DOJ orders closure of prosecution offices nationwide

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has ordered the closure of all prosecution offices nationwide starting Monday, March 23, in response to the rising COVID-19 cases and the Supreme Court's prior order to physically shut down all courts.

The directive mandates that all prosecution offices remain physically closed for the duration of the public health emergency, with personnel instructed to stay in their residences.

Prosecutors and support staff will only report to their offices for extremely urgent matters, and inquest prosecutors will be on-call at all times.

No travel or leave applications will be approved during this period to ensure operational readiness for essential tasks.

Prosecution offices are required to coordinate with law enforcement units to provide contact details of designated personnel for inquest and urgent court duties.

Guevarra stated that they would leave it to the prosecution offices to devise their own creative ways to report for work when called in for urgent matters.