PARTNERSHIP FOR BOTS LEGIS. From left to right: Atty. Merchadel Capadocia, Head of the DOJ Action Center - Region X; Atty. Katrina Mordeno, President of IBP-Misamis Oriental Chapter; and Atty. Albert Daba III, Founder of Bots Legis. Supplied photo.
Artificial intelligence chatbot ‘Bots Legis’ has recently partnered with the Department of Justice Action Center Region X and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines - Misamis Oriental Chapter to provide free legal assistance in the midst of the pandemic.
“Since its inception in 2017, Bots Legis simply had automated responses that addressed common legal topics,” said Atty. Albert Daba III, founder of Bots Legis.
“With this innovative partnership, Bots Legis can now refer complex problems to our partners in the DOJ - Action Center Region X and IBP Misamis Oriental Chapter,” he added.
The public can take advantage of this innovation as they can now either get instant responses from the chatbot or confer with a lawyer online to discuss their specific legal concerns.
“Bots Legis has no feature at the moment about domestic abuses and on more complicated questions on labor law, so those and other topics outside the Bots Legis features will be referred to our partners,” Daba shared.
“The advice will still be given on the chatbox, but sometimes, the lawyers will also call and advise the user on the merits of the case and discuss their legal options,” he added.
Bots Legis informs users about legal processes with pre-programmed contents made in consultation with lawyers, judges, and clerks of court.
The chatbot features include legal information about Money Claims, Retrenchment, Consumer Complaints, Birth Certificate Correction, and Libel.
"The tough times, brought about by the pandemic, have made the call for legal aid even more wanting in any form or platform,” said Atty. Merchadel Capadocia, Head of the DOJ Action Center - Region X.
“This collaboration with Bots Legis through the IBP - Misamis Oriental is the first step of many towards innovation pursuant to the changing times in providing legal services at one's doorstep,” Capadocia added.
Atty. Katrina Mordeno, President of IBP-Misamis Oriental Chapter, also hopes that this collaboration with the Department of Justice Action Center - Region X and Bots Legis will set the tone for legal aid across the country.
“The Chapter is always on the lookout for innovative solutions that would allow it to better render legal aid, notwithstanding the constraints of our community quarantines and the physical limitations of all our social interactions,” Mordeno said.
Daba initiated the creation of Bots Legis in 2017 while he was studying law at Xavier University - Ateneo de Cagayan.
Bots Legis has evolved from being a first-level artificial intelligence chatbot that guides users through a textual dialog system to conducting legal webinars and workshops.
Daba shared that they have an upcoming labor law webinar on July 24 and 25, in partnership with the Xavier University Center for Legal Assistance (XUCLA) and the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (YSEALI) meant to educate employees on their labor rights during this pandemic.
Accessing the chatbot has also been made easier as users can simply search "Bots Legis" on Facebook Messenger or type in www.m.me/Botslegis on the browser.
