JUSTICE Secretary Jesus Crispin Remulla has signed a circular detailing the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of Republic Act (RA) No. 11643, extending benefits to the dependents of retired and deceased prosecutors.
According to Republic Act 11643, the lawful spouse and dependent offspring of a retired National Prosecution Service member, now deceased, are entitled to receive the full spectrum of retirement benefits that the departed prosecutor would have received had they still been alive.
“In a profession characterized by stress due to heavy caseloads in challenging environments, not to mention the inherent hazards of the job, the law provides a measure of social protection for the surviving family members of public prosecutors who may find themselves bereft of their primary breadwinner,” Remulla said.
He stressed that the IRR will “breathe life into the spirit of the law, ensuring the state’s enduring support for public prosecutors who dedicated the prime years of their lives to serving the government and the public, even beyond their demise,” according to abogado.ph
Since the law’s enactment on February 8, 2021, Remulla noted that the Department has been swamped with inquiries and claims from the families of deceased prosecutors.
In response, he called for prosecutors to fulfill their duty to every Filipino by upholding the law with integrity, fairness, and expediency, ensuring due process, safeguarding human dignity, and championing human rights.
Remulla clarified that the IRR “lays out and simplifies the process for the surviving spouse or dependent children of a deceased prosecutor to access and enjoy the benefits rightfully due to their beloved spouse or parent.
