New prosecutor general named

MANILA, Philippines — President Duterte has appointed fellow Bedan graduate Benedicto Malcontento as the new prosecutor general of the National Prosecution Service (NPS), Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said yesterday.

Guevarra confirmed that Malcontento, a partner at the Jovellanos-Kho Malcontento Law Offices, was appointed by the President and would replace Victor Sepulvida, “who has long retired… Malcontento will take his oath before me on July 2.”

He does not know why the President has chosen an outsider to lead the NPS but said “the President probably knows him from way back.”

Both Duterte and Malcontento graduated from the San Beda College of Law. 

Despite being an outsider, Guevarra said, “Malcontento is a lawyer with exposure in criminal litigation. He will jive with the NPS in time.”

For a year, Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Anthony Fadullon had been acting as the officer-in-charge of the NPS.

With the appointment of a new prosecutor general, the Department of Justice chief said Fadullon will return to “his original position as senior deputy state prosecutor.”