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House OKs free legal assistance for soldiers, uniformed personnel

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RG Cruz, ABS-CBN News

Voting 248-3-0, the House of Representatives has approved on third and final Reading House Bill 6509 or the proposed Free Legal Assistance for Military and Uniformed Personnel Act.Members of the Makabayan bloc voted against the bill.&quot;Hindi dapat i-subsidize ng buong bayan ang legal assistance at representation ng mga military at uniformed personnel dahil kung pagbabasehan ang kanilang track record ng human rights violations, napakarami nito na wala pa ring accountability, at hindi pa nakakamit ng mga biktima ang hustisya,&quot; House Deputy Minority Leader and ACT Teachers Rep. France L. Castro said. &quot;Sakop ng batas na ito ang lahat ng service-related criminal, civil, at administrative cases,&quot; Castro added. &quot;Ang biktima pa ang kailangan magpatunay na hindi ito parte ng kanilang serbisyo at in bad faith.&quot; Castro also said the law, once passed, may further encourage military and uniformed personnel to violate human rights. Gabriela Rep. Arlene Brosas also expressed concerns about the bill.&quot;With HB 6509, these police perpetrators will be given free legal assistance. Imbis na ang mga biktima ang panigan ng gobyerno, maglalaan ito ng pondo para sa legal assistance sa mga pulis at militar na maaaring sangkot sa iba&#x27;t ibang kaso ng paglabag sa karapatang pantao,&quot; Brosas said.According to its congressional fact sheet, the bill will provide free legal assistance to officers and uniformed personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP), and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in all stages of criminal, civil, or administrative proceedings arising from service-related incidents.The bill will mandate the strengthening of the legal offices of the AFP, PNP, BJMP, BFP and PCG to render adequate and effective free legal assistance to qualified personnel.It will likewise entitle government lawyers representing qualified personnel to payment for actual expenses and honoraria per appearance.It will also allow officers or uniformed personnel of the AFP, PNP, BJMP, BFP or PCG to be provided with private counsel, when necessary, at the expense of the government.The bill will cover officers or uniformed personnel of the AFP, PNP, BJMP, BFP or PCG who have pending cases, as well as retired officers or uniformed for cases or charges involving service-related incidents committed while in active duty.The House will submit the bill to the Senate for consideration.

Voting 248-3-0, the House of Representatives has approved on third and final Reading House Bill 6509 or the proposed Free Legal Assistance for Military and Uniformed Personnel Act.

House OKs free legal assistance for soldiers, uniformed personnel

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House OKs free legal assistance for soldiers, uniformed personnel

RG Cruz,

ABS-CBN News

Published Dec 12, 2022 07:03 PM PHT

Read More:

House of Representatives

House Bill 6509

Free Legal Assistance for Military and Uniformed Personnel Act

free legal services

military

human rights

human rights violations

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