President Marcos has appointed lawyer and medical doctor Erwin Erfe as the new deputy chief public attorney of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), Malacañang confirmed late Tuesday, April 2.

Communications Secretary Cheloy Garafil confirmed this after PAO chief Persida Ruesta-Acosta announced Erfe’s promotion and posted his appointment paper on X.

Marcos signed Erfe's appointment paper on March 27, replacing former PAO deputy chief public attorney Silvestre Mosing.

Erfe previously served as PAO forensic laboratory head.

In February, the Supreme Court (SC) En Banc found Erfe guilty of indirect contempt of court after he accused the Court of judicial tyranny in his now-deleted Facebook post.

"The Court found that Atty. Erfe’s remark was without any basis in fact or law. Thus, it fell outside the ambit of fair criticism," the SC said.

"It was calculated to impair public confidence in the Court and degrade the administration of justice," it added.

Erfe has already submitted to the Court his Most Humble Apology, explaining that the Facebook post was driven by his emotions after learning about the SC resolution dated July 11, 2023, denying PAO’s request to delete Section 22, Canon III of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA).

He has also acknowledged understanding the rationale behind Section 22, Canon III, and conveyed his intention to fully comply with the said provision.

Considering Erfe’s remorse, the SC imposed a fine of P10,000.00 for indirect contempt of court and warned that a similar offense would be dealt with more severely.

In 2018, Erfe and Acosta were accused of manufacturing evidence of an alleged Dengvaxia vaccine recipient and “spreading hysteria” with media pronouncements. The Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the criminal and administrative complaints filed against the two public attorneys in 2021.