THE Public Attorney’s Office-Davao Region (PAO-Davao) stated that although their office handles multiple cases, the progression of cases does not differ from that of private lawyers’, as both rely on the court's pace in handling the cases.
Atty. Suseyline M. Bakino-Abtarul, regional public attorney at the Public Attorney’s Office-Davao Region (PAO-Davao), said during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas, on Tuesday morning, August 27, 2024, at the NCCC Victoria, that the general public often assumes that cases handled by PAO take a long time to be decided, when in fact, PAO only relies on the court's timing for case disposal.
“Whether PAO or private na siya the same court ang mag decide sa case niya (Whether PAO or private [lawyer] the same court will decide the case),” she said.
Abtarul reported that from January to June 2024, PAO handled a total of 9,706 cases and had 25,833 regular appearances in court hearings. The office managed 403 mediation and conciliation cases. They provided Inquest Assistance to 2,046 clients during office hours and 503 after office hours, totaling 2,549.
PAO-Davao assisted 133,898 walk-in clients and 15,606 clients through mail, email, and phone, totaling 149,504 clients all in all. They also prepared documents and administered 240,790 oaths. The office conducted 206 outreach activities benefiting around 6,951 individuals and made 685 jail visitations, leading to the release of 918 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL).
Abtarul explained that they collected around P1,199,530 in attorney’s fees for labor cases. Under PAO Law 9406, PAO lawyers assisting with labor cases are allowed to collect 10 percent of the winning fee. However, the amount collected does not go to the lawyers handling the cases but is deposited directly into the PAO's office account.
“Hindi siya mapupunta sa kung sino ang nag-handle so free pa rin ang services ng PAO even though we collect attorney’s fees sa labor cases because hindi naman yung client yung magbabayad sa amin, it is the labor arbitrary who would adjudged the respondent of the labor case to pay the attorney’s fees,” she said.
(It will not go to the lawyer who handles the case, so PAO's services remain free, even though we collect attorney’s fees for labor cases. The fees are paid by the labor arbiter, who adjudges the respondent in the labor case to cover the attorney’s fees).
In the region, there are about 14 district offices and approximately 70 lawyers ready to assist those in need of legal support. RGP