IBP-Cebu City launches assistance fund

CEBU, Philippines – The Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Cebu City Chapter has created a legal assistance fund which aims to assist any of their members.

Lawyer Hidelito Pascual, president of the IBP-Cebu City Chapter, announced the creation of the “Lawyer’s Assurance Fund” during the recent celebration of Law Week.

Pascual said they have already gathered P600,000 and hope to accumulate P10 million in 10 years.

Lawyer Annabel Pulvera-Page, one of the members of the IBP-Cebu City Chapter board, said they have to be creative to generate funds for the Lawyers Assurance Fund.

“…IBP help other people…but forget their own members,” she said.

Further, in line with the Law Week celebration, the IBP-Cebu City chapter held a Free Legal Aid program yesterday.

“We accepted everybody…madato or dili,” said Lawyer Piedad “Bingo” Gonzales, adding they had a consultation and invited officials of the Register of Deeds and the Civil Register.

Gonzales said a lot of people went to the event but they accommodated everyone.

Aside from having a Free Legal Aid, the IBP-Cebu City Chapter has tapped law students to help them follow-up on the pending cases of inmates detained at the Mandaue City Jail, Lapu-Lapu City Jail and Cebu City Jail.

The output of students will be presented to the Bureau of Jail and Management Penology for action.

Pascual said they visited the jails and discovered that some inmates have not been properly advised on their cases.

Meanwhile, Pulvera-Page said the IBP-Cebu City Chapter is set to create a committee to monitor the case of one of their former members, slain lawyer Amelie “Am-am” Ocañada-Alegre, who was killed in an ambush in Barangay Looc, Mandaue City on August 13, 2015.

Alegre, 35, was on board her car with fellow lawyer Briccio Boholst, 55, and one of their staff, Anthony Pino. Alegre was killed on the spot while Boholst and Pino suffered gunshot wounds.

Authorities are still investigating Alegre’s death. —/ATO (FREEMAN)