Free Legal Assistance Group

The Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) is a nationwide organization of human rights lawyers in the Philippines.[1][2] It was founded in 1974 by Sen. Jose W. Diokno,[1] Lorenzo Tañada[3] and Joker Arroyo[4] during the martial law era under former President Ferdinand Marcos.[5] It is the first and largest group of human rights lawyers established in the nation.[6] They work on countering varied abuses of human rights and civil liberties. Its current chairman is human rights attorney Chel Diokno,[7] the founding dean of the De La Salle University Tañada-Diokno College of Law. Among their lawyers is former Supreme Court spokesman[8] Theodore Te, currently representing Maria Ressa in her cyberlibel case.[9]

FLAG
FLAG in the 1980s
Founded1974
FoundersJose W. Diokno
Lorenzo M. Tañada
HeadquartersSanidad Law Office, Eastside Building, 77 Malakas Street, Brgy. Pinyahan, Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines
Fieldshuman rights, legal representation, legal advice
Key people
Chel Diokno (Chairperson)
WebsiteFLAG Namati Website

Founding and martial law era work
Main article: Human rights abuses of the Marcos dictatorship
FLAG Atty. Chel Diokno (rightmost) and Former Senator Wigberto Tañada (leftmost), alongside former Senator Nene Pimentel (center), at the 2018 Honoring of Martyrs and Heroes at the Bantayog ng mga Bayani on 30 November 2018
FLAG chairman Dean Diokno
See also: Human rights in the Philippines

FLAG was founded in 1974 by Sen. Jose W. Diokno,[10] Sen. Lorenzo M. Tañada[11] and Atty. Joker Arroyo[12] - two years after the 1972 proclamation of Martial law under Ferdinand Marcos. Diokno had conceived the law firm right after being released from 718 days as the Marcos administration's political prisoner,[13] as a means of supporting human rights victims through a new and innovative method called developmental legal aid.

During the dictatorship, FLAG defended farmers, similar victims of agrarian reform, and activists who were victims of paramilitary abuses, with Diokno noted to have helped even further by giving allowances to clients without any financial means.[14] Most cases at this time regarding human rights abuses were handled by FLAG, in coordination with smaller groups such as the Task Force Detainees of the Philippines. Human Rights Primers were also an integral aspect of the advocacy of human rights that FLAG initiated in the Philippines.[15]

FLAG's activities sometimes placed lawyers working with them at risk. Among the FLAG lawyers murdered during the dictatorship[16] were Zorro Aguilar, Romraflo Taojo, and Crisostomo Cailing, all of whom have since been honored by having their names inscribed on the wall of remembrance at the Philippines' Bantayog ng mga Bayani, which honors the martyrs and heroes who fought against the Marcos' authoritarian rule.[17]

Recent history

Among the recent advocacies of FLAG in recent years has been to help stem the tide of Extra-Judicial Killings linked to the Philippine drug war.[18] There have also been cases linked to the libel case of Maria Ressa, as well as the case on the Anti-Terror Law of 2020.[19]

Notable members
Ted Te with Maria Ressa

See also

References
  1. "Heroes and Martyrs: Diokno, Jose W." Bantayog ng mga Bayani. October 15, 2015. Archived from the original on August 5, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  2. Medina, Marielle (February 21, 2017). "IN THE KNOW: FLAG". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on February 24, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  3. Clarke, Gerard (May 17, 2006). The Politics of NGOs in Southeast Asia: Participation and Protest in the Philippines. Routledge. pp. 168–169, 173. ISBN 978-1-134-69535-5.
  4. "Remembering Joker Arroyo". Philippine Daily Inquirer. October 7, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2019.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. Francisco, Katerina (February 20, 2017). "Meet Lascañas' battle-tested FLAG lawyers". Rappler. Retrieved June 18, 2020. Founded in 1974 by the late senators Jose W. Diokno, Lorenzo Tañada Sr., and Joker Arroyo, FLAG provided free legal services to victims of martial law during the Marcos years.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. "Faculty List". Retrieved March 21, 2022.
  7. Chiu, Patricia Denise M. "Unique killings, same language, lawyers say of drug war reports". Philippine Daily Inquirer. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
  8. Buan, Lian (September 3, 2018). "Spokesman Ted Te resigns from Supreme Court". Rappler. Retrieved June 18, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. "Court convicts Rappler CEO Ressa in cyberlibel case". CNN Philippines. June 15, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. "DIOKNO, Jose W." October 15, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  11. Clarke, Gerard (May 17, 2006). The Politics of NGOs in Southeast Asia: Participation and Protest in the Philippines. Routledge. pp. 168–169, 173. ISBN 978-1-134-69535-5.
  12. "Remembering Joker Arroyo". Philippine Daily Inquirer. October 7, 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  13. "Xiao Time: Adbokasiya ng abugadong si Jose W. Diokno". February 26, 2013.
  14. "A Survey of Private Legal Practitioners to Monitor Access to Justice by the Disadvantaged" (PDF). Retrieved October 15, 2020.
  15. "Diokno, Jose W."
  16. Margolick, David; Times, Special To the New York (July 11, 1985). "BAR GROUP ASSAILS PHILIPPINES AS ABUSING LAWYERS (Published 1985)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on May 24, 2015. Retrieved February 8, 2021.
  17. "Martyrs & Heroes".
  18. Weiss, Brennan. "The lawyers on the front line of Duterte's drug war". Al Jazeera. Archived from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved October 30, 2021.
  19. Patag, Kristine Joy (December 10, 2021). "Future 'scary and depressing' with SC upholding anti-terrorism law — lawyers".
  20. "WHY LAWYERS MATTER - MARVIC LEONEN". November 18, 2013.
  21. "Activists to campaign for freer Myanmar". March 16, 2008. Retrieved July 31, 2021.
  22. "Senator Francis Pangilinan". 2021.
  23. Torres-Tupas, Tetch. "Top lawyers revive old group to fight Duterte policies".
  24. "Lawyers' group denounces raps against members". ABS-CBN News. July 20, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  25. Buan, Lian (February 26, 2019). "Dismiss cyber libel case vs Maria Ressa, Rappler – Te, FLAG".
  26. "MARTYRS AND HEROES: Yorac, Haydee B." Bantayog ng mga Bayani. January 18, 2017. Archived from the original on December 29, 2017. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
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