Acosta questions Drilon, Angara move

For Public At torney’s Of fice ( PAO) chief At ty. Persida Acosta the insertion to the budget of her office by Senators Franklin Drilon and Edgardo “Sonny” Angara is quite unthinkable.

Acosta strongly questioned the explanation of the two senators, one minority leader and the other a member of the majority in the Senate, that the Forensic Division of PAO is a duplication of function of the work of the National Bureau of Investigation ( NBI) forensic division and the Philippine National Police Scene of the Crime Operatives ( PNP- SOCO).

“How can it be a duplication when in fact the PAO Forensic Division is catering to the poor people who wants to get justice from those who committed injustice to them free of charge,” said a fuming Acosta.

“Is it duplication of function?

Why did the Senate give the Commission on Human Rights ( CHR) a multi-million budget for its Forensic and Medico Legal Services? Is not that a duplication of function?” A costa asked.

The Senate has given the CHR Forensic and Medico Legal Services a hefty P 320 million budget for 2021 but in the one sentence insertion made by Drilon and Angara the salaries, allowances and representation expenses of at least eight plantilla personnel of the PAO Forensic Division has been slashed.

The insertion in the General Appropriations Act ( GAA) made by Angara and Drilon being mentioned was, “Forensic Laboratory Division: Nothing in the appropriation provided in this act shall be used for salaries or compensation of personnel, travel allowance, meetings and maintenance and other operating expenses of the PAO Forensic Laboratory Division.”