Administrative Code of 1987

Section 1

It is the declared policy of the State to provide the government with a principal law agency which shall be both its legal counsel and prosecution arm; administer the criminal justice system in accordance with the accepted processes thereof consisting in the investigation of the crimes, prosecution of offenders and administration of the correctional system; implement the laws on the admission and stay of aliens, citizenship, land titling system, and settlement of land problems involving small landowners and members of indigenous cultural minorities; and provide free legal services to indigent members of the society.

Section 2

The Department shall carry out the policy declared in the preceding section.

Section 3

To accomplish its mandate, the Department shall have the following powers and functions: (1) Act as principal law agency of the government and as legal counsel and representative thereof, whenever so required; (2) Investigate the commission of crimes, prosecute offenders and administer the probation and correction system; (3) Extend free legal assistance/representation to indigents and poor litigants in criminal cases and non-commercial civil disputes; (4) Preserve the integrity of land titles through proper registration; (5) Investigate and arbitrate untitled land disputes involving small landowners and members of indigenous cultural communities; (6) Provide immigration and naturalization regulatory services and implement the laws governing citizenship and the admission and stay of aliens; (7) Provide legal services to the national government and its functionaries, including government-owned or controlled corporations and their subsidiaries; and (8) Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.

Section 4

The Department shall consist of the following constituent units: (1) Department Proper; (2) Office of the Government Corporate Counsel; (4) Public Attorney's Office (as an attached agency); (5) Board of Pardons and Parole; (6) Parole and Probation Administration; (7) Bureau of Corrections; (8) Land Registration Authority; (9) Bureau of Immigration; and (10) Commission on the Settlement of Land Problems. (as amended by Republic Act No. 9406, [March 23, 2007])