MANDATE
The PAO shall be an independent and autonomous office, but attached to the Department of Justice in accordance with Section 38(3), Chapter 7 of Book IV of this Code for purposes of policy and program coordination.
The PAO shall be the principal law office of the Government in extending free legal assistance to indigent persons in criminal, civil, labor, administrative and other quasi-judicial cases.
POWERS and FUNCTIONS
The PAO shall independently discharge its mandate to render, free of charge, legal representation, assistance, and counselling to indigent persons in criminal, civil, labor, administrative and other quasi-judicial cases. In the exigency of the service, the PAO may be called upon by proper government authorities to render such service to other persons, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations.