Secretary of Justice (Philippines)
| Secretary of Justice | |
|---|---|
| Kalihim ng Katarungan | |
Official seal of the Department of Justice | |
since October 10, 2025 | |
| Style | The Honorable |
| Member of | Cabinet, Judicial and Bar Council, National Security Council |
| Appointer | The president with the consent of the Commission on Appointments |
| Term length | No fixed term |
| Inaugural holder | Severino de las Alas |
| Formation | April 17, 1851 |
| Website | www |
The secretary of justice (Filipino: kalihim ng katarungan) is the head of the Department of Justice and is a member of the president's Cabinet.[1]
The position is currently held by its Acting Secretary Usec. Fredderick A. Vida since October 10, 2025 following Jesus Crispin Remulla's appointment as Ombudsman.
List of secretaries of justice
Director of Justice (1897)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Severino de las Alas | April 24, 1897 |
November 1, 1897 |
Emilio Aguinaldo |
Secretary of Justice (1898–1899)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gregorio S. Araneta (1869–1930) |
September 2, 1898 |
May 7, 1899 |
Emilio Aguinaldo |
Attorney General (1899–1901)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Military Governor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Florentino Torres (1869–1930) |
May 29, 1899 |
June 4, 1901 |
Elwell Stephen Otis | |
| Arthur MacArthur Jr. |
Secretary of Finance and Justice (1901–1917)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Governor-General |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Clay Ide (1844–1921) [2] |
September 1, 1901 |
June 30, 1908 |
William Howard Taft | |
| Luke Edward Wright | ||||
| Henry Clay Ide | ||||
| James Francis Smith | ||||
| Gregorio S. Araneta (1869–1930) [3] |
July 1, 1908 |
October 30, 1913 | ||
| William Cameron Forbes | ||||
| Newton W. Gilbert | ||||
| Francis Burton Harrison | ||||
| Victorino Mapa (1855–1927) [4] |
October 30, 1913 |
January 1, 1917 |
Secretary of Justice (1917–1935)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Governor-General |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Victorino Mapa (1855–1927) |
January 1, 1917 |
June 30, 1920 |
Francis Burton Harrison | |
| Quintín Paredes (1884–1973) |
July 1, 1920 |
December 15, 1921 | ||
| Charles Yeater | ||||
| Leonard Wood | ||||
| José Abad Santos (1886–1942) |
April 26, 1922 |
July 17, 1923 | ||
| Luis Torres | July 18, 1923 |
August 31, 1928 | ||
| Eugene Allen Gilmore | ||||
| Henry L. Stimson | ||||
| José Abad Santos (1886–1942) |
September 1, 1928 |
June 18, 1932 | ||
| Eugene Allen Gilmore | ||||
| Dwight F. Davis | ||||
| George C. Butte | ||||
| Theodore Roosevelt Jr. | ||||
| Alejandro Reyes (1899–1972) |
June 19, 1932 |
December 31, 1932 | ||
| Quirico Abeto | January 1, 1933 |
July 5, 1934 | ||
| Frank Murphy | ||||
| José Yulo (1894–1976) |
July 6, 1934 |
November 15, 1935 |
Secretary of Justice (1935–1941)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| José Yulo (1894–1976) |
November 15, 1935 |
November 15, 1938 |
Manuel L. Quezon | |
| José Abad Santos (1886–1942) |
December 5, 1938 |
July 16, 1941 | ||
| Teófilo Sison (1850–1975) |
July 18, 1941 |
November 27, 1941 |
Commissioner of Justice (1942–1943)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | Chairman of the Philippine Executive Commission |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jose P. Laurel (1891–1959) [5] |
January 26, 1942 |
December 4, 1942 |
Jorge B. Vargas | |
| Teófilo Sison (1850–1975) |
December 4, 1942 |
October 14, 1943 |
Minister of Justice (1943–1945)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quintín Paredes (1884–1973) |
October 14, 1943 |
December 25, 1944 |
Jose P. Laurel |
Secretary of Justice, Labor and Welfare (1944–1945)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mariano Eraña | August 8, 1944 |
February 27, 1945 |
Sergio Osmeña |
Secretary of Justice (1945–1978)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delfín Jaranilla (1883–1980) |
February 27, 1945 |
December 31, 1945 |
Sergio Osmeña | |
| Ramon Quisumbing | January 2, 1946 |
May 28, 1946 | ||
| Roman Ozaeta (1891–1972) |
May 29, 1946 |
September 17, 1948 |
Manuel Roxas | |
| Elpidio Quirino | ||||
| Sabino Padilla | September 19, 1948 |
June 30, 1949 | ||
| Ricardo Nepomuceno | July 1, 1949 |
July 25, 1950 | ||
| Jose Bengzon | August 29, 1950 |
September 23, 1951 | ||
| Oscar Castelo (1903–1982) |
January 1, 1952 |
August 16, 1953 | ||
| Roberto Gianzon | August 17, 1953 |
December 30, 1953 | ||
| Pedro Tuason (1884–1961) |
January 4, 1954 |
March 19, 1958 |
Ramon Magsaysay | |
| Carlos P. Garcia | ||||
| Jesus Barrera (1896–1988) |
April 18, 1958 |
June 4, 1959 | ||
| Enrique Fernandez | June 11, 1959 |
July 13, 1959 | ||
| Alejo Mabanag (1886–unknown) |
July 14, 1959 |
December 30, 1961 | ||
| Jose W. Diokno (1922–1987) |
January 2, 1962 |
May 19, 1962 |
Diosdado Macapagal | |
| Juan Liwag (1906–1983) |
May 20, 1962 |
July 7, 1963 | ||
| Salvador Marino | July 9, 1963 |
December 30, 1965 | ||
| José Yulo (1894–1976) |
January 1, 1966 |
August 4, 1967 |
Ferdinand Marcos | |
| Claudio Teehankee (1918–1989) |
August 5, 1967 |
December 16, 1968 | ||
| Juan Ponce Enrile (1924–2025) |
December 17, 1968 |
February 7, 1970 | ||
| Felix Makasiar (1915–1992) |
February 8, 1970 |
August 1, 1970 | ||
| Vicente Abad Santos (1916–1993) |
August 2, 1970 |
June 2, 1978 |
Minister of Justice (1978–1987)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vicente Abad Santos (1916–1993) |
June 2, 1978 |
January 16, 1979 |
Ferdinand Marcos | |
| Catalino Macaraig Jr. (1927–2003) |
January 17, 1979 |
July 22, 1979 | ||
| Ricardo C. Puno (1923–2018) |
July 23, 1979 |
June 30, 1984 | ||
| Estelito Mendoza (1930–2025) |
June 30, 1984 |
February 25, 1986 | ||
| Neptali Gonzales (1923–2001) |
February 25, 1986 |
February 11, 1987 |
Corazon Aquino |
Secretary of Justice (from 1987)
| Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) |
Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neptali Gonzales (1923–2001) |
February 11, 1987 |
March 8, 1987 |
Corazon Aquino | |
| Sedfrey Ordoñez (1921–2007) |
March 9, 1987 |
January 2, 1990 | ||
| Franklin Drilon (born 1945) |
January 4, 1990 |
July 14, 1991 | ||
| Silvestre Bello III (born 1944) |
July 15, 1991 |
February 10, 1992 | ||
| Eduardo Montenegro Acting |
February 10, 1992 |
June 30, 1992 | ||
| Franklin Drilon (born 1945) |
July 1, 1992 |
February 2, 1995 |
Fidel V. Ramos | |
| Demetrio Demetria | February 3, 1995 |
May 19, 1995 | ||
| Teofisto Guingona Jr. (born 1928) |
May 20, 1995 |
January 31, 1998 | ||
| Silvestre Bello III (born 1944) Acting |
February 1, 1998 |
June 30, 1998 | ||
| Serafin R. Cuevas (1928–2014) |
July 1, 1998 |
February 15, 2000 |
Joseph Estrada | |
| Artemio Tuquero | February 16, 2000 |
January 23, 2001 | ||
| Gloria Macapagal Arroyo | ||||
| Hernando Perez (born 1939) |
January 24, 2001 |
November 26, 2002 | ||
| Merceditas Gutierrez (born 1948) |
November 27, 2002 |
January 15, 2003 | ||
| Simeon Datumanong (1935–2017) |
January 16, 2003 |
December 23, 2003 | ||
| Merceditas Gutierrez (born 1948) |
December 24, 2003 |
August 31, 2004 | ||
| Raul M. Gonzalez (1930–2014) |
September 1, 2004 |
September 2, 2007 | ||
| Agnes Devanadera (born 1950) Acting |
September 3, 2007 |
November 15, 2007 | ||
| Raul M. Gonzalez[a] (1930–2014) |
November 16, 2007 |
June 4, 2008 | ||
| June 4, 2008 |
January 11, 2010 | |||
| Agnes Devanadera (born 1950) Acting |
January 12, 2010 |
March 8, 2010 | ||
| Alberto Agra (born 1963) Acting |
March 10, 2010 |
June 30, 2010 | ||
| Leila de Lima (born 1959) |
June 30, 2010 |
October 12, 2015 |
Benigno Aquino III | |
| Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa (born 1959) Interim [6] |
October 12, 2015 |
January 21, 2016 | ||
| Emmanuel Caparas Interim [7] |
January 22, 2016 |
June 30, 2016 | ||
| Vitaliano Aguirre II (born 1946) |
June 30, 2016 |
April 5, 2018 |
Rodrigo Duterte | |
| Menardo Guevarra (born 1954) [8] |
April 5, 2018 |
June 30, 2022 | ||
| Jesus Crispin Remulla (born 1961) [9][10] |
June 30, 2022 |
October 9, 2025 |
Bongbong Marcos | |
| Fredderick Vida (Acting)[11] |
October 10, 2025 | Incumbent |
See also
Notes
- ^ Raul M. Gonzalez served in an acting capacity from November 16, 2007 until June 4, 2008.
References
- ^ "Vision, Mission, Quality Policy/Objectives, Mandate and Functions". doj.gov.ph. DOJ. Retrieved February 21, 2020.
- ^ Public Laws and Resolutions Passed by the United States Philippine Commission. Washington: Government Printing Office. 1901. p. 737.
- ^ Journal of the Philippine Commission Being the Second Session of the First Philippine Legislature. Manila: Bureau of Printing. 1910. pp. 137–138.
- ^ Journal of the Philippine Commission Being the Second Session, October 16, 1913, to February 3, 1914, and A Special Session, February 6, 1914, to February 28, 1914, of the Third Philippine Legislature. Manila: Bureau of Printing. 1914. p. 25.
- ^ "Jose P. Laurel A Register of His Papers in the Jose P. Laurel Memorial Library-Museum" (PDF). E-LIS repository. Jose P. Laurel Memorial Library. 1982. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ Gonzales, Yuji Vincent (October 13, 2015). "Aquino appoints legal counsel Alfredo Caguioa as ad interim DOJ chief". INQUIRER.net. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
- ^ "Aquino appoints legal counsel Alfredo Caguioa as ad interim DOJ chief". Sun.Star. January 22, 2016. Retrieved January 22, 2016.
- ^ "Duterte names Menardo Guevarra as justice secretary". Philippine Daily Inquirer. April 5, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
- ^ "Cavite's Boying Remulla is Marcos pick for justice secretary". Philippine Star. May 23, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ "Who's who: The Marcos Cabinet". Philippine Star. May 24, 2022. Retrieved May 27, 2022.
- ^ Laqui, Ian. "Vida named acting DOJ chief as Remulla takes Ombudsman post". Philstar.com.