She castigated Col. Dennis Siruno, provincial police chief, emphasizing that the PAO is the principal law office of the government in extending free legal assistance to indigent clients in criminal, civil, labor, administrative and other quasi-judicial cases.
“We have all the laws that mandate the PAO to assist those in need of legal assistance, may they be the complainants or respondents in various cases, especially criminal offenses,” she said.
“Col. Dennis Siruno, please spare from red-tagging/profiling our PAO lawyer Carol Anne General, who is just doing her job pursuant to Republic Act No. 9406, the PAO Law, and RA 11479, the Anti Terrorism Act. Please read the laws,” she added.
Through her official Facebook page, she urged the public to support the PAO amid such red-tagging and profiling.
“My countrymen, followers, subscribers, clients and friends, let us protect all PAO lawyers who are doing their job as mandated by our laws,” Acosta said.
Under Section 30 of the Anti-Terror Law, an individual who is accused or charged with any of the acts defined and penalized by the law and cannot afford a private counsel, “the law enforcement agent or military personnel concerned shall immediately contact the free legal assistance unit of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines or the PAO.”
“It shall be the duty of the free legal assistance unit of the IBP or PAO contacted to immediately visit the person detained and provide him/her with the legal aid,” the PAO chief said.
Lawyer Ingrid Rullon, PAO regional director, said the Surigao police regional office issued a statement to conduct an investigation on the profiling of the concerned PAO lawyer for providing legal assistance to members of the communist terrorist groups.
