Persida Acosta Explained

Office:Chief of the Public Attorney's Office
Term Start:February 23, 2001
President:Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo
Benigno Aquino III
Bongbong Marcos
Education:University of the Philippines Diliman (DSD)
Harvard Kennedy School (SEF)
Birth Name:Persida Ventinura Rueda
Birth Date:19 August 1961[1]
Birth Place:Mariveles, Bataan, Philippines
Nationality:Filipino
Profession:Lawyer
Spouse:Benedicto Acosta[2]
Children:2

Persida V. Rueda-Acosta (born August 19, 1961) is a Filipina lawyer who currently serves as the chief of the Public Attorney's Office (PAO) since 2001.

Early career

Acosta was a professor at the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law as well as the University of the East, San Sebastian College, New Era University, and Bulacan State University.[3]

Public Attorney's Office (2001-present)

On February 23, 2001, then-President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo appointed Acosta to head the Public Attorney's Office. Since then, she served under the Aquino and Duterte administrations.

Controversies

In 2023, the Supreme Court issued a show cause order against Acosta after she criticized the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA).[4] After Acosta apologized, she issued an order for public attorney lawyers to follow the Supreme Court's new code of conduct.[5] The Supreme Court in an En banc judgment promulgated on February 28, 2024 fined Rueda-Acosta PHP 30,000 for indirect contempt of court and PHP 150,000 for grossly undignified conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice. PAO forensics expert Erwin Erfe was also fined PHP 10,000 for similar statements.[6]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Who's Who in Bataan – Persida Rueda Acosta . 1Bataan . January 26, 2016 . 3 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230829120739/https://1bataan.com/whos-who-in-bataan-persida-rueda-acosta/ . 29 August 2023.
  2. News: Baby E . Amy ina-absorb ang mga nasasagap na away . Pang-Masa . The Philippine Star . 5 April 2013 . fil.
  3. Web site: Profile of Chief Public Attorney Back Home . Public Attorney's Office . 3 October 2023.
  4. Web site: SC orders PAO chief to explain over public tirades . ABS-CBN News . 3 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230713002211/http://news.abs-cbn.com/video/news/07/13/23/sc-orders-pao-chief-to-explain-over-public-tirades . 13 July 2023.
  5. Web site: Bolledo . Jairo . Acosta apologizes to SC, orders PAO to follow code of conduct for lawyers . Rappler . July 14, 2023 . 3 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230715131801/https://www.rappler.com/newsbreak/inside-track/acosta-apology-supreme-court-orders-public-attorney-office-follow-code-conduct/ . 15 July 2023.
  6. News: Baroña . Franco . SC fines Acosta for indirect contempt of court. February 28, 2024 . The Manila Times. February 28, 2024.