Solicitor General of the Philippines

Office of the Solicitor General

Tanggapan ng Taga-usig Panlahat
Department overview
Formed	June 6, 1901
Jurisdiction	Government of the Philippines
Headquarters	OSG Building, 134 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati, Philippines
Motto	Integrity in Advocacy. Social Justice through Advocacy.
Annual budget	₱1.37 billion (2023)[1]
Department executive	Menardo Guevarra, Solicitor General
Parent Department	Department of Justice
Website	www.osg.gov.ph

The Office of the Solicitor General of the Philippines (Filipino: Tanggapan ng Taga-usig Panlahat), formerly known as the Bureau of Justice, is an independent and autonomous office attached to the Department of Justice. The OSG is headed by Menardo Guevarra.

The Office of the Solicitor General is the "law firm" of the Republic of the Philippines. The Solicitor General is the principal law officer and legal defender of the Republic of the Philippines. He shall have the authority and responsibility for the exercise of the Office's mandate and for the discharge of its duties and functions, and shall have supervision and control over the Office and its constituent units.^[2] He also determines the legal position that the government will take in the courts and argues in virtually every case in which the government is a party. It is tasked to represent the people of the Philippines, the Philippine government, its agencies, instrumentalities, officials, and agents in any litigation, proceeding, or investigation before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals.^[3] When authorized by the President, he shall also represent government owned or controlled corporations.

History

Attorney General and Solicitor General

Act No. 136 dated June 11, 1901, which became effective on June 6, 1901, created the position now occupied by the Solicitor General. Under Section 40 of this Act, the Attorney General, as head of the Bureau of Justice, was vested with the powers and functions of today's Secretary of Justice. At the time, the Solicitor General was second only to the Attorney General in the office the former would eventually head. Appropriately, Section 41 of the Act required an "officer learned in the law" to assist the Attorney General. This law specifically provided that "it should be the special duty of the Solicitor General to conduct and argue suits and appeals in the Supreme Court, in which the Philippine Government is interested."

Meanwhile, a few months after the Bureau of Justice was created, Act No. 222 was passed, establishing the Department of Finance and Justice. The Bureau of Justice was placed under the supervision of a new department. Act No. 2666 would later divide the department into a Department of Justice and a Department of Finance. Under this law, the Attorney General and Solicitor General continued to represent the Government in the Supreme Court and lower courts.

Secretary of Justice

Act No. 4007 which was enacted in 1932 abolished the position of Attorney General. His functions were taken over by the Secretary of Justice. The Act also named the Solicitor General as the head of the Bureau of Justice. The Assistant Solicitor General, a position created by Act No. 683 of 1903, became second in command of the Bureau.

As a result of the rapidly burgeoning number of cases involving the Government, the Solicitor General after independence was constrained to concentrate on advocacy and court appearances. The functions which the Bureau of Justice used to have were gradually transferred to newly created offices and divisions of the Department of Justice.

Solicitor General

Executive Order No. 94 of 1947 renamed the Bureau of Justice as the Office of the Solicitor General. Subsequently, the legislature passed R. A. No. 335 in 1948 to confirm this change and to provide for a First Assistant Solicitor General who would be the second highest official in the Office.

A succession of laws relieved the Office of the Solicitor General of some of its burdens. Section 1660 of the old Administrative Code previously provided that the head of the Bureau of Justice "shall have general supervision and control over provincial and city fiscals (now prosecutors) and attorneys and over other prosecuting officer throughout the Philippines." The Office of Special Prosecutors, which the Solicitor General formerly headed, was later converted into a Division of Special Attorneys by R.A. No. 311 of 1948. The Office of the Government Corporate Counsel, which was headed by the Solicitor General under Executive Order No. 392 of 1950, became a separate office in the Department of Justice by virtue of R.A. No. 2327.

From a motley staff of one Solicitor General, an Assistant Solicitor General and a handful of assistant attorneys in the 1900s, the Office of the Solicitor General has grown throughout the years. In accordance with E.O No. 292, the Administrative Code of 1987, the Solicitor General was assisted by fifteen Assistant Solicitors General and more than a hundred Solicitors and Associate Solicitors, who are divided into fifteen divisions. In 2006, with the passing of Republic Act 9417 or the OSG Law, the Office has expanded to thirty (30) legal divisions with a corresponding increase in the general and administrative support personnel and provision for ample office space. Each lawyer at the OSG handles an average of 800 cases at any given time. Aside from the paper chase involved in appealed cases and original petitions before the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals, a Solicitor General or Associate Solicitor has to match wits with the best lawyers of the country in countless trials."^[4]

Powers and functions

The Office of the Solicitor General has the following specific powers and functions:

1. Represent the Government in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals in all criminal proceedings; represent the Government and its officers in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, and all other courts or tribunals in all civil actions and special proceedings in which the Government or any officer thereof in his official capacity is a party.
2. Investigate, initiate court action, or in any manner proceed against any person, corporation or firm for the enforcement of any contract, bond, guarantee, mortgage, pledge or other collateral executed in favor of the Government. Where proceedings are to be conducted outside of the Philippines the Solicitor General may employ counsel to assist in the discharge of the aforementioned responsibilities.
3. Appear in any court in any action involving the validity of any treaty, law, executive order or proclamation, rule or regulation when in his judgment his intervention is necessary or when requested by the Court.
4. Appear in all proceedings involving the acquisition or loss of Philippine citizenship.
5. Represent the Government in all land registration and related proceedings. Institute actions for the reversion to the Government of lands of the public domain and improvements thereon as well as lands held in violation of the Constitution.
6. Prepare, upon request of the President or other proper officer of the National Government, rules and guidelines for government entities governing the preparation of contracts, making of investments, undertaking of transactions, and drafting of forms or other writings needed for official use, with the end in view of facilitating their enforcement and insuring that they are entered into or prepared conformably with law and for the best interests of the public.
7. Deputize, whenever in the opinion of the Solicitor General the public interest requires, any provincial or city fiscal to assist him in the performance of any function or discharge of any duty incumbent upon him, within the jurisdiction of the aforesaid provincial or city fiscal. When so deputized, the fiscal shall be under the control and supervision of the Solicitor General with regard to the conduct of the proceedings assigned to the fiscal, and he may be required to render reports or furnish information regarding the assignment.
8. Deputize legal officers of government departments, bureaus, agencies and offices to assist the Solicitor General and appear or represent the Government in cases involving their respective offices, brought before the courts, and exercise supervision and control over such legal officers with respect to such cases.
9. Call on any department, bureau, office, agency or instrumentality of the Government for such service, assistance and cooperation as may be necessary in fulfilling its functions and responsibilities and for this purpose enlist the services of any government official or employee in the pursuit of his tasks. Departments, bureaus, agencies, offices, instrumentalities and corporations to whom the Office of the Solicitor General renders legal services are authorized to disburse funds from their sundry operating and other funds for the latter Office. For this purpose, the Solicitor General and his staff are specifically authorized to receive allowances as may be provided by the Government offices, instrumentalities and corporations concerned, in addition to their regular compensation.
10. Represent, upon the instructions of the President, the Republic of the Philippines in international litigations, negotiations or conferences where the legal position of the Republic must be defended or presented.
11. Act and represent the Republic and/or the people before any court, tribunal, body or commission in any matter, action or proceeding which, in his opinion, affects the welfare of the people as the ends of justice may require; and
12. Perform such other functions as may be provided by law.^[5]

Organizational structure

Under Republic Act No. 9417, there shall be at least thirty (30) legal divisions in the Office of the Solicitor General. Each division, permanently headed by an Assistant Solicitor General, shall consist of ten (10) lawyers and such other personnel as may be necessary for the office to effectively carry out its functions. Lawyers in the OSG hold the following ranks: Senior State Solicitor, State Solicitor II, State Solicitor I, Associate Solicitor III, Associate Solicitor II, and Associate Solicitor I.^[6][7] The law likewise dictates that the Solicitor General shall have a cabinet rank and the same qualifications for appointment, rank, prerogatives, salaries, allowances, benefits and privileges as the Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeals; an Assistant Solicitor General, those of an Associate Justice of the Court of Appeals.

The qualifications for appointment, rank, prerogatives, salaries, and privileges of Solicitors shall be the same as judges, specified as follows:

• Senior State Solicitor – Regional Trial Court Judge
• State Solicitor II – Metropolitan Trial Court Judge
• State Solicitor I – Municipal Trial Court in Cities Judge

List of attorneys general

Name	Position	Term of office
Lebbeus R. Wilfley	Attorney General	June 15, 1901 – July 16, 1906
Gregorio Araneta Soriano	Attorney General	July 17, 1906 – July 1, 1908
Ignacio Villamor Borbón	Attorney General	July 1, 1908 – June 30, 1914
Ramon Avanceña	Attorney General	July 1, 1914 – March 1, 1917
Quintin B. Paredes	Attorney General	July 1, 1918 – June 30, 1920
Felecisimo R. Feria	Attorney General	July 1, 1920 – December 31, 1920
Pedro T. Tuazon	Attorney General	January 1, 1921 – June 30, 1921
Antonio O. Villareal	Attorney General	July 1, 1921 – November 12, 1925
Alex A. Reyes	Attorney General	November 12, 1925 – June 30, 1927
Delfin J. Jaranilla	Attorney General	July 1, 1927 – June 30, 1932

List of solicitors general

Name	Position	Term of office	President
Gregorio Araneta Soriano	Solicitor General	June 15, 1901 – July 16, 1906	N/A
Ignacio Villamor Borbón		July 17, 1906 – July 1, 1908
George R. Harvey		July 1, 1908 – June 30, 1914
Rafael Corpus		July 1, 1914 – December 31, 1916
Quintin B. Paredes		March 1, 1917 – June 30, 1918
César Fernando Bengzon Cabrera		July 1, 1932 – June 30, 1934
Serafin P. Hilado		July 1, 1934 – June 30, 1936
Pedro T. Tuason		July 1, 1936 – August 17, 1938	Manuel L. Quezon
Roman Ozaeta		August 17, 1938 – June 30, 1940
Lorenzo Tañada y Martínez		July 1, 1940 – June 30, 1941
Sixto dela Costa		July 1, 1941 – June 30, 1945	José P. Laurel
Lorenzo Tañada y Martínez		July 1, 1945 – December 30, 1947	Sergio Osmeña Manuel Roxas
Manuel Lim		December 30, 1947 – June 30, 1948	Manuel Roxas Elpidio Quirino
Felix Angelo Bautista		July 1, 1948 – October 20, 1950
Pompeyo Diaz		October 20, 1950 – November 10, 1952	Elpidio Quirino Ramon Magsaysay
Juan R. Liwag		November 10, 1952 – February 9, 1954
Querube C. Makalintal		February 9, 1954 – August 31, 1954	Ramon Magsaysay
Ambrosio B. Padilla		September 1, 1954 – December 30, 1957
Guillermo E. Torres	Acting Solicitor General	December 30, 1957 – June 30, 1958	Carlos P. Garcia
Edilberto Barot	Solicitor General	July 1, 1958 – June 30, 1961
Arturo A. Alafriz		July 1, 1961 – January 24, 1966	Diosdado Macapagal
Antonio P. Barredo		January 24, 1966 – June 30, 1968	Ferdinand Marcos
Felix V. Makasiar		July 1, 1968 – February 8, 1970
Felix Q. Antonio		February 9, 1970 -June 30, 1972
Estelito P. Mendoza		July 1, 1972 – February 25, 1986
Sedfrey A. Ordoñez		February 25, 1986 – March 4, 1987	Corazon Aquino
Frank C. Chavez		March 5, 1987 – February 5, 1992
Ramon S. Desuasido		February 6, 1992 – July 5, 1992
Eduardo G. Montenegro	Acting Solicitor General	July 6, 1992 – August 10, 1992	Fidel V. Ramos
Raul I. Goco	Solicitor General	August 11, 1992 – September 22, 1996
Silvestre H. Bello III		September 23, 1996 – February 3, 1998
Romeo C. de la Cruz	Acting Solicitor General	February 4, 1998 – June 8, 1998
Silvestre H. Bello III	Solicitor General	June 9, 1998 – June 30, 1998
Ricardo P. Galvez		July 1, 1998 – February 15, 2001	Joseph Ejercito Estrada
Simeon V. Marcelo		February 16, 2001 – May 13, 2002	Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Carlos N. Ortega	Acting Solicitor General	May 13, 2002 – November 10, 2002
Alfredo L. Benipayo	Solicitor General	November 10, 2002 – March 31, 2006
Antonio Eduardo B. Nachura		April 3, 2006 – February 11, 2007
Agnes VST Devanadera		March 2, 2007 – January 15, 2010
Alberto C. Agra	Acting Solicitor General	January 16, 2010 – June 30, 2010
Jose Anselmo I. Cadiz	Solicitor General	July 1, 2010 – February 3, 2012	Benigno S. Aquino III
Francis H. Jardeleza		February 6, 2012 – August 19, 2014
Florin T. Hilbay	Acting Solicitor General	August 20, 2014 – June 18, 2015
	Solicitor General	June 19, 2015 – June 30, 2016
Jose Calida[8]		June 30, 2016 – June 30, 2022	Rodrigo Duterte
Menardo Guevarra		June 30, 2022 – present	Bongbong Marcos

See also

• National Telecommunications Commission (NTC)
• Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB)
• House of Representatives of the Philippines (HORP)
• Philippine House Committee on Legislative Franchises (PHCLF)
• ABS-CBN franchise renewal controversy (ABS-CBN's Franchise Expired)

References

1. "H. OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL" (PDF). www.dbm.gov.ph.
2. Section 34, Book IV, Title III, Chapter 12, of the 1987 Administrative Code
3. "Office of the Solicitor General". www.osg.gov.ph.
4. "Office of the Solicitor General". www.osg.gov.ph.
5. "Office Mandates and Functions". Office of the Solicitor General Republic of the Philippines. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
6. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 9417
7. [1]^{[permanent dead link‍]}
8. "READ: Statement of Solicitor-General Jose Calida on the denial of the renewal of ABS-CBN's franchise". ABS-CBN News. July 11, 2020.

External links

• Office of the Solicitor General