Sunday, October 25, 2015

Free legal assistance for members of the AFP and PNP

From the Philippine News Agency (Oct 25): Free legal assistance for members of the AFP and PNP

Like any other sector of society, the ordinary members of the military and police, officers and enlisted personnel, should not be denied access to legal assistance, a lawmaker insists.

Rep. Felix William B. Fuentebella is seeking to provide free legal assistance to any officer or enlisted personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), who is facing legal complaints arising from incidents related to the performance of their official duties.

“In our country, most people may construe the law as favoring the rich over the poor,” the young Fuentebella laments as he urged passage of House Bill No. 6026, now referred to the Committee on National Defense for appropriate action.

HB 6026 is entitled “An Act providing free legal assistance to any officer or enlisted personnel of the AFP and the PNP on any charge before the prosecutor’s office, court, administrative or any competent body arising from an incident or incidents related to the performance of official duty and appropriating funds therefor.”

The author noted that ordinary citizen, like those officers and lowly enlisted personnel of the AFP and the PNP cannot afford to engage the services of a lawyer due to the prohibitive cost of legal services, even to defend themselves of charges related to the performance of their official duties.

“Under HB 6026, the Secretary of Justice, the Chief of Staff of the AFP, the Chairperson of the National Police Commission (Napolcom) or the Chief of the PNP shall authorize any lawyer or lawyers of their respective agencies to provide free legal assistance to any officer or enlisted personnel,” Fuentebella said.

Furthermore, the measure provides that any amount necessary to implement the proposed Act shall be charged against the appropriation of the DOJ, AFP, Napolcom and PNP of the year following its enactment into law and thereafter.

The DOJ, in coordination with the AFP, Napolcom and the PNP, shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement the proposed statute.

Concerned about the situation where most people in the lower echelon of society could not afford the high cost of legal services, the lawmaker could not help but echo the words of former Vice President Salvador P. Laurel.

“Without justice, no one can feel secure. Without security, there can be no faith. Without faith, there can be no peace. And without peace, this nation may perish,” Fuentebella said, echoing the very words of the former statesman, Vice President Laurel.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=819150

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