Ombudsman also has jurisdiction over misconduct of barangay official
Dear PAO, My mom believes that the barangay chairperson abused his power when he forcibly evicted her from a disputed property situated in our barangay. She filed a complaint before the barangay, but nothing happened. They also refused to issue a certification that would allow her to proceed with filing her complaint in the appropriate […]
A co-owner cannot be forced to sell his share in a co-ownership
Dear PAO, I am one of the heirs of our late parents, who left behind a parcel of land. Among all the heirs, only one has expressed his refusal to sell the property. As a result of this refusal, no sale has taken place. I would like to inquire: does he have the legal right […]
Credit card ‘pakaskas’ scheme’s risk and recourse
Dear PAO, Six months ago, I started a ‘pakaskas’ business using my credit cards, where I let other people swipe my cards for their purchases, usually on an installment basis, for a fee. It seemed promising at first because aside from the standard fee that I charge from every transaction, I am also able to […]
Contract of Service worker is not considered a government employee
Dear PAO, I am a Contract of Service worker in the government. My superior informed me that my contract will not be renewed next year. I have been connected with this agency for 10 years now. May I know if my contract can be terminated without any cause? If my services are terminated, will I […]
Effect of unnotarized deed of extrajudicial settlement of the estate
Dear PAO, My parents died in an accident two years ago. I returned from the United States a month ago and discovered that my siblings had signed an Extrajudicial Settlement of the Estate (EJS) of my deceased parents to which I was not a signatory. It was also not notarized. I am the youngest of […]
Naturalization for a foreigner married to a Filipina
Dear PAO,I have a question regarding my spouse, who is French. We met while he was on vacation in Siargao last year. Our relationship went well, and eventually, we decided to get married here in Manila on June 14, 2024. He now wishes to live in our country because he says he sees his future […]
Shortchanging of consumers is prohibited
Dear PAO, We do our weekly supply run at a small grocery store near our house. However, we’ve noticed that if the change is less than one peso, the cashier would sometimes reason out that they do not have available coins for change. Occasionally, they would give us candies instead if the change is less […]
RA 11596 bans Islamic child marriages
Dear PAO, I have read in the newspapers that we now have a law which prohibits child marriages. Is the law applicable to child marriages solemnized under the Islamic law? Ali Dear Ali, Yes, the law prohibiting child marriages within the Philippines is applicable to Islamic marriages. Get the latest news delivered to your inbox […]
What is a nuisance per se?
Dear PAO, In order to earn extra income, I built a barber shop which occupied a portion of the sidewalk. When my business boomed, a barangay official approached me and said that my shop was a nuisance and it should be transferred inside the premises of my land. He mentioned that residents are already complaining […]
Maceda Law also applies to commercial lot sold on installments
Dear PAO, Jean and I agreed that she will buy my lot classified as commercial. She paid the down payment of the price agreed upon and the remaining balance will be paid in equal monthly installments for three years. She religiously paid for a year until she missed payment for five months. I already sent […]