The Diocese of Kalookan has launched a legal aid ministry to help poor Filipinos gain access to the country’s courts, saying too many are left to face criminal charges without lawyers, bail money, or even a clear understanding of their rights.

Cardinal Pablo Virgilio David, the bishop of the diocese, said the Access to Justice Ministry will rely on volunteer lawyers and paralegals to provide free legal assistance. He urged public attorneys to lend their support, noting how frequently the poor are left to navigate the justice system on their own.

“I know many good lawyers who feel heartbroken when their clients say, ‘Attorney, I’ll just plead guilty. I can’t afford bail or a long trial,’” David said. “It breaks your heart to hear the poor say, ‘What choice do we have?’”

David said the diocese was moved to act after the arrest of Jayson Dela Rosa, a local resident accused of theft and later charged with illegal gambling. The cardinal accompanied him in filing an administrative case before the National Police Commission against three officers involved in his detention, saying the episode reflected the larger pattern of abuse faced by the poor.

The diocese said its new ministry seeks to counter those systemic inequities by ensuring that the powerless can challenge abusive practices in court. “Timely and compassionate legal aid” is the goal, church officials said, with volunteer legal professionals mobilized to provide services often out of reach for the most vulnerable.

The need for such protection was made even more stark earlier this month, when Dion Angelo Dela Rosa, Jayson’s 17-year-old son and an altar server, died after contracting leptospirosis. He had waded through floodwaters in search of his father, unaware he was being held by police.

Cardinal David added that the tragedy illustrated the steep price families often pay at the intersection of poverty and injustice, and underscored the urgency of defending those who have no means to defend themselves.