Section 5Sec./Art. 5

The Prosecution Staff and its Functions. - There shall be in the Office of the Secretary of Justice a prosecution staff that shall be composed of prosecuting officers in such number as herein below determined. It shall be headed by a Prosecutor General who shall be assisted by the following:

(a) Five (5) Senior Deputy State Prosecutors;

(b) Five (5) Deputy State Prosecutors;

(c) Thirty five (35) Senior Assistant State prosecutors;

(d) Eighty (80) Assistant State Prosecutors; and

(e) Twenty (20) Prosecution Attorneys.

The Prosecution Staff, which shall be under the control and supervision of the Secretary of Justice, shall have the following functions:

(1) Assist the secretary of Justice in the exercise of his/her appelate jurisdiction;

(2) Conduct the preliminary investigation and 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 Secretary of Justice as public interest may require;

(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) Prepare 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 Prosecutor General and Senior Deputy State Prosecutors shall act as a Selection and Promotion Board to screen for appointment or promotion to any prosecutorial position in the Office of the Prosecutor General. The regional prosecutor, provincial prosecutor or city prosecutor shall sit as a member of the Board whenever it considers applicants for positions in his/her office. The Prosecutor General shall be the chairperson of the Board.