice was part of Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo's 1897 Naic Assembly Cabinet, with Severino de las Alas as the Director of Grace and Justice. However, the position was not in Aguinaldo's Biak-na-Bato Cabinet that followed months after. | The Department of Grace and Justice was part of Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo's 1897 Naic Assembly Cabinet, with Severino de las Alas as the Director of Grace and Justice. However, the position was not in Aguinaldo's Biak-na-Bato Cabinet that followed months after. | The Department of Grace and Justice was part of Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo's 1897 Naic Assembly Cabinet, with Severino de las Alas as the Director of Grace and Justice. However, the position was not in Aguinaldo's Biak-na-Bato Cabinet that followed months after. | The Department of Grace and Justice was part of Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo's 1897 Naic Assembly Cabinet, with Severino de las Alas as the Director of Grace and Justice. However, the position was not in Aguinaldo's Biak-na-Bato Cabinet that followed months after. | The Department of Grace and Justice was part of Pres. Emilio Aguinaldo's 1897 Naic Assembly Cabinet, with Severino de las Alas as the Director of Grace and Justice. However, the position was not in Aguinaldo's Biak-na-Bato Cabinet that followed months after. | Emilio Aguinaldo | Katipunan revolutionary government |
| Secretary of Justice | Secretary of Justice | Secretary of Justice | Secretary of Justice | Secretary of Justice | Emilio Aguinaldo | Revolutionary Government |
| 1 | | Severino de las Alas | April 17, 1897 | August 31, 1897 | Emilio Aguinaldo | Revolutionary Government |
| 2 | | Gregorio S. Araneta | September 1, 1897 | May 19, 1899 | Emilio Aguinaldo | Revolutionary Government |
| The department was not part of Aguinaldo's Cabinet during the First Republic, inaugurated in January 1899. | The department was not part of Aguinaldo's Cabinet during the First Republic, inaugurated in January 1899. | The department was not part of Aguinaldo's Cabinet during the First Republic, inaugurated in January 1899. | The department was not part of Aguinaldo's Cabinet during the First Republic, inaugurated in January 1899. | The department was not part of Aguinaldo's Cabinet during the First Republic, inaugurated in January 1899. | | First Republic |
| Attorney General | Attorney General | Attorney General | Attorney General | Attorney General | N/A | American military government |
| 3 | | Florentino Torres | May 29, 1899 | June 4, 1901 | N/A | American military government |
| Secretaries of Finance and Justice | Secretaries of Finance and Justice | Secretaries of Finance and Justice | Secretaries of Finance and Justice | Secretaries of Finance and Justice | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 4 | | Henry C. Ide | September 1, 1901 | June 30, 1908 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 5 | | Gregorio S. Araneta | July 1, 1908 | October 10, 1913 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 6 | | Victorino Mapa | November 1, 1913 | August 1916 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |||||
| Act | | Victorino Mapa | August 1916 | June 30, 1920 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 7 | | Quintín Paredes | July 1, 1920 | December 15, 1921 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 8 | | José Abad Santos | April 26, 1922 | July 17, 1923 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 9 | | Luis P. Torres | June 18, 1923 | August 31, 1928 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 10 | | José Abad Santos | September 1, 1928 | June 18, 1932 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 11 | | Alexander A. Reyes | June 19, 1932 | December 31, 1932 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 12 | | Quirico M. Abeto | January 1, 1933 | July 5, 1934 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 13 | | José Yulo | July 6, 1934 | November 14, 1935 | N/A | "Insular Government" (1900–1935) (American occupation) |
| 13 | | José Yulo | November 15, 1935 | November 15, 1938 | Manuel L. Quezon | Commonwealth |
| 14 | | José Abad Santos | December 5, 1938 | July 16, 1941 | Manuel L. Quezon | Commonwealth |
| 15 | | Teófilo Sison | July 18, 1941 | November 27, 1941 | Manuel L. Quezon | Commonwealth |
| Commissioners of Justice | Commissioners of Justice | Commissioners of Justice | Commissioners of Justice | Commissioners of Justice | N/A | Japanese military government |
| 16 | | José P. Laurel | December 24, 1941 | December 2, 1942 | N/A | Japanese military government |
| 17 | | Teofilo Sison | December 4, 1942 | October 14, 1943 | N/A | Japanese military government |
| 18 | | Quintín Paredes | October 14, 1943 | December 25, 1944 | José P. Laurel | Second Republic |
| Secretary of Justice, Labor and Welfare | Secretary of Justice, Labor and Welfare | Secretary of Justice, Labor and Welfare | Secretary of Justice, Labor and Welfare | Secretary of Justice, Labor and Welfare | Sergio Osmeña | Commonwealth (in exile) |
| Act | | Mariano A. Eraña | December 25, 1944 | February 17, 1945 | Sergio Osmeña | Commonwealth (in exile) |
| Secretary of Justice, Agriculture and Commerce | Secretary of Justice, Agriculture and Commerce | Secretary of Justice, Agriculture and Commerce | Secretary of Justice, Agriculture and Commerce | Secretary of Justice, Agriculture and Commerce | Sergio Osmeña | Commonwealth (restored) |
| 19 | | Delfín Jaranilla | February 17, 1945 | December 31, 1945 | Sergio Osmeña | Commonwealth (restored) |
| Commonwealth (restored) |||||
| 20 | | Ramon Quisumbing | January 2, 1946 | May 28, 1946 | Sergio Osmeña | Commonwealth (restored) |
| 21 | | Roman Ozaeta | May 29, 1946 | July 4, 1946 | Sergio Osmeña | Commonwealth (restored) |
| 21 | | Roman Ozaeta | July 4, 1946 | April 15, 1948 | Manuel Roxas | Third Republic |
| 21 | | Roman Ozaeta | April 17, 1948 | September 17, 1948 | Elpidio Quirino | Third Republic |
| 22 | | Sabino B. Padilla | September 19, 1948 | June 30, 1949 | Elpidio Quirino | Third Republic |
| 23 | | Ricardo L. Nepomuceno | July 1, 1949 | July 25, 1950 | Elpidio Quirino | Third Republic |
| 24 | | Jose P. Bengzon | August 29, 1950 | September 23, 1951 | Elpidio Quirino | Third Republic |
| 25 | | Oscar Castelo | January 1, 1952 | August 16, 1953 | Elpidio Quirino | Third Republic |
| 26 | | Roberto Gianzon | August 17, 1953 | December 30, 1953 | Elpidio Quirino | Third Republic |
| 27 | | Pedro Tuason | January 4, 1954 | March 17, 1957 | Ramon Magsaysay | Third Republic |
| 27 | | Pedro Tuason | March 18, 1957 | March 19, 1958 | Carlos P. Garcia | Third Republic |
| 28 | | Jesus Barrera | April 18, 1958 | June 4, 1959 | Carlos P. Garcia | Third Republic |
| 29 | | Enrique Fernandez | June 11, 1959 | July 13, 1959 | Carlos P. Garcia | Third Republic |
| 30 | | Alejo Mabanag | July 14, 1959 | December 31, 1961 | Carlos P. Garcia | Third Republic |
| 31 | | Jose W. Diokno | December 31, 1961 | May 19, 1962 | Diosdado Macapagal | Third Republic |
| 32 | | Juan R. Liwag | May 20, 1962 | July 7, 1963 | Diosdado Macapagal | Third Republic |
| 33 | | Salvador L. Marino | July 9, 1963 | December 31, 1965 | Diosdado Macapagal | Third Republic |
| 34 | | José Yulo | January 1, 1966 | August 4, 1967 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic |
| 35 | | Claudio Teehankee | August 5, 1967 | December 16, 1968 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic |
| 36 | | Juan Ponce Enrile | December 17, 1968 | February 7, 1970 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic |
| 37 | | Felix Makasiar | February 8, 1970 | August 1, 1970 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic |
| 38 | | Vicente Abad Santos | August 2, 1970 | January 17, 1973 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic |
| Third Republic |||||
| Act | | Vicente Abad Santos | January 17, 1973 | January 16, 1979 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic |
| 39 | | Catalino Macaraig, Jr. | January 17, 1979 | July 22, 1979 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic |
| 40 | | Ricardo C. Puno | July 23, 1979 | June 1981 | Ferdinand Marcos | Third Republic |
| 40 | | Ricardo C. Puno | July 1981 | June 30, 1984 | Ferdinand Marcos | Fourth Republic |
| 41 | | Estelito P. Mendoza | June 30, 1984 | February 27, 1986 | Ferdinand Marcos | Fourth Republic |
| 42 | | Neptali A. Gonzales | February 28, 1986 | March 8, 1987 | Corazon Aquino | Fourth Republic |
| Secretaries of Justice | Secretaries of Justice | Secretaries of Justice | Secretaries of Justice | Secretaries of Justice | Corazon Aquino | Fifth Republic |
| 43 | | Sedfrey A. Ordoñez | March 9, 1987 | January 2, 1990 | Corazon Aquino | Fifth Republic |
| 44 | | Franklin M. Drilon | January 4, 1990 | July 14, 1991 | Corazon Aquino | Fifth Republic |
| 45 | | Silvestre H. Bello III | July 15, 1991 | February 10, 1992 | Corazon Aquino | Fifth Republic |
| Act | | Eduardo G. Montenegro | February 10, 1992 | June 30, 1992 | Corazon Aquino | Fifth Republic |
| 46 | | Franklin Drilon | July 1, 1992 | February 2, 1995 | Fidel V. Ramos | Fifth Republic |
| 47 | | Demetrio G. Demetria | February 3, 1995 | May 19, 1995 | Fidel V. Ramos | Fifth Republic |
| 48 | | Teofisto T. Guingona, Jr. | May 20, 1995 | January 31, 1998 | Fidel V. Ramos | Fifth Republic |
| Act | | Silvestre H. Bello III | February 1, 1998 | June 30, 1998 | Fidel V. Ramos | Fifth Republic |
| 49 | | Serafin R. Cuevas | July 1, 1998 | February 15, 2000 | Joseph Ejercito Estrada | Fifth Republic |
| 50 | | Artemio G. Tuquero | February 16, 2000 | January 23, 2001 | Joseph Ejercito Estrada | Fifth Republic |
| 51 | | Hernando B. Perez | January 24, 2001 | November 26, 2002 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| 52 | | Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez | November 27, 2002 | January 15, 2003 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| 53 | | Simeon Datumanong | January 16, 2003 | December 23, 2003 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| 54 | | Ma. Merceditas N. Gutierrez | December 24, 2003 | August 31, 2004 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| 55 | | Raul Gonzalez | September 1, 2004 | September 2, 2007 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| Act | | Agnes Devanadera | September 3, 2007 | November 15, 2007 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| Act | | Raul Gonzalez | November 16, 2007 | January 11, 2010 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| Act | | Agnes Devanadera | January 12, 2010 | March 8, 2010 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| Act | | Alberto Agra | March 10, 2010 | June 30, 2010 | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | Fifth Republic |
| 56 | | Leila de Lima | June 30, 2010 | October 12, 2015 | Benigno S. Aquino III | Fifth Republic |
| Act | | Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa | October 12, 2015 | January 21, 2016 | Benigno S. Aquino III | Fifth Republic |
| Act | | Emmanuel Caparas | January 22, 2016 | June 30, 2016 | Benigno S. Aquino III | Fifth Republic |
| 57 | | Vitaliano Aguirre II | June 30, 2016 | April 5, 2018 (2018-04-05) | Rodrigo Duterte | Fifth Republic |
| 58 | | Menardo Guevarra | April 5, 2018 (2018-04-05) | June 30, 2022 | Rodrigo Duterte | Fifth Republic |
| 59 | | Jesus Crispin Remulla | June 30, 2022 | Incumbent | Bongbong Marcos | Fifth Republic |