The Department of Justice has appointed lawyer Raphael Niccolo Martinez as its new spokesperson.

Martinez currently serves under the Office of the Secretary of Justice Prosecution Staff and the Office of the Prosecutor General. He will be responsible for communicating the department’s official statements and policy positions to the public and the media.

A graduate of the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law, Martinez earned his Juris Doctor degree under the Corporate and Business Law Track and was an exemplary passer in the 2020/2021 Bar examinations.

Before joining the DOJ, he worked as an associate at Platon Martinez Flores San Pedro Leaño Law Offices, handling criminal, civil, labor, and administrative cases, as well as arbitration disputes before the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission and the Philippine Dispute Resolution Center Inc.

He also served as an intern at the Office of Senator Grace Poe in 2014, conducting legislative research and assisting in committee work.

A seasoned debater and moot court competitor, Martinez led the Ateneo team in international arbitration and trade law competitions, including the Willem C. Vis International Commercial Arbitration Moot in Hong Kong and the WTO Moot Court Competition in Geneva, Switzerland.

Martinez succeeds Assistant Secretary Mico Clavano as the DOJ’s primary liaison to the media.