A stronger bid for the reimposition of the death penalty should be expected in the next Congress as a result of the approval by President Arroyo of the Free Legal Assistance Act of 2010.

Quezon City Rep. Matias Defensor, chairman of the House Committee on Justice, said the enactment of the bill that was pursued by his panel has given anti-crime advocates a new and strong argument to seek the revival of capital punishment in the country.

Defensor said that he would either file or support a bill to amend the law prohibiting lethal injection and similar forms of penalties in the country’s penalty code.

“With RA 9999, the poor may now avail themselves of the services of the best legal practitioners in the country,” said Defensor.

He added that aside from RA 9999, the President had also approved into law a measure that strengthened the capability of the Public Attorney’s Office to recruit “brilliant lawyers” by increasing the salaries of public defenders.

According to Defensor, the new law promotes the noble idea of granting lawyers and law firms tax incentives for rendering free legal assistance to indigent litigants.

Aside from Defensor, other authors of the measure included Reps. Edgar Chatto (Lakas-Kampi-CMD, Bohol); Elpidio Barzaga (Lakas-Kampi-CMD, Cavite); Rufus Rodriguez (PMP, Cagayan de Oro City) and Giorgidi Aggabao (NPC, Isabela).

Chief Public Attorney Persida V. Rueda-Acosta said the new laws approved by Arroyo give PAO additional authority to handle new cases of indigent litigants.

She revealed that delinquent credit card holders and police officers facing charges in court may now be entitled to free legal assistance offered by the government.

She added that Republic Act 9406 also provides for the revision of the indigency test by which PAO will determine beneficiaries of free legal aid.

Under the revised indigency test, persons living in Metro Manila and earn a monthly net income of P14,000 are qualified clients of PAO.

Those earning P13,000 monthly and resident in cities other than Metro Manila while the rest who earn P12,000 net monthly are also qualified to free legal services, said Acosta.

According to Acosta, PAO practically handles at least 80 percent of all criminal cases pending in various courts of the country.