Capitol’s Legal Outreach Program Resumes

The Provincial Legal Office (PLO) conducted a seminar last March 10 to help the personnel and officials of the barangays in Talisay City broaden their knowledge of the laws and legal procedures.

Graced by Gov. Hilario Davide III, Vice Gov. Agnes Magpale and Talisay City Mayor Johnny de los Reyes, the one-day event dubbed Barangay Legal Outreach Program drew participants from 22 barangays composed of village chiefs, councilors, secretaries, members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa and tanods.

“Officials and personnel of the barangays need to update their knowledge of the new laws and procedures so they can discharge their duties properly and effectively,” said Orvi Ortega, provincial legal officer.

Davide believes that the lessons learned in the seminar would improve the abilities of officials and personnel of the barangays in resolving issues during mediation as well as other matters that may involve legal questions.

In recognizing their contribution, the governor announced that Provincial Board member Celestino Martinez III is drafting an ordinance to include members of the Lupong Tagapamayapa in the cash incentives program of the Capitol.

Martinez is the president of the Liga ng mga Barangay-Cebu provincial chapter.

Meanwhile, Magpale was delighted with the turnout of the barangay legal education program of the PLO and said that the undertaking is part of the province’s thrust of empowering the people in the grassroots level.

The Capitol’s legal office dispatched five lawyers to handle lectures on laws governing search and seizure, conduct of arrest and the Anti-Violence Against Women and Children Act (VAWC).

Techniques on mediation and guidelines in crafting resolutions and ordinances as well as parliamentary rules and procedures were also taken up.

Also present to share their knowledge in mediation procedures were members of the Philippine Alternative Dispute Resolution Incorporated, an organization of court mediators.

The Philippine National Police sent experts from the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) to teach tanods on how to preserve evidence in a crime scene from getting soiled by kibitzers.

“We want to empower our tanods to be effective partners of the police especially in protecting evidence of the crime scene,” Ortega said.

Later in the afternoon, SOCO conducted a mock crime scene investigation in which tanods applied the knowledge they’ve learned from lectures.With the increasing cases of violence against women, legal officer Rose Arnado discussed the provisions of VAWC and the actions that barangay officials may undertake to help protect the victims.

The PLO started its Legal Outreach Program in 2015 and has already conducted seminars to 10 towns, including Tuburan, Barili, Balamban, Compostela, Argao, Alcoy and four towns of Camotes Island namely Poro, Pillar, Tudela and San Francisco.

By Kelvin Cañizares

www.cebu.gov.ph