Persida Acosta

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

[1] She was fourth among nine sibling with her father Florencio working as a mini-bus driver in Bataan and her mother Herminia was a dressmaker.

Despite this, Acosta became the legal counsel for Kian Delos Santos, a high-profile case of a teenage boy who was killed in an anti-drug police operation.

[5] After Acosta apologized, she issued an order for public attorney lawyers to follow the Supreme Court's new code of conduct.

PAO forensics expert Erwin Erfe was also fined PHP 10,000 for similar statements.

President Rodrigo Duterte awards to PAO Chief Acosta the Outstanding Individual for Government Service during the 18th anniversary celebration of Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption on August 29, 2016.