lawyers to give help to policemen with service related legal cases

Miami
July 23, 2008
Story: lawyers to give help to policemen with service related legal cases

A group of lawyers will give legal assistance to Metro Manila police personnel who are facing criminal or administrative cases.

Aquila Legis Fraternity, group of lawyers graduated from Ateneo de Manila University will give their legal assistance for the policemen with cases on court for free in able to help the policemen to handle the cases against them.

According to National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief, General Geary Barias, they accepted the offer of help of the group because this will help their policemen in resolving the case.

Though he added that they have their own legal assistance, Barias said this will not be enough because of many cases being filed against their policemen. “Most of us being filed a case as backfire for us or sometimes as harassment for us to be topped on investigating the case. For example we filed a case against a person because there is a complaint against him or her, that person will file administrative or sometimes criminal case against us,” Barias said.

He also added that most of the cases filed at the Ombudsman lasted for five years and those policemen who has cases were being suspended and do not receive their monthly salary. Also, for those who are in position and about to be promoted or being qualified for promotion cannot be promoted because of the cases they are facing.

Aquila Legis said they will only assist legal service on the cases of the police that is work related, so they will also have to study the case that will be presented to them.

Barias said those assigned in Civil Disturbance Management (CDM) are the ones who are facing charges in relation to work, “Especially if there’s a rally, then the police did not allow our militants to demonstrate more then the militants will file charges against our CDM.”

Atty. Jose Ramon Remollo of Aquila Legis said starting August they will start with their legal service. They will do it every Saturday and will accommodate all will asked for their help.

Barias said that they already have recorded 79 work-related cases but they do not have the final tally yet, “We have to determine first if these cases are really work-related, the Aquila Legis will study those cases if they are worthy of the help that will be provided for them.”

Remollo said that they have more than 1,000 lawyers in Metro Manila, and every Saturday, 20 of them will be available for the legal service.

The legal service will be held at the NCRPO office, Barias said.