Lawyer groups empower female inmates through legal aid in Mandaue

Photo: Mary Rose Sagarino

MANDAUE CITY, Cebu – In celebration of International Women’s Month, two prominent lawyer groups organized the Womanity Behind Bars outreach program at the Mandaue City Jail Female Dormitory on Friday, March 14.

The Cebu Lady Lawyers Association, Inc. (CELLA) and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Cebu City Chapter collaborated on the initiative, distributing dignity kits and food packs to 94 Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs).

A private eye clinic also provided free checkups and eyeglasses to the inmates.

The program also featured the Humanity Behind Bars: Access to Justice Legal Aid and Developmental Aid session, which introduced the PDL Data Management System and the PDL Paralegal Competency Training (Session 1). Conducted by the University of San Carlos School of Law and Governance (USC SOLG) in partnership with the IBP Cebu City CLEP Academy, the training aims to equip PDLs with the necessary skills to assist in their legal defense.

“Today, we are training them not to rely solely on lawyers but to become paralegals themselves. They will learn how to file their cases, gather defenses, and compile necessary documents. We, the lawyers, will then review and defend them promptly,” said Atty. Regal Oliva, former president of both CELLA and the IBP Cebu City Chapter, as well as former Mandaue City Treasurer.

The event was spearheaded by Oliva and Atty. Grace Hermosa Casano, CELLA President and Executive Director for Legal Aid at the IBP Cebu City Chapter.

“There is humanity behind bars—that’s the concept of this initiative. Our goal is to speed up the cases of PDLs so they can regain their freedom sooner,” said Atty. Oliva.

Oliva further emphasized the program’s impact, noting that some PDLs have been incarcerated for over 11 years, even though their sentences were only seven years. This happened because they lacked legal representation.

With IBP’s modernization and the PDL management system, case tracking has become more effective. The system can directly alert judges about overstaying inmates, and with the support of the Supreme Court, efforts are being made to expedite case resolutions.

Oliva added that if a PDL’s lawyer fails to follow up on their case, IBP steps in to ensure progress, even taking on cases pro bono if necessary.

Humanity Behind Bars was first launched in 2020 during Oliva’s presidency, initially implemented in both the female and male dormitories at Cebu City Jail. The program was later extended to Mandaue City Jail, benefiting 30 PDLs from the female dormitory and 75 from the male dormitory.

While the program aims to assist inmates, Oliva clarified that there are limitations depending on the severity of the case and sentence.

Atty. Hermosa Casano emphasized that the initiative is a collaborative effort involving correctional institutions, parole offices, the city government, and the community.

“The ultimate goal of our justice system is not just to punish those who have committed crimes but also to help reintegrate them into society as responsible members,” said Hermosa-Casano.

In the past two years, the initiative has led to the release of 1,856 PDLs. With the Supreme Court now recognizing and supporting the program, plans are underway to expand it to other jail facilities across the country.

Aside from legal support, the Alternative Learning System (ALS) of the Department of Education was also integrated into the Mandaue City Jail to help those who have missed out on formal schooling. Also present during the event were Mandaue City Jail Female Dormitory officials and some government representatives.

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