TRULY admirable and worth-emulating are the public defenders and staff of the Public Attorney’s Office under Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta. Despite being undermanned, they never forget to reach out to and serve those behind bars—conducting not just hundreds but thousands of jail visitations across the country in less than a year.
Records showed that PAO assisted nearly 508,000 PDLS (persons deprived of liberty) through jail visitation activities from January to September 2026, providing legal assistance and medical, dental and optical services as part of efforts to address jail congestion.
Same date indicated that its central office assisted 9,894 PDLs during 17 legal and medical jail visitation and decongestion program while its regional and district offices assisted 497,772 detainees through 51,830 visits.
It also provided legal assistance to 1,969 PDLs, medical services to 4,369, dental services to 1,470 and optical services to 2,086.
At the Correctional Institution for Women in Mandaluyong City, PAO conducted nine jail visits and assisted 5,943 PDLs.
The PAO’s regional and district offices, meanwhile, conducted legal assistance activities in jails nationwide, assisting nearly half a million detainees during the nine-month period, according to the chief public attorney.
Deputy Chief Ana Lisa Soriano said they also checks cases involving detainees who have not been arraigned within the period prescribed under the Speedy Trial Act and cases requiring the release of minors held in custody under Republic Act 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act of 2006.
From January to September 2026, a total of 57,284 PDLs were released on various legal grounds, according to PAO-National Capital Region director Revelyn Ramos-Dacpano, concurrent Executive Support Staff head.
Of these, 2,140 were released on recognizance after serving the minimum sentence, while 7,134 were released following the provisional dismissal of their cases. Ramos-Dacpano said.
“Another 1,932 were released because their preventive imprisonment equaled the maximum imposable penalty, although their cases remained pending,” she added.
PAO said it likewise recorded 12,369 releases following the complete service of sentence, when the cases had already been terminated, and 33,709 releases for other legal reasons.
