PAO tells SC: Craft Lapid Law IRR

By Rio N. Araja

THE Public Attorney’s Office fears for a worst-case scenario to the entire Philippine justice system due to a delay in the disposition and congestion of cases in the lower courts, should a public defender and another PAO lawyer represent the accused and the complainant, respectively, in the same case.

At a media briefing in Quezon City, PAO Chief Persida Acosta “humbly and respectfully” reiterated the appeal of 2,500 public lawyers to the Supreme Court to review Section 22, Canon III of the New Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability due to conflict of interest.

“Apart from PAO lawyers, indigent

From A1 not be considered a slowdown coming from a low base. clients may avail themselves of the free legal services of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines members and even of the private lawyers under Republic Act 9999,” she stressed.

“Among major emerging economies in the region that have released their firstquarter 2023 real GDP growth so far, the Philippines grew the fastest, followed by Indonesia [5 percent], China [4.5 percent], and Vietnam [3.3 percent],” he said.

“The country’s growth is also more rapid than the forecast first quartergrowth rates for Malaysia [4.9 percent], India [4.6 percent], and Thailand [2.8 percent],” Balisacan said.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said the administration is on the right track to sustain the country’s strong economy, noting the government’s resolve to bring more job and investment opportunities is already within reach.

“Our goal is to have a robust economy that will lead to the creation of more jobs and more opportunities for businesses and investments),” Mr. Marcos said in Filipino in a Facebook post.

“It is already within our reach, given the continued increase in our GDP growth rate which now stands at 6.4 percent in the first quarter of 2023,” he added.

Mr. Marcos also expressed elation that the Philippines even surpassed the growth rate posted by Indonesia, China, and Vietnam in the same period.

Even Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, in September 2022, approved a Bureau of Internal Revenue regulation citing guidelines on the incentives a pri- vate lawyer providing free legal aid can get — a 10-percent tax rebate.

Lawyer-doctor Erwin Erfe, PAO forensics chief, said RA 9999 or the so-called Lapid Law has directed the Supreme Court to come up with the implementing rules and regulations since the law’s passage in 2020 under thenSenate President Juan Ponce Enrile and the late Speaker Prospero Nograles during the Arroyo administration.

Erfe, however, lamented that the High Court has ignored crafting the law’s IRRs that should have enabled the BIR to implement the 10 percent tax reduction policy in the past 13 years.

“Many private lawyers, especially those small players, welcome the Lapid Law to help poor litigants but they are