Enrile backs PAO in eligibility issue

Officials of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), who the Justice department said may lose their posts for lacking career executive service office (CESO) eligibility, have found an ally in Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile. Enrile, principal author of the law reorganizing the PAO, said the enactment of Republic Act 9406 gave PAO the autonomy from the Department of Justice (DOJ) so much so that it has only become an attached agency for purposes of policy and program coordination. He said provisions under Section 16 of RA 9046 provide PAO officials security of tenure. “[This is] so that they can guarantee the continuity of legal services for the poor despite changing political landscape," he said in a statement released Monday. Section 16 of RA 9406 states that “the chief public attorney shall have the same qualifications… as those of the chief state prosecutor," who only needs to be a member of the Philippine Bar to qualify for the post. “There is nothing in the provisions of the R.A. 9406 that requires the Chief Public Attorney, Deputy Chief Public Attorneys and Regional Public Attorneys must first become career executive officers before they can serve in this office," said Enrile. He also challenged the DOJ to also require fiscals and prosecutors to take and pass the CESO exam if the PAO officials would be required to do so, noting that the qualifications for appointment of the PAO officials are the same as those of their respective counterparts in the National Prosecution Service. Commissioner Cesar Buenaflor of the Civil Service Commission had earlier shared the same opinion as Enrile, saying that under RA 9046, the PAO officials were qualified to hold their positions. Career Executive Service Board executive director Anthonette Velasco-Allones, however, insisted that PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, the deputy chief public attorneys, and the regional public attorneys must first take the CES exam to become career executive service officers. But Enrile said he was most worried not for the PAO officials but for those who need their services if the problem is not resolved right away. “They (PAO) have carried out their mandate to the best of their abilities. This issue, if it remains unresolved much longer, will be a detriment to PAO’s clientele," he said. - Kimberly Jane Tan/KBK/MRT, GMANews.TV