BETTER SERVICES. Public Attorney’s Office Cordillera director Atty. Henry Francisco said they endeavor to continue improving their services since they now have 75 lawyers, up from the 50 when he joined the office in 2014. The agency provides free legal services to indigent patients. (PNA photo by Liza T. Agoot)
BAGUIO CITY – The Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) in the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) has recorded winnability in terms of handling drug cases after it hired additional lawyers.
On Tuesday, Atty. Henry Francisco, PAO-CAR regional director, said there were only 50 lawyers for the PAO-Cordillera when he joined the office in 2014, and they appeared in at least two courts and handle more than 200 cases each.
In a follow-up interview on Wednesday, he said they now have 75 lawyers handling an average of 80 cases each, and has recorded winning cases, although there remain 181 pending cases from January to August 2024 in this city.
For the whole region, PAO registered 175 winning cases, but with around 283 pending cases.
Francisco defined winning cases as those where PAO clients have been acquitted, the cases were dismissed, or they were able to get a lower penalty.
He said PAO aims to ensure that the proper penalty is imposed to an accused, while fighting it out in court for clients who are innocent, despite the free service solely for indigents.
He said PAO lawyers render legal services for criminal, civil, administrative or labor cases. (PNA)
