A counsel de officio (counsel de oficio) is an attorney appointed by the court to defend an indigent defendant in a criminal action or to represent a destitute party in a case. The term connotes little or no other choice than the acceptance by the indigent party of whoever is appointed as his counsel and unless excused therefrom by the court, the discharge by the designated attorney of the duty to faithfully and conscientiously render effective legal assistance in favor of such party. (Agpalo, Legal and Judicial Ethics, p. 3)
