The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Quezon City Chapter have signed an agreement to expand free legal assistance for marginalized sectors, including individuals seeking drug rehabilitation.
The memorandum of agreement was signed on June 1 at the PDEA Main Conference Room in Quezon City, strengthening cooperation between the government’s anti-drug agency and the legal sector in providing public service.
Under the partnership, PDEA lawyers will coordinate with IBP Quezon City to provide pro bono legal consultation, assistance, and representation to qualified individuals in need of legal guidance.
The initiative is anchored on the Supreme Court’s Rules on Unified Legal Aid Service, which requires lawyers to render pro bono services for marginalized sectors.
The agreement also covers legal aid missions, visits to rehabilitation centers, barangay caravans, and information drives on the dangers of illegal drugs and Republic Act No. 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002.
PDEA said the partnership supports a rights-based and people-centered approach to the anti-illegal drug campaign by improving access to justice, strengthening rehabilitation efforts, and building stronger community trust.
PDEA Director General Undersecretary Isagani Nerez and IBP Quezon City Chapter President Atty. Rowell Ilagan led the signing, along with other officials from both institutions.