THE Public Attorney's Office (PAO) Davao Region has been tasked to be an agent to decongest overcrowded jails all over the country.
PAO-Davao director lawyer Francis Calatrava, in a media interview, said that since last September they have been implementing the Memorandum Circular 006 Series of 2016, signed by chief public attorney Dr. Persida Rueda-Acosta in line with the memorandum of agreements signed by PAO, Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) in a bid to decongest jails.
Attached in the circular is the memorandum order of the BJMP regarding its "Oplan Hatak Mula sa Batak" program.
Hatak Mula sa Batak is a program to encourage inmates with drug-related cases to voluntarily confess to the crime if they are really guilty to speed up their case trial.
Within the MOA signed with BJMP, PAO is tasked to inform newly committed inmates their constitutional rights and various modes of early releases through applicable laws during regular weekly orientation of newly committed inmates.
The office is also tasked to provide assistance to concerned inmates on their execution of their Detainees Manifestation or waiver.
It is also directed to allot at least one day per week or as needed, for the execution of the said forms in the presence of a Public Attorney during weekly orientation of newly committed inmates, to facilitate the filing of motion of release to qualified inmates or those who have reached their maximum imposable penalty through credit for preventive imprisonment, and other time allowances under Republic Act 10592, or through the modes of early release.
And lastly, the office is also directed to conduct interviews and communication with their clients, through regular jail visit and/or through E-Dalaw or online communication through phone.
Its separate memorandum with the DDB signed last August 22, 2016, it was also established that PAO will be willing to assist the DDB relative to the implementation of RA 9165 or Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 by providing technical and legal assistance to drug dependents who wish to avail of the provisions of Section 54 of the said law.
With the MOA, the public attorneys are directed to act as counsel and appear before courts for drug dependents on petitions for voluntary submission filed by DDB or its authorized representatives, except when there is conflict of interest and without prejudice to the drug dependent's right to be represented by a private counsel of his choice.
And that in exigency of service, the Public Attorneys shall provisionally represent the drug dependent who may appear in court by reason of Petition from Voluntary Submission but has not yet been able to acquire the services of the counsel.