The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill seeking to strengthen government’s prosecution arm by significantly increasing salaries and benefits of its members and thereby attract the “best and brightest” in the legal profession.

At least 100 city prosecutors from various cities led by Chief Prosecutors Claro Arellano and Ed Valbuena applauded lawmakers at the House plenary hall when House Bill 7112 passed on a unanimous vote.

Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, chairman of the House Committee on Justice, said House Bill 7112, otherwise known as the Prosecution Service Act of 2009, will create the National Prosecution Service that will be primarily responsible for the preliminary investigation and prosecution of all criminal cases.

Defensor said that under HB 7112 members of the prosecution service of the Department of Justice will receive the same salary level as justices of the Court of Appeals and judges of lower courts.

“Increase in salaries and benefits are added guarantees that will strengthen the prosecutorial capability of the justice department. The best and brightest lawyers will be attracted to the proposed pay structure,” said Defensor.

Aside from Defensor, principal authors of the bill include Reps. Rufus Rodriguez (PMP, Cagayan de Oro City); Nanette Castelo-Daza (Lakas-Kampi-CMD); Del De Guzman (Lakas-Kampi-CMD, Marikina City); Lani Cayetano (Lakas-Kampi-CMD, Taguig-Pateros); Vincent Crisologo (NP, Quezon City) and Speaker Prospero Nograles.

The bill creates the position of a prosecutor general who will be directly under the control and supervision of the justice secretary.

With a complement of over 100 assistant state and prosecution attorneys, the office of the prosecutor general will lead the preliminary investigation and prosecution of criminal cases involving national security; administrative cases against prosecutors and provide legal opinions on violations of the Revised Penal Code and special laws.

The prosecutor general and senior deputy state prosecutors will compose the selection and promotion board that will screen applicants for appointment or promotion of prosecutors.

The head prosecutor will enjoy the same salary, prerogatives retirement and other benefits received by the presiding justice of the Court of Appeals and will be appointed by the president.

The regional prosecution office will prosecute cases arising within a region and exercise administrative supervision over all provincial and city prosecutors, among other functions.

Under the qualification structure, the position of Prosecutor V will be those holding the designation of senior deputy state prosecutors, regional prosecutor, provincial or city prosecutor.

They will receive the same salaries and other benefits as those enjoyed by an associate justice of the appellate court.