Aside from governance, one of the duties of barangay officials, like Barangay Chairman Jefrey Timango of Lourdes Subdivision Extension, is to resolve various issues brought up by some residents.
The problem sometimes is that they cannot resolve these issues.
“When there are new cases, we’re unsure how to proceed. We really need to ask experts, especially with new cases,” says Punong Barangay Jefrey Timango of Barangay Lourdes Subdivision Extension.
That’s why it would be a great help if there was additional legal assistance for them.
This is why Senator Lito Lapid worked for 12 years just to implement the IRR or the Implementation Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 9999, also known as the Free Legal Assistance Act or more commonly referred to as the Lapid Law.
Under this bill, private lawyers who provide legal services to those in great need will receive an income tax deduction.
This will greatly help reduce the cases handled by the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO).
“Free legal services, especially for those who are wronged… under the Lapid Law, they can get a lawyer without having to pay,” said Senator Lito Lapid.
In the Cordillera region, there are only 75 lawyers in the Public Attorney’s Office.
Each of them handles approximately 80 cases, a heavy burden to ensure the success of their cases.
In fact, PAO lawyers rarely file for a leave of absence.
On September 14, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed the Lapid Law.
Because of this, Senator Lito Lapid is optimistic that with the passing of this law, court cases that require urgent justice or decisions will be resolved more quickly.
**JOSE ROBERT INVENTOR