The Public Attorney's Office (PAO) of the Philippines is the public defender for all courts in the Philippines. It also provides other legal services to the poor. According to its mission statement it exists to provide to the poor "free access to courts, judicial and quasi-judicial agencies, by rendering legal services, counselling(sic) and assistance..."[2]
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| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1972 as Citizen's Legal Assistance Office |
| Jurisdiction | Philippines |
| Employees | 2,096 lawyers (2018)[1] |
| Agency executive |
|
| Parent department | Department of Justice |
| Website | pao |
It is an attached agency of the Department of Justice (DOJ). It is led by the Chief Public Attorney Persida Acosta,[3] who was appointed to the position on February 23, 2001 by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.
History
editPAO was previously known as the Citizen's Legal Assistance Office (CLAO) which was created as a body under the Department of Justice (DOJ) in 1972 under the Integrated Reorganization Plan. It is mandated to provide free legal assistance to indigent people.[4][5]
In 2006, the CLAO was renamed as the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) through Republic Act 9406. The renamed body retained its mandate.[6]
Chief Public Attorneys
editThe PAO is headed by the Chief Public Attorney whose tenure is not defined by law.[1]
| Portrait | Secretary | Took office | Left office | President |
|---|---|---|---|---|
-Persida_Acosta.jpg)
|
Persida Acosta | February 23, 2001[3] | incumbent | Gloria Macapagal Arroyo |
| Benigno Aquino III | ||||
| Rodrigo Duterte | ||||
| Bongbong Marcos |
References
edit- ^ a b Buan, Lian (November 4, 2019). "In Numbers: Public Attorney's Office under Acosta". Rappler. Archived from the original on November 5, 2019. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ "Public Attorneys Office Vision and Mission". pao.gov.ph. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ a b "Public Attorneys Office Profile of Chief Public Attorney". pao.gov.ph. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ Torres-Tupas, Tetch (April 4, 2022). "Please spare PAO from politics, Persida Acosta pleads". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ "Request of the Public Attorney's Office to Delete Section 22, Canon III of the Proposed Code of Professional Responsibility And Accountability". Supreme Court E-Library. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
- ^ Damicog, Jeffrey (September 2, 2024). "PAO does not collaborate with private lawyers in handling court cases". Manila Bulletin. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
External links
edit
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