SEEING that no resolution from the Department of Budget and Management is forthcoming, the leadership of the Public Attorney’s Office has decided to seek the help of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. regarding its long-delayed request for equalization of salary grades of public attorneys and their counterpart prosecutors in the National Prosecution Service.
PAO Chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, however, made it clear that her agency’s request, if granted, would not benefit her but all its current senior officials and its future officials.
After she’s conferred with the Presidential Lingkod Bayan Award in 2004, Rueda-Acosta was automatically promoted by way of increase in salary rank equivalent to that of a department secretary or from salary grade 30 to salary grade 31.
Nonetheless, the request, submitted before DBM on Dec. 20, 2021, is being made to fully realize the spirit and legislative intent behind the provisions of Republic Act 9406 or the PAO Law, Rueda-Acosta said.
Also, to accord the next Chief Public Attorney and other PAO officials with a right that has accrued to the position being the counterparts of the Prosecutor General of NPS and other prosecutors, respectively.
“We at the PAO trust the President for his unwavering understanding of the needs of our office in providing quality public service to our clients and equalizing their standing in the judicial arena.”
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Ana Lisa Soriano cited a particular provision under PAO Law which mandates that the Chief Public Attorney shall have the same qualifications for appointment, rank, salaries, allowances, and retirement privileges as those of the Chief State Prosecutor of NPS and so the Deputy Chief Public Attorneys too.
Deputy Chief Public Attorney Erwin Erfe said that the DBM had denied its request in 2022 for the reason that the NPS Law was a later law than the PAO Law.
The DBM also wanted PAO to first solicit the official opinion/position of the Department of Justice on the issue.
“But we believe that the DOJ’s official opinion/position is unnecessary since PAO is an independent and autonomous office although attached to the DOJ but only for purposes of policy and program coordination,” he said.
Lastly, the PAO chief admitted that her agency’s request would entail a considerable amount of expenditure.
