Carillo wants CH to allocate P1M for IBP, PAO legal aid

CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City Councilor Gerardo “Gerry” Carillo wants the Cebu City government to allocate at least P1 million to assist the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) for the improvement of their legal-aid program which provides free legal services to indigent litigants.

Carillo, who recently figured in a controversy over a bar brawl, is also a lawyer by profession. He said there is a need to meet the needs of indigent litigants.

“Pro bono isn’t free, it takes staff and it costs money to operate an efficient and effective pro bono program. It would mean that there would be sufficient legal services to meet the crisis legal needs of our low-income neighbors,” Carillo said.

According to Carillo, there is a need to allocate an amount in order to build a sufficiently staffed program to serve the client-community in partnership with the IBP and PAO’s pro bono efforts.

Carillo further explained that the city’s legal aid program, in the form of financial assistance to IBP and PAO, will encourage the lawyers to do their share for those clients who cannot afford to hire the services of a private counsel.

Although Carillo’s fellow city legislators agreed that his proposal is for the public’s benefit, the resolution allocating P1 million has been referred first to the Committee on Budget and Finance of the City Council for further study.

Carillo attached a copy of this year’s appropriation ordinance to his proposed resolution but there was no allocation there for any financial assistance for legal-aid program.

Councilor Margarita “Margot” Osmeña, head of the City Council’s budget and finance committee, is scheduled to give her report about it in one of their sessions next month. — (FREEMAN)