MANILA, Philippines – President Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Bedan private lawyer Benedicto Malcontento as the new prosecutor general, or head of all Department of Justice (DOJ) prosecutors.

“Atty Malcontento will replace Prosecutor General Sepulveda who has long retired,” Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said, referring to Victor Sepulveda who Duterte appointed to the National Prosecution Service (NPS) in 2016.

Malcontento is also an alumnus of the influential San Beda Law network, and a member of Duterte’s fraternity Lex Talionis. Malcontento campaigned for Duterte with the rest of their fraternity brothers in the 2016 presidential elections.

For over a year, Senior Deputy State Prosecutor Richard Fadullon served as acting prosecutor general. 

Fadullon was DOJ’s lead counsel when the justice department tried earnestly to jail opposition senator Antonio Trillanes IV.

As prosecutor general, Fadullon also gave the final approval in the high-profile indictments of the DOJ since his assignment in June 2018, including cyberlibel and tax cases against Rappler, and the inciting to sedition charge against Bikoy video sharer Rodel Jayme.

“OIC Fadullon will return to his original position as senior deputy state prosecutor,” said Guevarra.

Asked why Duterte picked Malcontento, Guevarra said: “The President probably knows him from way back.”

Malcontento will take his oath before Guevarra on Tuesday, July 2.

“Atty Malcontento is a lawyer with exposure in criminal litigation. He will jive with the NPS in time,” said Guevarra. – Rappler.com