Departmemt of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Menardo Guevarra took up the cudgels Friday for Public Attorney's Office (PAO) Chief Persida Acosta after her "nemesis" in the House of Representatives questioned the way the office has been doing its job.
During the DOJ's budget briefing before the House Committee on Appropriations, Iloilo 1st district representative and former Department of Health (DOH) secretary Janette Garin called Guevarra's attention on the alleged autopsies being conducted by PAO forensics chief Dr. Erwin Erfe, whom she described as unqualified for the task.
"My worry is, where are these being conducted? In the current pandemic, what if that person (autopsy subject) has COVID? Our protocol is to immediately cremate patients (of COVID)...because we want to protect the whole community," Garin told Guevarra.
She also reckoned that PAO, whose main mandate is to provide indigents with lawyers, shouldn't "waste funds on medical aspects" of cases since this can be done by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) or the Philippine National Police (PNP) crime laboratory.
"We have duly noted the concerns of Cong. Garin. Mr. Chair, in fairness to the PAO, I would like to say that this particular office has been doing its job fairly well, very well as a matter of fact. It has assisted so many people who does not have the capability to pay for their own lawyers in court," Guevarra said.
"As a matter of fact, I think the PAO is one of the offices under the DOJ whose budget allocation has been proposed or recommended to be increased precisely...in recognition (its) good work," he added, well aware that the House panel proceedings was about the agency's budget.
"I understand this is a kink, the matter of doing its own forensics...it's a kink in the functions of the PAO. But by and large, the totality of what the PAO has done, in my opinion, could be considered as very well, very satisfactory," Guevarra further said.
Efre's work has been important in the build up of cases that have to do with the deaths linked to anti-dengue fever vaccine Dengvaxia, which was administered on an estimated 900,000 school children during Garin's time as DOH secretary.
"I know Cong. Garin is one of the respondents being sued by the parents regarding Dengvaxia cases. That's why interesado siya na malaman kung ano mga nangyayari (That's why she's interested to know what's been happening)," said Acosta, who joined the briefing via Zoom.
Acosta defended Erfe by saying that he is a longtime fixture at PAO. "Siya po ay forensic consultant na inauthorize si Sec. Bongcodin way back 2004 or 16 years ago sa mga forensic and medico legal cases ng PAO (Sec. Bongcodin authorized him as a forensic consultant for PAO's forensic and medico legal cases way back 2004 or 16 years ago)."
Referring to Garin, Acosta said: "Matagal na po akong PAO chief, nagkikita po kami niyan, nagngingitian kami. Wala po akong masamang loob sa kanya. Bagkus , humihingi po ng hustisya ang mga magulang na namatayan (I've been PAO chief for a long time, we see each other and smile at each other. I have no ill feelings toward her. But the parents who lost their children are asking for justice)."
The outspoken lawyer at one point described the past use of Dengvaxia in the country as "mass indiscriminate vaccination before election." Garin promptly had this phrase stricken from the records.
In a rejoinder, the Ioilo lawmaker asked Guevarra look into the qualifications of the people behind PAO's forensic division.
"Will they qualify in the NBI forensic lab? Or even in the PNP crime laboratory? Because if not, then there is a problem and I believe your office should be resolving this issue. This is taxpayers' money," she told the DOJ chief.
"My point is, there can also be no abuse in spending just because you believe that a certain doctor is an expert but the Philippine Society of Pathologists, the PMA (Philippine Medical Association) and us doctors do not believe in his capability. At hindi po pwedeng nagdodoktor-doktoran yung isang abodago (Also, a lawyer can't be allowed to pretend to be doctor)," Garin said in an obvious jab at Acosta.