DoJ did not OK SolGen’s recusal

THE Justice secretary on Wednesday said the Solicitor-General (SolGen) did not have his permission to withdraw from representing the government in a consolidated lawsuit involving former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Justice Chief Jesus Crispin C. Remulla said without his permission, Solicitor-General Menardo I. Guevarra on Monday recused from representing the government in a consolidated lawsuit filed by Mr. Duterte’s children—Sebastian, Paolo, and Veronica—regarding their father’s arrest on March 11.

“His (Guevarra) refusal was not on my clearance. He does not clear things with me, but of course, I consider it a personal reason, and if he did not want to use the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG), that’s his own reason,” Mr. Remulla said in a news briefing.

The OSG is an attached agency of the Department of Justice (DoJ).

On Monday, he recused himself from representing the government, saying his office stands firm in its position that the International Criminal Court (ICC) has no jurisdiction in the country after it withdrew in 2018. Mr. Guevarra was Mr. Duterte’s Justice Secretary from 2018 to 2022. 

The OSG is tasked with representing the government in lawsuits, but with its recusal, the DoJ will now take its place in the lawsuit questioning Mr. Duterte’s arrest filed before the Supreme Court.

“We have to put our best legal minds to work, but the DoJ will be more than sufficient to defend the position of the Republic in this matter. I think that it’s time to assert our identity as the lawyer of the people in this case,” Mr. Remulla added, noting the DoJ will “pick up the slack.” — Chloe Mari A. Hufana