ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORT
OF THE PUBLIC ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
FOR THE YEAR 2015
Executive Summary
Clients Assisted and Cases Handled
- Total No. of Clients Assisted
- Total No. of Cases Handled
- Average No. of Clients Assisted by Each Lawyer
- Average No. of Cases Handled by Each Lawyer
Major Final Output: Free Legal Services to Indigent Clients and Other Qualified Persons
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS / TARGETS / ACCOMPLISHMENTSPI Set 1:
- Number of cases under management.
- Percentage of cases with favorable judgment.
- Percentage of requests for legal assistance/ representation acted upon within three (3) working days from the date of request.
- Percentage of hearings for which no postponement is sought by the PAO legal representative.
72.88%
(238,308/326,988)
100%
(592,072/592,072)
99.85%
(417,712/418,340) / 848,516
73.19%
(309,266/422,574)
100%
(755,327/755,327)
99.88%
(437,962/438,501)
PI Set 2:
- Number of clients served (Non-Judicial).
- Number of legal advisories/counselling provided.
- Percentage of clients who rated the legal services of PAO as satisfactory or better.
- Percentage of requests for assistance that are acted upon within two (2) hours.
1,857,812
99.97%
(428,908/429,036)
100%
(1,523,608/1,523,608) / 4,980,588
1,918,631
99.98%
(516,765/516,894)
100%
(1,527,805/1,527,805)
Total No. of Winning Appealed Criminal Cases 215
(For Court of Appeals and Supreme Court only)- Acquittals from Reclusion Temporal
- Acquittals from Reclusion Perpetua
Total No. of Winning Appealed 584
Civil and Special Cases
(For Court of Appeals and Supreme Court only)
Acquittals and Other Favorable Dispositions 158,348
(RTC & MCTC METC)
Accused Benefited from:- Acquittal
- Dismissal with Prejudice
- Granted Motion to Quash
- Granted Demurrer to Evidence
- Provisional Dismissal
- Conviction to Lesser Offense
- Granted Probation
- Won
- Granted Lesser Award
- Dismissal based on Compromise Agreement
- Criminal Cases for Preliminary Investigation:
K.1. Case filed in court (Complainant) / 6,572
K.2. Dismissed (Respondent) / 5,024
- Pre-trial Releases and Other Favorable Dispositions:
L.1. Released on Bail (Non-bailable offense) / 504
L.2. Released on Recognizance / 931
L.3. Diversion Proceedings/Intervention / 384
L.4. Suspended Sentence / 280
L.5. Maximum Imposable Penalty Served / 339
Special Legal Services 31,262
(Pursuant to Sec. 14-A of R.A. 9406 and MOAs)
Rendition of Quasi-Judicial Services
Mediation and Conciliation 457,138
Investigation (R.A. 9745 or Anti-Torture Law) 30
Outreach Activities
- Inquest Investigation & Custodial Interrogation
- Total No. of Clients Assisted
- Barangay Legal Outreach Activities
- Total No. of Beneficiaries
Nationwide Monthly Jail Visitation of District Offices
No. of Detainees/Inmates who were:- Interviewed and Assisted
- Provided Legal Representation in Court
- Acquitted:
C.1. After trial / 8,288
C.2. On appeal / 1,438
- Released on:
D.1.Pardon/Executive Clemency/Probation / 3,714
D.2. Motion to Dismiss/Motion to Quash / 6,548
D.3. Inquest Assistance/Representation / 3,799
D.4. Bail/Recognizance / 12,461
D.5. After serving the possible maximum prison term / 1,074
D.5. Released on other grounds (i.e. Motion for judicial determination of probable cause, and others) / 7,395
PAO-Central Office Legal & Medical Jail Visitation and Decongestion Program
- Total No. of Program Beneficiaries
- No. of Beneficiaries of Legal Assistance
- No. of Beneficiaries of Medical Assistance
- No. of Beneficiaries of Dental Assistance
- No. of Beneficiaries of Optical Assistance
- Total No. of Inmates Released
Legal/Inquest Proceedings Assistance
On their scheduled duties, the public attorneys and staff of the PAO-Central Office have alternately been providing legal and inquest proceedings assistance even during night time, weekends and holidays since October 2009. For this purpose, the PAO hotline, 929-9436 (local 106 or 107 during office hours and local 159 after office hours) is open to the public 24/7.
In September 2010, the coverage of this program was expanded to serve the people covered by the regional and district offices of the PAO, nationwide. Since then, the said offices have been rendering legal assistance (e.g. legal advice, attending to the legal needs of suspects in the police stations within the territorial jurisdiction of the concerned PAO regional/district offices) up to 10:00 P.M. everyday (including weekends and holidays). Further, the assigned PAO inquest public attorneys and staff therein remain on call, even beyond 10:00 P.M., to attend to inquest calls in police stations nationwide.
- Clients Served 33,014
Training Sessions and Seminars Attended 268
- Training ParticipantsLawyers 2,607
Support Personnel 475
Case Load
Out of 208,654terminated criminal cases, there were 158,348or about 75.89% favorable dispositions obtained by the Public Attorneys from representing indigent clients.
- Total No. of Criminal Cases Handled
- Total No. of Cases Terminated
- Terminated Cases Favorable to Clients
- Total Percentage of Winning Criminal Cases
Out of 29,716terminated civil cases, there were 21,886 or about 73.65% favorable dispositions obtained by the Public Attorneys from representing indigent clients.
- Total No. of Civil Cases Handled
- Total No. of Cases Terminated
- Terminated Cases Favorable to Clients
- Total Percentage of Winning Civil Cases
Out of 50,457terminated labor cases, there were 41,561 or about 82.37% favorable dispositions obtained by the Public Attorneys from representing indigent clients.
- Total No. of Labor Cases Handled
- Total No. of Cases Terminated
- Terminated Cases Favorable to Clients
- Total Percentage of Winning Labor Cases
Out of 7,147terminated administrative cases proper, there were 4,687or about 65.58% favorable dispositions obtained by the Public Attorneys from representing indigent clients.
- Total No. of Administrative Cases Proper Handled
- Total No. of Cases Terminated
- Terminated Cases Favorable to Clients
- Total Percentage of Winning Administrative Cases
With respect to cases involving violation of Republic Act 9262 (Anti-Violence Against Women and their Children Act), out of 45,887terminated cases, there were 24,706or about 53.84% favorable dispositions obtained by the Public Attorneys from representing women clients.
- Total No. of Cases Involving Women Victims of Violation of R.A. 9262
- Total No. of Cases Terminated
- Terminated Cases Favorable to Women Client Victims of Violation of R.A. 9262
- Total Percentage of Winning Cases in Favor of Women
On the other hand, with respect to cases involving Children in Conflict with the Law pursuant to R.A. 9344, out of 19,359 terminated cases, there were 13,909 or about 71.85% favorable dispositions obtained by the Public Attorneys from representing CICLs.
- Total No. of Cases Involving Children in Conflict with the Law (CICL)
- Total No. of Cases Terminated
- Terminated Cases Favorable to CICL
- Total Percentage of Winning Cases in Favor of CICL
Total No. of Clients Assisted by the
PAO-National Labor Relations Commission
(NLRC) Sub-Station Located inBanawe,
Quezon City 14,344
Total No. of Research Work and Legal
Opinions for Queries from the Public
that were Directly Addressed or otherwise
referred to the PAO 3,429
Library Services
- No. of Legal Books and Reference Materials Distributed to Regional and District Offices
- Lex Libris Subscription for the Central Office to Facilitate Research Work
PAO Equipment
For the period covering January to December 2015, the following office equipment were procured for distribution to various PAO regional and district offices as well as the Central Office, to wit:
* Chair / 197 units* Table / 71 units
* Laptop / 2 units
* Desktop / 1 unit
* Central Processing Unit (CPU) / 2 units
* Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) / 2 units
* Monitor / 7 units
* Printer / 22 units
* Air conditioner / 19 units
* Fax Machine / 4 units
* Cabinet / 19 units
* Shelf / 45 units
* Water Dispenser / 3 units
* Copier / 1 unit
* Plant box/ Divider / 1 unit
* Sofa / 1 unit
* Electronic Typewriter / 1 unit
The Office of the Chief Public Attorney
The Office of the Chief Public Attorney received and answered57,398communications from January to December 2015;
The Office of the Chief Public Attorney served 23,878 clients during this period;
The Chief Public Attorney attended the following trainings and seminars and/or served as resource persons, thereto:
- Resource Speaker, Ladlad Caraga, Inc.’s 1st LGBT Forum on Basic Human Rights and the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance, held on December 3, 2015, Balanghai Hotel and Restaurant, ButuanCity;
- Speaker, University of Perpetual Help System Supreme Student Council Leadership Training Seminar (Theme: Empowered Perpetualite Leaders: Molding Character for Greatness), held onOctober 30, 2015 in Pansol, Calamba, Laguna;
- Resource Speaker, The Association of Government Accountants of the Philippines (AGAP) Inc.’s Convention Seminar (Theme: Bolstering Good Governance Through Public Expenditure Management Reforms), held onOctober 22, 2015 in PuertoPrincesaCity;
- Keynote Speaker,Mindanao-wide Barangay Civil Registration System (BCRS) Seminar Workshop,October 12, 2015, Limketkai Mall, Cagayan de Oro City;
- Speaker, Anti-Bullying Symposium (Theme: Record and Report: Winning the War of Higher Education Institutions Against Bullying), held on October 6, 2015 at the Performing Arts Theatre of the University of Perpetual Help, Dr. Jose G. Tamayo Medical University, Sto. Niño, City of Biñan, Laguna;
- Guest Speaker, The 2015 Mass Communication Convention (Theme: Mass Media and New Media at the Forefront of ASEAN 2015), held on October 3, 2015at the Freedom Hall of the SHL Building, Lyceum of the Philippines-Batangas,
- Resource Person, Forum on “Kamay na Bakal: Kalagayan ng Karapatang Pantao sa Panahon ng Batas Militar at sa Kasalukuyan”, held on September 30, 2015 at the NCAS Auditorium of the University of the Philippines, Los Baños, Laguna;
- Keynote Speaker,Philippine Statistics Authority’s 9th Convention for Solemnizing Officers,August 25, 2015, SMXConvenitonCenter, SM Mall of Asia, PasayCity;
- Resource Speaker, Ladlad Caraga’s Gender Sensitivity Training, Malagos Garden Resort, Calinan, Davao City, Aug. 21, 2015;
- Resource Speaker,Sex and the Academe: A Legal Forum on Sexual Harassment inEducation and Training Environment, August 1, 2015, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Sta. Mesa, Manila;
- Keynote Speaker, 50th National Induction and Turnover Ceremonies of the Inner Wheel Clubs of the Philippines, June 27, 2015, Ballroom of New World Manila Bay Hotel;
- Resource Person,Ladlad-Caraga, Inc.’s The Philippine Women Human Rights DefendersTraining, May 28, 2015, Panda Suites, Tagbilaran, Bohol;
- Resource Speaker,International Humanitarian Law and Violence Against Women Seminar, May 13, 2015, Philippine National Police Academy, Camp Gen. Mariano N. Castañeda, Silang, Cavite; and,
- Guest of Honor and Speaker, 71st Commencement Exercises of the University of Batangas, April 14, 2015, University of Batangas Auditorium, Hilltop Campus, BatangasCity.
The Chief Public Attorney personally handledand/or led the following cases and/or rendered legal assistance to the following individuals, to wit:
- Chief Acosta and her legal team rendered legal assistance to minor students, Krisel Mallari and Stephanie KateLampano.
Krisel and her parents sought the assistance of Chief Acosta on May 5, 2015 and Kate, together with her parents on August 26, 2015.
Chief Acosta and her legal team assisted Krisel in her fight for her right to be issued a certificate of good moral character and to study in the university of her own choice. They also rendered legal assistance to Kate, a grade school pupil and victim of verbal abuse by her teacher. Kate stopped schooling for a while, because of the trauma she suffered from her teacher.
The continuous assistance given to Krisel since May 5, 2015, paved the way for her enrolment on August 4, 2015, as a college Freshman at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) under its Accountancy program. She was even a scholar during her first semester in the said university on account of her salutatorian award.
On the other hand, eight-year-old Kate, started studying again on September 14, 2015 as a transferee in another school. This is in consonance with the decision that was arrived at during the Mediation Conference held at the Public Attorney’s Office-Central Office on August 28, 2015. It was agreed therein that it would be for the best interest of Kate to transfer her to a new school which the Department of Education representative undertook to facilitate.
- The Chief Public Attorney and her legal team obtained a favorable judgementfor the cases of the relatives of the victimsof the M/V Princess of theStarsmaritime tragedy.In a Decision, dated September 18, 2015, the Regional Trial Court-Branch 49,Manila ordered the SLI to pay about two hundred seven million six hundred forty-one thousand two hundred fifty-six pesos and thirty-four centavos (Php 207,641,256.34) to the heirs of the victims of the said sea disaster.
The Chief Public Attorney and her legal team started handling the said cases in 2008. The 71 civil cases which they filed against the SLI on behalf of the victims of the M/V Princess of the Stars maritime tragedy, had, as stated above, been already decided. On the other hand, the 64 civil cases filed against the SLI at RTC-Branch 16, CebuCity are still ongoing trial. The criminal case for Reckless Imprudence is also ongoing at RTC-Branch 5, Manila.
- Some of the family-members of the fallen Special Action Force (SAF) 44 in the Mamasapano massacre formally sought the Chief Public Attorney’s free legal assistance on November 11, 2015. The Office of Senator Allan Peter Cayetano endorsed them as early as April of the same year, in a letter dated, April 16, 2015.
She directed her legal team to: (1) assist in the preparation of affidavits and administration of oaths to those who requested for assistance; and, (2) attend preliminary investigation of the criminal case filed by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) against the alleged members of theBangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), who purportedly participated in the Mamasapano incident. Two settings of preliminary investigation were conducted; the first one was on November 26, 2015, and the second one, on December 17, 2015. The Chief Public Attorney’s legal team also assisted the said family members in reviewing their respective affidavits and re-affirming the contents thereof before the prosecutors.
- In a Resolution, dated November 16, 2015, the Supreme Court En Banc, stated, among others that “(t)he Counsel of Cudia is hereby ORDERED to PROCEED to the Office of the Clerk of Court to secure a copy of said TOR xxx”. Through the said Resolution, the Chief Public Attorney and her legal team were directed to obtain the TOR or Transcript of Records of Cadet 1st Class Aldrin Jeff P. Cudia from the PMA. The TOR is one of the academic documents which Cudia’s counsels have been fighting to get hold of from the PMA, on behalf of their client. Cudia has been a client of the PAO since March 2014.
- The Chief Public Attorney rendered legal assistance to victims of “laglag/tanim bala” or alleged bullet-planting incidents on various dates of November and December 2015. From November 4, 2015 to December 30, 2015, more than seventy (70) victims of the alleged scam were given free legal assistance by the Chief Public Attorney, and the public attorneys of the PAO-Pasay District Office and PAO-Manila District Office who worked tirelessly with her.
Due to the said incidents troubling OFWs, travellers, and even those who were only sending off or fetching people from Philippine airports, hearings in both Houses of Congress were held. In connection thereto, the Chief Public Attorney was invited as one of the resource persons during the hearing on November 12, 2015, that was conducted jointlyby the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee and the Committee on Public Services, in connection with the alleged scam.
The Chief Public Attorney received the following prestigious awards, to wit:
- Alice Hernandez Reyes Achievement Awardfrom the Aliw Awards Foundation, Inc., given during the 28th Annual Aliw Awards on December 10, 2015 at the Star Theater, Star City Complex, Roxas Blvd., Manila;
- 2015 Most Outstanding Filipino in Public Service Awardfrom the Gawad Amerika Foundation, givenduring the 15th Gawad Amerika Awards Night on November 7, 2015 at the Celebrity Center, Hollywood, California, USA;
- Most Outstanding Public Servant of the Year Award from the Lyceum of the Philippines University-Batangas, conferred on October 3, 2015at the Freedom Hall of the SHLBuilding, Lyceum of the Philippines-Batangas;
- 2015 Pamana ng Kapayapaan National Award for Public Service (National Peace Award for Public Service) conferred by the Asian Congress for Media and Communication, on October 2, 2015 at the Mini-Auditorium of the Far Eastern University, 9th Floor, Technology Building, Nicanor Reyes, Sr. Street, Manila;
- OutstandingAlumna Award from the University of the East Association of America, Hawaii Chapter (UEAAHC), 2015;
- Congratulatory Certificate from the 28th Legislature of the State of Hawaii for the UEAAHC’s commendation of her “commitment to the communities of Hawaii and the Philippines as a leading role model…”, 2015;
- PinakaPASADOng Lingkod Bayan (May Mataas na Papuri) Awardgiven by thePampelikulang Samahan ng mga Dalubguro (PASADO), during the 17th Pasado Gawad Sining Sine on April 11, 2015 at San Sebastian College – Recoletos, Manila; and,
- Ginintuang Sulo ng Bayan Awardgiven by the Golden Torch Creative Consultants Association, Inc. on February 28, 2015 at the University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City.
OTHER SIGNIFICANT ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Office of the Chief Public Attorney, instrumental in obtaining justice for the late Congressman Luis Chito Bersamin
The PAO, through the Office of the Chief Public Attorney, has been instrumental in giving free legal representation to two (2) state witnesses-accused Freddie Dupo and Sonny Taculao, who turned as key state witnesses and whose testimonies became the basis for the conviction of former Abra Governor Vicente Isidro Valera, the alleged mastermind in the assassination of the late Congressman Luis Chito Bersamin.
In a Decision, dated September 30, 2015, issued by the Regional Trial Court-Branch 94, Quezon City, accused Valera was found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of the crime of Frustrated Murder in Criminal Case No. Q-09-158036. He was, likewise, found guilty beyond reasonable doubt of two (2) counts of Murder in Criminal Case No. Q-09-158034 and Criminal Case No. Q-09-158035.
The PAO’s OIC-Deputy Chief Public Attorney Howard B. Areza and Attorney Demiteer U. Huerta, Public Attorney III acted as counsels for Dupo and Taculao.
The PAO Forensic Team, under the Office of the Chief Public Attorney, rendered free retrieval operations relative to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda who perished at the Kankabato Bay, Tacloban City
In connection with the request of the Tacloban Fisherfolks Urban Association for the PAO to conduct retrieval operations relative to the victims of Typhoon Yolanda who perished at the Kankabato Bay in Tacloban City, the PAO Forensic Team was able to retrieve four (4) sets of skeletal remains from the Kankabato Bay, Barangay 83, San Jose, TaclobanCity, last November 26, 2015.
The PAO Forensic Team conducted the said initial retrieval operations in cooperation with the local government of TaclobanCity, the Philippine National Police, Rotary Club, and other groups/offices that are concerned with ecological rehabilitation of the KankabatoBay.
2015 – PAO ACCOMPLISHMENT REPORTPage 1 of 13
(Executive Summary)