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Jean Mangaluz - Philstar.com
April 25, 2025 | 3:46pm
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attends the Armed Forces of the Philippines' 88th anniversary in Quezon City, December 21, 2023. The anniversary is anchored on the theme, “AFP@88: Rising over the Challenges in Service to the Nation.”
Presidential Communications Office
MANILA, Philippines — President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed into law a measure granting free legal assistance to military and uniformed personnel (MUP) who face any charges while performing their duties.
Marcos signed Republic Act 12177 or the Free Legal Assistance for Military and Uniformed Personnel Act.
Under the new law, the government is required to provide free legal assistance to military and uniformed personnel in criminal, civil, or administrative proceedings from service-related incidents.
The country’s MUP included personnel from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, Bureau of Fire Protection, Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, Philippine Coast Guard, Bureau of Corrections, Philippine National Police, and the Hydrography Branch of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority.
Personnel who have retired or honorably discharged may also be eligible for free legal assistance if the cases happened while they were still working.
Free legal assistance under the new law includes legal representation in civil, criminal, or administrative proceedings, legal advice or consultation , preparation of pleadings, court fees, and notarization of documents.
However, if there is a conflict of interest, the MUP will not be entitled to free legal assistance.
“Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, ‘conflict of interest’ as used in this Act shall refer to an instance where the handling by the legal office of a case will adversely affect the interest of the MUP concerned agency,” the law read.
The legal offices of the respective MUP agency will be the ones to decide if the case is related to the personnel’s line of duty.
The law mandated the heads of MUP agencies to submit to the Department of Budget and Management their respective organizational structure and staffing patterns based on the ratio of legal officers they have.
Legal fees will be charged against the budget allotment from the General Appropriations Act.
