Leyte Provincial Police conducts legal aid clinic for its personnel

HILONGOS, LEYTE, Philippines – Police personnel from all units of the Leyte Police Provincial Office who are facing charges in court in line with their duties, or are filing cases against criminal offenders, can rely of a legal assistance from the LPPO itself.

This was the gist of the legal aid clinic conducted in this town by an official of the legal department of the LPPO, and attended by policemen from a cluster of police stations in this southern part of Leyte province.

Chief Insp. Mario Abrenzosa, LPPO legal officer, told The Freeman that the legal aid clinic was done to raise the morale of the policemen who, in the performance of their duties, were often subjected to harassments and intimidation.

“We, the police, are also targets of prosecution by criminal elements. In bringing to justice, often than not, criminal offenders, especially those who have the capacity to railroad our laws, weaken our case either by filing charges to policemen, looking for loopholes that eventually leads to dismissal due to technicalities or both,” he said.

Abrenzosa however clarified that the legal assistance is limited only to cases when a policeman is harassed (by all forms) in connection with his work of building up a case against a particular offender of the law.

“In cases of special bodies, such as People Law Enforcement Board (PLEB), our office will be there to give advices to the affected policeman,” he said in explaining the role of the LPPO’s legal office in dealing with policemen who are facing complaints.

Abrenzosa also made it clear that PLEB cases will be reviewed to qualify if it is a form of harassment or just a plain violation. “Either way, we will address it in the most appropriate manner,” he said.

Chief Insp. Ramil Amodia, chief of the Hilongos Police Station that was host of the legal aid clinic, welcomed the LPPO’s initiative as a positive move to bolster the knowledge of police, particularly the station chiefs and their investigators.

Amodia said he was happy to host the first clinic since the program was started last March 19 by LPPO director, Sr. Supt. Pio Manito.

Besides Amodia, the clinic was attended by other chiefs of the police stations: Sr. Insp. Catalino Landia of Matalom town, Sr. Insp. Allan Cerro of Inopacan, Sr. Insp. Anecito Martines of Hindang and Insp. Charlito Lago of Bato. - THE FREEMAN