By Cherry Joy D. Garma
PIA
LAOAG CITY—Students and teachers of
the Northwestern University-College of Law (NU-COL) took a break from their
classes and provided free legal services at Brgy. San Jose, this city, here to
keep the community abreast with the laws and how the legal processes currently
work.
Aware that the community lacks
knowledge about the law and legal processes, retired public prosecutor now NWU
law dean Manuel Aurelio said the extension program aims to help the public
raise awareness on their rights and provide them with legal advice.
“There are people who cannot avail
of the services of a lawyer because they lack money. The College of Law with
the faculty are here to share our knowledge and help them with their legal
queries for free,” said Mr. Aurelio.
Sets of topic that were discussed
during the legal clinic were land ownership, basics in criminal procedure,
labor problems, domestic violations and governing procedures in small claims
for loans and real estate taxation.
“Land ownership is among the most
common problems among relatives that needed to be addressed and clarified
because it causes dispute between families,” Mr. Aurelio added.
He said a government agency offers
free legal services to poor clients through the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO).
“There is a misconception of the
public that if you lack money, you are incapable of having a lawyer thus they
are afraid to file for a case. But there is PAO which offers free services and
the public prosecutors are more than capable in handling their cases,” Mr.
Aurelio explained.
Noting the legal philosophy that
“those who have less in life, should have more in law,” NU President Ferdinand
Nicolas, also a lawyer, encouraged law students to share their knowledge with
the public.
“For the law students, I advised you
to share your knowledge to the public so that they will be empowered and have
the strong will to fight for their rights,” Mr. Nicolas said.
Among the lawyers who provided free
legal advice to residents are Mr. Aurelio and provincial prosecutor Edmund
Turqueza.
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