VIENNA, AUSTRIA, 22 MAY 2023 – Secretary of Justice Jesus Crispin C. Remulla heads the Philippine Delegation for the 32nd Session of the UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice (CCJPC32) which is being held from May 22-26, 2023.
In his country statement, the DOJ Chief underscored various reform initiatives of relevant Philippine government agencies in strive for better administration of justice in the country, highlighting that “[f]or the past year, our criminal justice institutions had been the subject of a transformative reform agenda to deliver real justice in real time.”
Towards said objective, SOJ Remulla conveyed that key efforts include cooperation and coordination between prosecutors and law enforcers in investigation of crimes and case build up to ensure reasonable certainty of conviction when indicting suspects in court. He also mentioned the monthly release of PDLs and the regionalization of prison system to address prison overpopulation and PDL reintegration. He also imparted the continuous adoption of multi-sectoral approaches, especially in data sharing and conduct of capacity building activities such as on terrorism and trafficking of persons.
Further, with the integration of human rights-based approaches in the whole-of-government, SOJ Remulla emphasized a shift in the current anti-drug strategy. “Under the Marcos administration, the fight against illegal drugs now prioritizes law enforcement only against top-tier drug personalities, and treats the drug issue as a health concern with respect to drug users and dependents. The focus shall now be poverty-eradication, rehabilitation, education and assistance to victims and their families,” he said.
As final remarks, SOJ Remulla reaffirmed the Philippine Government’s thrust and commitment to enhance criminal justice system and crime prevention strategies in order to bring peace and harmony in the country and across borders.
The CCPCJ is a functional commission of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in the field of crime prevention and criminal justice. Various side events and exhibitions are organized by Member States, UN entities, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations during such regular session. On behalf of the Philippine Government, the DOJ, as led by Secretary Remulla with the other DOJ officials, is set to co-sponsor other side events at the CCPCJ32 and shall undertake a series of pre-arranged bilateral meetings with several international European Organizations.
