PAO can't notarize CoCs, bets told

PUBLIC Attorney's Office (PAO) chief Persida Rueda-Acosta on Monday reminded candidates for the 2025 elections that the agency is not the venue for notary services for their certificates of candidacy (CoCs). "PAO is a nonpolitical and nonpartisan agency of the government," Rueda-Acosta told The Manila Times. Deputy Chief Erwin Erfe, in a separate interview, cited PAO's revised operations manual which prohibits public attorneys and other PAO personnel from providing legal services to candidates. "It was very clear on Article 7, Chapter II of Revised PAO Operations Manual that we, as public attorneys, are not allowed to extend whatever legal services to any candidates that are related to the political exercise," Erfe said. He was referring to the notary services for the authorization letter or special power of attorney intended for the filing of CoC. Both Rueda-Acosta and Erfe reiterated that the agency's attorneys are prohibited from providing notary services for CoCs. The move was made in order to discourage candidates from seeking PAO's services, as was the practice in the past.