Agra ready to relinquish post any time

MANILA, Philippines - Justice Secretary Alberto Agra said yesterday he is ready to relinquish his post and expressed hope that his successor would pursue the programs of the department that he started.

“I am ready anytime,” he told reporters when asked when he would turn over his office.

In a transition report he submitted to the Palace, Agra cited ongoing projects like the “zero backlog” program for the speedy resolution of cases on appeal with the Department of Justice (DOJ), the Anti-Trafficking in Persons program through the Inter-Agency Council Against Trafficking, the Child Protection Program through the Interagency Special Committee for the Protection of Children, implementation of the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act through the interagency Juvenile Justice and Welfare Council, and coordination and monitoring of investigation and prosecution of extralegal killings through the interagency Task Force 211.

Agra submitted the report to Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo, who is cluster coordinator for the Presidential Transition Cooperation Team, and to Secretary Elena Bautista of the Presidential Management Staff, pursuant to Presidential Administrative Order 285 on the submission of agency reports for the benefit of the transition team.

Agra urged the next DOJ chief to continue the current projects on the monitoring, investigation and prosecution of terrorism cases as part of the interagency Anti-Terrorism Council, Organizational Development Program for the National Prosecution Service; pilot implementation of the Prosecution Case Management System, Justice System Infrastructure Program, and the Victims Compensation Program.

Under its witness protection services, the DOJ is also continuing proactive efforts to seek out and secure witnesses for cases involving terrorism, rebellion, human trafficking, extralegal killings, and murders of political personalities along with members of the judiciary, the transition report said.

At the Office of the Solicitor General, where Agra is concurrent chief, the transition report said that the ongoing projects include the implementation of the OSG Reform Law; computerization of case management and administrative systems; and legal assistance for special government or state concerns.

At the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC), which Agra also used to head, the ongoing projects include the advocacy program on the Alternative Dispute Resolution among government-owned and controlled corporations, and the establishment of Information Technology and quality management systems.

Agra stressed that budgetary constraints and manpower problems at the DOJ continue to be a major concern.

The DOJ traced the manpower problem to the lack of interested lawyers applying at the DOJ, especially in the provinces, because of the high qualification standards, relatively low compensation and geographic conditions, inadequate plantilla positions for key service units, and the hiring moratorium under the government rationalization program.

It likewise cited the urgent need for the DOJ to rationalize and improve systems and procedures, develop extensive capacity development program efforts, institutionalize resource, performance and quality management systems, and focus on intensive information and communications technology development for improved management and services.

In the same report, Agra also suggested that the DOJ, under the next administration, should formulate an integrated 2010-2016 strategic plan in line with the crafting of the Medium-Term Philippine Development Plan.

The DOJ transition report also proposed that the department pursue and sustain institutional development efforts towards improved services, strengthen oversight and cooperation within the DOJ and with its partner institutions, and develop a unified legislative agenda.

The DOJ is now a line department that oversees nine agencies, namely the OSG, OGCC, Public Attorney’s Office, National Bureau of Investigation, Board of Pardons and Parole, Bureau of Corrections, Bureau of Immigration, Commission on the Settlement of Land Problems, and the Parole and Probation Administration. – With Sandy Araneta