Public Attorneys Office(PAO)

07 July 2020 Ito ay may kaugnayan sa inyong Request na may petsang ika-30 ng Hunyo 2020, na humihingi ng payong legal hinggil umano'y paninira na ginagawa laban sa inyong kaibigan. Para sa inyong kaalaman, ang mandato ng aming Tanggapan ay “represent, free of charge, indigents, and other persons qualified for legal assistance in all civil, criminal, labor, administrative and other quasi-judicial cases where, after due evaluation, it is determined that the interest of justice will be served thereby” . Gayunpaman, upang kami ay makapagbigay ng angkop na payong legal at maliwanagan sa inyong idinudulog na problema, mas makabubuti kung ang inyong kaibigan ay personal na sumangguni sa isang pribadong abogado upang mapag-aralan ang nabanggit na suliranin at nang makita rin ang mga dokumento o ebidensya patungkol dito. Kaugnay nito, maaari matulungan ng aming Tanggapan ang inyong kaibigan kung mapatutunayan niya na siya ay kuwalipikadong makatanggap ng aming libreng serbisyong legal. Ang mga kuwalipikasyon bago matanggap bilang kliyente ng PAO ang isang prospective client ay ang Indigency at Merit Tests alinsunod sa Republic Act No. 9406, o ang PAO Law, kaugnay sa 2016 Revised PAO Operations Manual. Para sa Indigency Test, kinakailangan na ang individual net income ng prospective client ay hindi hihigit sa mga sumusunod: “1. If residing in Metro Manila, whose individual net income does not exceed P14,000.00 a month; 2. If residing in other cities, whose individual net income does not exceed P13,000.00 a month; 3. If residing in all other places, whose individual net income does not exceed P12,000.00 a month. The term income shall not include the pension received by retirees. The term “net income” as herein employed shall be understood to refer to the income of the litigant less statutory and authorized deductions. “Statutory deductions” shall refer to withholding taxes, GSIS, SSS, Pag-Ibig, Health Insurance and Philhealth premiums as well as mandatory deductions. Authorized deductions shall be understood to include all deductions as reflected in the pay slip, other deductions with the expressed written consent of the employee and in agreement with the employer, and all other deductions that can be substantiated by the employee. For purposes of this Section, ownership of land shall not, per se, constitute a ground for disqualification of an applicant for free legal assistance in view of the ruling in Juan Enaje vs. Victorio Ramos, et al. (31 SCRA 141, G.R. No. L-22109, January 30, 1970) that the determinative factor for indigency is the income of the litigant and not his ownership of real property.” Upang makasiguro na tanging ang mga kuwalipikadong kliyente lamang ang siyang mabibigyan ng aming libreng serbisyong legal, kinakailangang magsumite ng affidavit of indigency at alin man sa mga sumusunod: “(1) Latest Income Tax Return or pay slip or other proofs of income; or (2) Certificate of Indigency from the Department of Social Welfare and Development, its Local District Office, or the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office of the place where you are residing; or (3) Certificate of Indigency from the Barangay Chairman having jurisdiction over your place of residence.” Samantala, ang Merit Test naman ay ang pagsusuri sa tibay ng inyong kaso base sa mga ebidensya at sa mga itinakda ng ating batas. Kung ang inyong kaibigan ay kuwalipikado para sa aming libreng serbisyong legal alinsunod sa mga batayan na nabanggit sa itaas, maaari siyang magtungo sa aming tanggapan na kadalasang matatagpuan sa Hall of Justice ng bawat siyudad o munisipalidad na malapit sa inyong tirahan. Dalhin lamang ang mga dokumentong may kaugnayan sa nabanggit na suliranin at alinmang katibayan para sa Indigency Test. Gayundin, maaari siyang tumawag sa aming tanggapan sa numerong 8929-9436 upang makausap ang isa sa aming Public Attorney na nakatalaga bilang Officer of the Day.