MANILA, Oct. 12 (PNA) — Outgoing Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila M. De Lima on Monday urged the DOJ’s officials and employees “to maintain and uphold all the time the integrity and the credibility of this institution.”
In her speech during Monday’s flag-raising rites, De Lima said that while Presidents and Secretaries of Justice come and go, the institution remains.
Thus, she implored DOJ workers to maintain its “integrity and credibility whoever is the sitting President, whoever is the sitting Secretary of Justice.”
De Lima admitted that she faced many challenges while serving as DOJ Chief and that “it really takes a superman or a superwoman to lead a very premiere and important and crucial institution as the DOJ.”
She said that people may cast their judgment on how she fared as a DOJ Secretary, but “no one can ever accuse me of lacking in zeal, lacking in dedication, lacking in enthusiasm, and lacking in wholehearted work na siguraduhin na ang aking trabaho po dito sa Department of Justice ay makabuluhan and very meaningful sa karamihan ng tao.”
She added that she will never forget the DOJ as she promised to file bills that will strengthen the institution and improve its credibility and integrity “kung palarin man ho tayo dito sa next journey ko.”
De Lima was included in the Liberal Party (LP) senatorial lineup announced Monday morning at the LP Headquarters at the Balay, Cubao, Quezon City.
Under the law, an appointive official is deemed resigned from office once he files his certificate of candidacy (COC).
The Commission on Elections (Comelec) has set the filing of COCs for those running in the 2016 elections on Oct. 12-16, 2015. (PNA)