Premarital sexual relations between single adults are not immoral
Dear PAO, After passing the licensure examination for teachers, I secured a job as a high school teacher in a private school run by a religious organization. As a single individual, I developed an intimate relationship with my boyfriend, who is also single. In the course of our relationship, I became pregnant. After informing the […]
Baptismal certificate is not sufficient to prove filiation
Dear PAO, I have a question regarding the use of my baptismal certificate, which indicates the name of my deceased father. Can I use it to prove filiation? Aside from my baptismal certificate, I don’t have any other document to prove my filiation to him. Can you enlighten me on this matter? Hazel Dear Hazel, […]
Recognition of decree of foreign divorce
Dear PAO, I was married to an American citizen for 10 years. Thereafter, he decided to obtain a decree of an absolute divorce in the US. After it was granted, my ex-husband married another woman in the US. May I legally remarry here in the Philippines, even if an absolute divorce decree was issued by […]
Validity of a post-employment restriction
Dear PAO, I am working in an accounting firm. We have a prohibition in our contract that prevents us from working in other accounting firms for one year after our resignation. If we breach this contract provision, our benefits will be forfeited, and we will not be issued a certificate of employment. Is this prohibition […]
Remedies of registered owner of land in expropriation
Dear PAO, My family owns a land situated in the province and this has been occupied by a government agency for a long time. During his last days, my father expressed his wish that payment for the said land be collected from the government. I have coordinated with the concerned government agency regarding the payment; […]
Use of force, violence or intimidation is not proper, even by an owner
Dear PAO, Our family has been occupying a piece of land since 1994. Our occupancy is based on the fact that we bought the land from an individual who claimed to have the mother title. We have a deed of sale. Recently, another individual appeared, demanding that we vacate the property, claiming that he is […]
Delivery rider of online e-commerce platforms is considered an employee
Dear PAO, A friend worked as a delivery rider for an online shopping website that also offers free delivery of its products. The online company directly hired my friend, and his supervisor assigned the pickup and drop-off of the packages, including the number of packages to be delivered. A daily delivery route was also given […]
Tests to determine the validity of entrapment
Dear PAO, I am a police officer assigned at our station’s drug enforcement unit. In order to help curtail the continued proliferation of illegal drugs in our area of responsibility, our chief of police ordered us to plan an entrapment operation. Are there any guidelines to ensure that our entrapment operation is valid and within […]
Stealing government apparatus may be penalized with imprisonment
Dear PAO, My cousin’s live-in partner is being investigated for allegedly stealing an apparatus, which is supposedly part of the government’s risk reduction equipment used for weather monitoring. My cousin was informed that her live-in partner can be incarcerated for at least twelve years. Is this true, even if the stolen items are just small […]
Res gestae vs admission against interest
Dear PAO,While hanging out outside our house, I overheard our neighbors fighting. A few minutes later, I saw the wife rushing towards me, and asked for help, saying: “Kuya, tulungan n’yo po ako. Nasaksak ko asawa ko. Di ko sinasadya (I stabbed my husband. It was an accident).” Without hesitation, I proceeded to extend help. […]