President Rodrigo Duterte has ordered newly appointed Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra to bring back the "dignified image" of the department.

Guevarra replaced Vitaliano Aguirre II who was apparently given a graceful exit by Duterte by announcing that he resigned from his post.

"The president told me to bring back the DOJ's dignified image," Guevarra told reporters in a text message.

While he took his oath of office on Thursday, Guevarra said he would wind up first his work at the Office of the President for a few more days before starting to his new job.

Prior to his appointment as justice chief, Guevarra was senior deputy executive secretary.

Before Duterte announced on Thursday that he accepted Aguirre's resignation, there were reports he was on the way out.

This was after the dismissal of the complaints by the state prosecutors, who were under the DOJ, against two suspected drug lords for lack of evidence. Celerina Monte/DMS