5 
13 PS&J 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
Regular Session 
1 
SENATE 
S. No. 2181 
Introduced by 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The role of the National Prosecution Service in the Criminal Justice 
System is two-fold: (1) to investigate allegations that a crime has been 
committed; and (2) to prosecute all cases involving violations of penal laws. It is 
a quasi-judicial organization expected to deal with fair execution of laws. 
Given the sensitive and delicate nature of their work, prosecutors are 
expected to serve the public with utmost responsibility, integrity and honesty. 
Their failure to do so will result in the collapse not just of the entire criminal 
justice system, but the very foundation upon which our society is based. 
Democracy will not fully blossom unless the rule of law is put in place. 
To ensure the rule of law, it is essential that the Prosecution Service is 
backed-up by the trust of the people. This bill seeks to do so by strengthening 
the independence of the National Prosecution Services - free from interference 
of politicians, high-ranking government officials and businessmen. 
The 
independent spirit of the judicial body shall be applied to the Prosecution 
Service in order to better bring about precise fact-finding investigation and 
righteousness through fair execution of laws. It is high time that Prosecutors 
reaffirm. their role as humble public servants working for public interest, and 
erase the public perception that they are strong to the weak and weak to the 
strong. 
The author is confident that this bill will, in the end, strengthen public 
trust toward the Prosecution Service and, in the process, help advance 
democracy in the Philippines. 
It is for these reasons that approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
S N. PANGILINAN 


SENATE 
THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
5 a@ 13 iJ.IZ6 
First Regular Session 
1 
Introduced by Senator Francis N. Pangilinan 
AN ACT CONSTITUTING THE NATIONAL PROSECUTION SERVICE INTO AN 
AUTONOMOUS OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR GENERAL AND FOR 
OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
Philippines in Congress assembled: 
SECTION 
1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the “Prosecution Service 
Autonomy Act.” 
SEC. 2. Scope. - The constituent offices herein covered shall include the 
prosecution staff and the regional, provincial and city prosecution offices under 
the Office of the Secretary of Justice, that hitherto compose the national 
prosecution service. 
SEC. 3. Constitution and Function of the Office of the Prosecutor 
General. - The national prosecution service is hereby constituted into an 
autonomous Office of the Prosecutor General which shall be composed of the 
Prosecution Staff and the Office of the Provincial Prosecutor in each of the 
provinces and the Office of the City Prosecutor in each of the cities and shall be 
attached to the Department of Justice for budgetary purposes. The provisions 
of any law to the contrary notwithstanding and with the exception of cases 
within the original jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan, the Office of the 
Prosecutor General shall be primarily responsible for the preliminary 
investigation and prosecution of all complaints involving violations of penal 
laws. 
The Office of the Prosecutor General shall also perform such other 
functions as are now vested in the National Prosecution Service or may 
hereafter be assigned to said Office by law. 
SEC. 4. The Prosecutor General. - The Office of the Prosecutor General 
shall be headed by the Prosecutor General who shall have supervision and 
control over the prosecution staff and the Offices of the Provincial Prosecutor 
and the Offices of the City Prosecutor and their support staffs. Such power 
vested in the Prosecution General includes the authority to act directly on any 
matter involving national security or probable miscarriage of justice within the 
jurisdiction of the prosecution staff, the provincial prosecutor in each of the 
provinces and the city prosecutor in each of the cities, and to review, reverse or 
modify any resolution or action of any prosecutor of said staff or any provincial 
prosecutor or city prosecutor. 
SEC. 5. The Prosecution Staff. - The Prosecutor General shall be 
assisted by the Prosecution Staff which shall be composed of the following: 
a. Five 
- 
Deputy Prosecutors General 
b. Sixteen 
- 
Senior Associate State Prosecutors 
c. Forty 
- 
Associate State Prosecutors 
d. OneHundred 
- 
Senior Assistant State Prosecutors 
e. Ten 
- 
Prosecuting Attorneys 


The Prosecution Staff shall consist of: (1) a Review Division; (2) an 
Investigation Division; (3) a Prosecution Division; (4) an Administrative Cases 
Division; and (5) a Records and Planning Division. The Chief of each division 
shall be a Deputy Prosecutor General. 
The Prosecution Staff, which shall be directly under the control and 
supervision of the Prosecutor General, shall have the following functions: 
1. Review resolutions of prosecutors and other prosecution officers, that 
are appealed to the Prosecutor General; 
2. Conduct the preliminary investigation and/or prosecution of criminal 
cases involving national security, those for which task forces have 
been created, and criminal cases whose venues are transferred to 
avoid miscarriage of justice, all when so directed by the Prosecutor 
General in the interest of justice or the public service; 
3. Act as counsel for the People of the Philippines in any case involving 
or arising from a criminal complaint investigated by any of its 
prosecutors and pending before any trial court; 
4. Investigate administrative 
charges against prosecutors, 
other 
prosecution officers and members of their support staff; 
5. Prepafe legal opinions on queries involving violations of the Revised 
Penal Code and special penal laws; and 
6. Monitor all criminal cases filed with the Office of the Prosecutor 
General; maintain an updated record of the status of each case, and 
adopt such systems and procedures as will expedite the monitoring 
and disposition of cases. 
The Deputy Prosecutors General shall act as a Board to screen 
applicants for appointment or promotion to any prosecutorial position in the 
Office of the Prosecutor General. The Provincial Prosecutor or City Prosecutor 
shall sit as a member of the Board whenever it considers applicants for 
positions in his office. The most senior Deputy Prosecutor General shall be the 
Chairperson of the Board. 
SEC. 6. Office of the Provincial/City Prosecutor. - There shall be in 
each province or city a proiincial prosecutor or city prosecutor, as the case may 
be, who shall be assisted by deputy provincial prosecutor or deputy city 
prosecutor and such number of associate and assistant prosecutors as provided 
for hereinafter: Provided, however, That whenever a new province or city is 
created, it shall have a provincial prosecutor or city prosecutor, a deputy 
provincial prosecutor or deputy city prosecutor and such number of associate 
and assistant prosecutors as there are court branches therein at the ratio of 
two (2) prosecutors for each branch of regional trial court, one (1) prosecutor for 
each branch of metropolitan trial court or municipal trial court, whether in 
cities or municipalities, and one (1) prosecutor for every two (2) municipal 
circuit trial courts. 
The associate and assistant prosecutors for the new 
province or city may be appointed from qualified applicants, or taken from the 
office of the Provincial Prosecutor or Office of the City Prosecutor of the mother 
province or city, using as a basis the ratio between court branches and 
prosecutors mentioned above: Provided, further, That when all or almost all of 
the Regional Trial Court branches are seated in the city, the number of 
prosecutors for the city shall be proportional to the territorial jurisdiction 
covered by the courts. 
2 


When the exigencies of the service so require, a province or city may 
crate positions for special counsels whose salaries and other emoluments shall 
come exclusively from local funds. 
SEC. 7 .  Powers and Functions of the Provincial Prosecutor or City 
Prosecutor. - The provincial prosecutor or the city prosecutor shall: (a) be the 
law officer of the province or city, as the case may be; (b) investigate and/or 
cause to be investigated all charges of crimes, misdemeanors and violations of 
all penal laws and ordinances within their respective jurisdictions and have the 
necessary information or complaint prepared or made against the persons 
accused; (c) have charge of the prosecution of all crimes, misdemeanors and 
violations of city or municipal ordinances in the courts of such province and 
city and therein discharge all the duties incident to the institution of criminal 
prosecutions, subject to the provisions of SECTION 
5(2). 
SEc. 8. Office of the Provincial Prosecutor: Number of Prosecutors 
in Each Province. - There shall be in each of the following provinces the 
corresponding number of provincial prosecutor and his deputies, associates 
and assistants: 
a. Bulacan: (56) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Twenty-Three Associate Provincial Prosecutors 
Thirty Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
b. Camarines Sur: (49) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Twenty Associate Provincial Prosecutors 
Twenty-Six Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
c. Pangasinan: (44) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Eighteen Associate Provincial Prosecutors 
Twenty-Three Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
d. Leyte: (42) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Seventeen Associate Provincial Prosecutors 
Twenty-Two Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
e. Rizal: (41) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Seventeen Associate Provincial Prosecutors 
Twenty-one Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
f. Quezon: (37) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Fifteen Associate Provincial Prosecutors 
Nineteen Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
3 


g. Cagayan; Nueva Ecija; Laguna; Batangas: (33) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Thirteen Associate Provincial Prosecutors 
Seventeen Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
h. Cebu: (31) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Twelve Associate Provincial Prosecutors 
Sixteen Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
i. Pampanga: (29) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Twelve Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Fifteen Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
j. La Union: (28) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Eleven Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Fifteen Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
k. Cavite: (26) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Ten Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Fourteen Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
1. Isabela: (25) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Ten Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Thirteen Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
m. Iloilo: (24) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Ten Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Twelve Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
n. Benguet; Northern Samar, Aklan: (22) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Nine Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Eleven Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
0. Samar; Bohol: (21) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
4 


P. 
q. 
r. 
S. 
t. 
U. 
V. 
W. 
Eight Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Eleven Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Ilocos Sur; Eastern Samar: (20) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Eight Senior Assistant Prosecutors 
Ten Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Ilocos Norte; Camarines Norte; Misamis Oriental: (19) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Seven Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Nine Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Nueva Viscaya: (18) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Seven Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Nine Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Zamboanga Del Sur: (16) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Six Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Eight Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Mindoro Oriental; Zamboanga Del Norte: (15) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Six Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Seven Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Sorsogon; Masbate; Antique: (14) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Six Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Six Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Abra; Negros Oriental; Davao Oriental; North Cotabato; Sulu: (13) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Five Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Six Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Tarlac; Bataan; Zambales, Palawan; Albay; Negros Occidental; 
Surigao Del Sur; Lana0 Del Norte: (12) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Five Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Five Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
5 


x. Mindoro Occidental; Capiz; Southern Leyte; Tawi-Tawi: (1 1) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Four Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Five Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
y. Marinduque; Surigao Del Norte (10) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Four Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Four Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
z. Quirino; Davao Del Sur, Lanao Del Sur: (9) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Three Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Four Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
aa. Mt. Province; Ifugao; Romblon; Catanduanes; Agusan Del Norte; 
South Cotabato: (8) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Three Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Three Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
bb. Biliran; Bukidnon; Misamis Occidental; Campostela Valley; Agusan 
Del Sur; Sultan Kudarat: (7) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Two Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Three Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
cc. Aurora; Zamboanga Sibugay; Maguindanao: (6) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Two Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Two Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
dd. Batanes; Davao Del Norte; Sarangani: (5) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
One Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
Two Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
ee. Kalinga; Apayao; Camiguin: (4) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
One Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
One Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
6 


ff. Guimaras; Siquijor; Basilan: (3) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
One Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
One Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
After the approval of this Act, there shall be in each province one deputy 
provincial prosecutor for every thirty prosecutors or a fraction thereof. 
SEC. 9. Office of the City Prosecutor: Number of Prosecutors in Each 
City. - There shall be in each of the following cities the corresponding number 
of city prosecutor and his deputies, associates and assistants: 
a. Manila: (178) 
One City Prosecutor 
Five Deputy City Prosecutors 
Seventy-four Associate City Prosecutors 
Ninety-eight Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
b. Quezon City: (109) 
One City Prosecutor 
Three Deputy City Prosecutors 
Forty-six Associate City Prosecutors 
Fifty-nine Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
c. Makati: (107) 
One City Prosecutor 
Three Deputy City Prosecutors 
Forty-six Associate City Prosecutors 
Fifty-seven Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
d. Cebu: (42) 
One City Prosecutor 
Two Deputy City Prosecutors 
Seventeen Associate City Prosecutors 
Twenty-two Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
e. Iloilo: (39) 
One City Prosecutor 
Two Deputy City Prosecutors 
Sixteen Associate City Prosecutors 
Twenty Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
f. Pasig: (35) 
One City Prosecutor 
Two Deputy City Prosecutors 
Fourteen Associate City Prosecutors 
Eighteen Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
g. Cagayan De Oro: (33) 
One City Prosecutor 
Two Deputy City Prosecutors 
Thirteen Associate City Prosecutors 
7 


Seventeen Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
h. Caloocan; Pasay: (31) 
One Provincial Prosecutor 
Two Deputy Provincial Prosecutors 
Twelve Associate Provincial Prosecutors 
Sixteen Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors 
i. Davao: (29) 
One City Prosecutor 
Two Deputy City Prosecutors 
Twelve Associate City Prosecutors 
Fifteen Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
j .  Bacolod (24) 
One City Prosecutor 
Two Deputy City Prosecutors 
Ten Associate City Prosecutors 
Twelve Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
k. Las Piiias: (21) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Eight Associate City Prosecutors 
Eleven Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
1. Marikina; Parafiaque: (18) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Seven Associate City Prosecutors 
. 
Nine Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
m. Mandaluyong; Zamboanga: (16) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Six Associate City Prosecutors 
Eight Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
n. Baguio; Muntinlupa; Taguig: (15) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Six Associate City Prosecutors 
Seven Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
0. Olongapo: [ 14) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Six Associate City Prosecutors 
Six Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
p. Malabon: (13) 
One City Prosecutor 
8 


One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Five Associate City Prosecutors 
Six Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
q. Antipolo: (10) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Four Associate City Prosecutors 
Four Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
r. Valenzuela: (8) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Three Associate City Prosecutors 
Three Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
s. Dagupan; 
Cabanatuan; 
Malolos; 
San 
Fernando 
(Pampanga); 
Batangas; Naga; Legaspi; Dumaguete: (20) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Eight Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
Ten Assistant City Prosecutors 
t. Tuguegarao; Angeles; Lucena; Roxas; Tagbilaran; Iligan; Butuan: (15) 
One City Prosecutor 
One'Deputy City Prosecutors 
Six Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
Seven Assistant City Prosecutors 
u. General Santos: (13) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Five Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
Six Assistant City Prosecutors 
v. Tacloban: (12) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Five Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
Five Assistant City Prosecutors 
w. Laoag; San Fernando (La Union); San Pablo; Calamba; Puerto 
Princesa; Iriga; Mandaue; Pagadian; Dipolog: (10) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Four Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
Four Assistant City Prosecutors 
x. Tabacco: (9) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Three Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
Four Assistant City Prosecutors 
9 


y. Santiago; Sorsogon; Oroquieta: (8) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Three Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
Three Assistant City Prosecutors 
z. Urdaneta; Tarlac; Gapan; Cavite; Lipa; Ligao; Masbate; Lapu-Lapu; 
Tagum; Marawi: (7) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Two Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
Three Assistant City Prosecutors 
aa. San Jose; Cotabato; Surigao; Ozamis: (6) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
Two Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
Two Assistant City Prosecutors 
bb.Vigan; San Jose Del Monte; Tanauan; San Carlos (Negros Occidental); 
Talisay (Negros Occidental); Victorias; Toledo; Calbayog; Ormoc; 
Malaybalay; Gingoog; Koronadal; Kidapawan: (5) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
One Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
Two Assistant City Prosecutors 
cc. San Carlos (Pangasinan); Alaminos; Cauayan; Balanga; Calapan; 
Bais; Tangub; Digos; Samal: (4) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
One Senior Assistant City Prosecutors 
One Assistant City Prosecutors 
dd. Candon; Palayan; MuAoz; Sta. Rosa; Tagaytay; Trece Martirez; Passi; 
Bago; Cadiz; Escalante; Himamaylan; Kabankalan; La Carlota; Sagay; 
Silay; Sipalay; Bayawan; Canlaon; Danao; Talisay (Cebu), Tanjay; 
Maasin; Dapitan; Isabela; Valencia; Panabo; Tacurong; Bislig: (3) 
One City Prosecutor 
One Deputy City Prosecutors 
One Assistant City Prosecutors 
After the approval of this Act, there shall be in each city one deputy city 
prosecutor for every thirty prosecutors or a fraction thereof. 
SEC. 10. Realignment of Position Items. -When new cities are created 
and court branches seats are realigned or redistributed, the Prosecutor General 
shall correspondingly realign position items of prosecutors to the new cities 
from the provinces where the cities are located, without prejudice to the 
provisions of SECTION 
11 hereof. 
SEC. 11. Automatic Increase of Positions of Prosecutor. - Whenever 
new courts or branches thereof are created in a province or city, there shall be 
in such province or city automatically created positions of associate and 
10 


assistant prosecutors in such number determined pursuant to the ratio 
established in SECTION 
6 hereof: Provided, however, That if the branches of a 
regional trial court shall be seated at a city outside of Metropolitan Manila, the 
number of positions shall be distributed between the city and the province 
where the city is located according to the territorial jurisdiction covered by such 
branch. 
SEC. 12. Qualification, 'Rank and Appointment of the Prosecutor 
General. - The Prosecutor General shall have the same qualification, rank, 
prerogatives and privileges as those of the Presiding Justice of the Court of 
Appeals and shall be appointed by the President. 
SEC. 13. Ranks of Prosecutors. - The prosecutors in the Office of the 
Prosecutor General shall have the following ranks: 
RANK 
DESIGNATION 
Prosecutor V 
1. Deputy Prosecutors General; and 
2. Provincial Prosecutors or City Prosecutors of 
provinces or cities with at least thirty prosecutors, 
and City Prosecutors of highly urbanized cities. 
Prosecutor IV 
1. Senior Associate State Prosecutors; 
2. Provincial Prosecutors or City Prosecutors of 
provinces or cities with less than thirty prosecutors; 
and 
3. Deputy Provincial Prosecutors or Deputy City 
Prosecutors of provinces or cities with at least thirty 
prosecutors, and Deputy City Prosecutors of highly 
urbanized cities. 
Prosecutor 111 
1. Associate State Prosecutors; 
2. Deputy Provincial Prosecutors or Deputy City 
Prosecutors of provinces or cities with less than 
thirty prosecutors; and 
3. Associate Provincial Prosecutors or Associate City 
Prosecutors of a provinces or cities with at least 
thirty prosecutors, and Associate City Prosecutors 
of highly urbanized cities. 
Prosecutor I1 
1. Senior Assistant State Prosecutors; 
2. Associate Provincial Prosecutors or Associate City 
Prosecutors of provinces or cities with less than 
thirty prosecutors; and 
3. Senior Assistant Provincial Prosecutors or Senior 
Assistant City Prosecutors of provinces or cities 
with at least thirty prosecutors, and Senior 
Assistant City Prosecutor of highly urbanized cities. 
Prosecutor I 
1. Assistant Provincial Prosecutors or Assistant City 
Prosecutors of provinces or cities with less than 
thirty prosecutors. 
SEC. 14. Qualifications and Appointments of Prosecutors and Other 
Prosecution Officers. - Prosecutors with the rank of Prosecutor V shall have 
the same qualification, salary grade, prerogatives and privileges as those of an 
associate justice of the Court of Appeals. 
Prosecutors with the rank of Prosecutor IV shall have the same 
qualification, salary grade, prerogative and privileges as those of a judge of the 
regional trial court. 
11 


Prosecutors with the rank of Prosecutor 111 shall have the same 
qualification, salary grade, prerogative and privileges as those of a judge of the 
metropolitan trial court. 
Prosecutors with the rank of Prosecutor I1 shall have the same 
qualification, salary grade, prerogative and privileges as those of a judge of the 
municipal trial court. 
Prosecutors with the rank of Prosecutor I shall have the same 
qualification, prerogative and privileges as those of a judge of the municipal 
circuit trial court and salary one grade lower than that of Prosecutor 11. 
All the above prosecutors shall be appointed by the President upon the 
recommendation of the Prosecutor General. 
A prosecuting attorney or special counsel shall be a member of the bar in 
good standing ahd shall have a salary grade' ranging from Grade 23 to Grade 
25. Such prosecution officer shall be appointed by the Prosecutor General; 
Provided, however, That with respect to a special counsel, his appointment shall 
be upon the recommendation of the provincial governor or city mayor and with 
the endorsement of the provincial prosecutor or city prosecutor, as the case 
may be. 
SEC. 15. Continuation of Functions of Prosecutors. - Upon approval 
of this Act, the prosecuting officers, including the prosecuting attorneys, in the 
present prosecution staff shall continue to discharge the functions under this 
Act, and the position title Chief State Prosecutor and Assistant Chief State 
Prosecutors are respectively renamed Prosecutor General and Deputy 
Prosecutors General. 
All prosecutors who have the rank of Prosecutor I11 and Prosecutor I1 in 
the existing prosecution staff shall. be called associate state prosecutors and 
senior assistant state prosecutors, respectively, under this Act. 
The provincial or city prosecution office established in each of the 
provinces and cities pursuant law is retained and renamed Office of Provincial 
Prosecutor or Office of the City Prosecutor, as the case may be. 
All provincial prosecutors and city prosecutors and their assistants shall 
continue to discharge their functions under this Act. 
All assistant prosecutors who have the rank of Prosecutor 111, Prosecutor 
I1 and Prosecutor I in each of the existing provincial and city prosecution offices 
shall be known by the designation provided in SECTION 
13 hereof. 
All regional state prosecution offices are hereby abolished, and all 
regional state prosecutors shall be transferred to the Prosecution Staff in the 
Office of the Prosecutor General and shall be known as senior associate state 
prosecutors. 
All assistant regional state prosecutors shall be transferred to the Office 
of the Provincial Prosecutor or Office of the City Prosecutor within the region as 
the number of court branches may require. Upon their transfer, they shall be 
known by the designations provided under SECTION 
13 hereof according to their 
rank. 
SEC. 16. No Undermining of Security of Tenure. - Nothing in this Act 
shall be construed to allow'the transfer, except as provided herein or in cases of 
temporary assignment, of any prosecutor to any place or station without his or 
12 


her written consent, or to undermine the security of tenure of incumbent 
prosecutors as provided in the laws. 
SEC. 17. Transitory Provisions. - Upon the approval of this Act, the 
President shall issue the necessary letter of implementation specifying the 
details carrying out the constitution of the national prosecution service into an 
autonomous Office of Prosecutor General. 
The pertinent functions, applicable appropriations, records, equipment, 
property, and such clerical and subordinate personnel as may be necessary 
shall remain or be transferred to the appropriate staff or offices. 
SEC. 18. Appropriation. - There is hereby appropriated initially the 
sum of Fifty Million Pesos (P50,000,000.00) from the funds of the National 
Treasury not otherwise appropriated for the organization and operational 
expenses of the Office of the Prosecutor General for a period of one (1) year from 
the effectivity of this Act. Thereafter, the said amount shall be included in the 
annual appropriation act. 
SEC. 19. Repeal. - All acts, laws, decrees, executive orders, letters of 
instructions and regulations or any part thereof which are inconsistent with 
any provision of this Act are hereby repealed and/or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 20. Separability Clause. - ~f for any reason, any section or 
provision of this Act is declared to be unconstitutional or invalid, the other 
sections or provisions of this Act which are not effected thereby shall continue 
in full force and effect. 
SEC. 21. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
following its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation or 
in the Official Gazette. 
Approved, 
13