PAGADIAN CITY, Apr. 14 (PIA)--To ensure that cases filed in the court will not be dismissed, law enforcers should have legal aide of their own.

Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) assistant regional director Atty. Edgar B. Bongalos emphasized this on Tuesday’s weekly media forum of Philippine Information Agency (PIA) at New Roxan Hotel here.

Speaking before the local media, Bongalos said law enforcers should hire legal aide to assist in the preparation of their affidavit of complainant before it will be filed in the court so it will not be dismissed due to lack of merit.

Bongalos said lawyers are very keen in evaluating and verifying complaint or affidavit, adding that it must be carefully drawn to prevent loopholes. “Since police investigators were the ones who prepare the affidavit, it is always expected that legal loopholes will be detected by lawyers,” Bongalos added. Bongalos, however said that in order to properly address this problem, their agency is helping law enforcers in providing knowledge on legal education.

The PAO, Bongalos said is planning to conduct this year a symposium on legal education for law enforcers so they would know all the aspects of criminal cases from investigation through prosecution.

Meanwhile, Pagadian district public attorney’s office chief Atty. Pacifico Cimafranca Jr. said the PAO which was created under R.A. 9406 shall continue to independently discharge its mandate, free of charge, legal representation, and assistance to indigent litigants.

“We are encouraging poor people who cannot afford to hire private lawyers to visit PAO for them to attain justice,” Cimafranca urged.

Cimafranca said if the accused is very poor, his right to free access of the courts should not be denied by reason of poverty.

In a related development, Bongalos said PAO from 2010 up to present handled 7,176 criminal, civil and quasi-judicial cases. (NBE/GCC-PIA9 ZamboSur)

Last update: 26-04-2011 01:44