HE has all the liberty to work abroad and amass wealth as a result but his patriotic mind tells him to stay put and be in public service instead regardless of low pay and benefits he’d get.
A doctor and lawyer, Erwin ‘Jojo’ Erfe, current director of the Forensics Laboratory Division of the Public Attorney’s Office, was a United States Medical Licensure Examination passer in 1995 and a Certified Forensic Physician in the US since 2009.
These were good enough for a person like Erfe to take advantage with to practice his professions in the US and enrich himself but he chose public service when he decided to join the government in 2004 to help PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta who equally has been recognized by various sectors and award-giving bodies for her unselfish dedication in serving millions of indigent Filipinos.
Just named by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. as Rueda-Acosta’s deputy chief, Erfe said his appointment to a full time government post is not only a turning point in his career in public service.
“But it’s also a confirmation that serving the poor and marginalized for the past 20 years had been a most fulfilling vocation.”
Humbled by the trust and confidence bestowed by the President, Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and PAO chief Persida Rueda-Acosta, Atty. Erfe replaced Atty. Silvestre Mosing who’s retired from public service.
Under his leadership, PAO’s forensic team was able to render 22,972 medical and forensic services from 2018 to 2022.
“Evidently, with his competent stewardship of PAO-FLD and compassion for the indigent, marginalized, and helpless clients of PAO, forensic science has become an accessible and effective tool in attaining justice for the poor,” said the chief public attorney as she welcomed him to his new PAO post.
Atty. Erfe was the co-author of the book/document: Death on the Tarmac/ Forensic Analysis of the Assassination of Senator Benigno Aquino Jr., The Manila Times Publishing Corp., Manila, August 2009.
The forensic analysis resulted in the exoneration, granting of executive clemency and eventual release of the 12 soldiers who were incarcerated for 26 years.
The same forensic analysis confirmed the pronouncement of former President Ferdinand Marcos Sr. that Rolando Galman was the assassin and not Sgt. Rogelio Moreno.
May your tribe multiply Atty/Doc Jojo!
