When mental illness negates criminal liability
Dear PAO, I saw in the news a case involving a mother who was suffering from schizophrenia. She jumped off a bridge with her daughter. The mother survived, but the daughter drowned and died. My question is, can a parent who is suffering from a mental illness be absolved from criminal liability if he or […]
The Anti-Bomb Joke Law | The Manila Times
Dear PAO, I often hear news of passengers getting offloaded from flights for making bomb-related remarks, either on-board the aircraft or while undergoing routine security inspection. Beyond getting offloaded from their flights, however, I wonder if the passengers who are caught making bomb jokes actually face arrest and if so, for what crime? Bam Dear […]
Prohibition on workplace discrimination | The Manila Times
Dear PAO, I am seeking your legal advice about my friend’s predicament. Sometime in January 2026, he underwent a routine company health check-up and was diagnosed as HIV positive. Upon learning of the medical findings, his employer sent him a notice informing him of his termination due to possible adverse effects to his fellow employees. […]
A father’s right to custody
Dear PAO, I am a father separated from my ex for five years. We have a child living with her parents. I give 30 percent of my earnings for support — food, school, everything. I never missed a payment. But my ex controls all contact. I can only message or see my child on birthdays, […]
Intrinsic validity of a will
Dear PAO, My father, who recently died, was an American citizen who had been living in the Philippines for the past 15 years. When he died, he named both me and my mother, in his will, as the sole heirs to his properties in the Philippines. The problem is, my dad had a wife and […]
Employee not enrolled by employer with the SSS
Dear PAO, I have been employed with a private company for six years. Last February 2026, I had an accident that required a major surgery. I notified my employer that I would like to claim from the SSS, but they did not entertain my request. Therefore, I instructed my wife to file my claim directly […]
Filing a cyberlibel case against an OFW
Dear PAO, I currently have a relationship with a married man, who I met at the nightclub that I dance at. I know that this is wrong, but I truly do love him, especially since he takes care of my kids from my previous relationships and former club regulars. Unfortunately, the wife of my current […]
Sidewalks and movable obstructions | The Manila Times
Dear PAO, My neighbor is using the sidewalk for his fish ball cart, which is attached to a motorcycle. On multiple occasions, it has indirectly led to accidents because the pedestrians were forced to walk in the middle of the road to avoid the cart. My neighbor asserts that what he is doing is legal […]
May a public employee be dismissed outright for being found positive with illegal drugs?
Dear PAO, Last December 2025, my husband and his friends were apprehended for alleged use of prohibited drugs. He was, then, charged with the violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002, but the same was dismissed. As he is a government employee, he was also administratively charged with grave […]
Legal remedies for an aggrieved party in case a party-in-default fails to comply with the terms of a compromise agreement
Dear PAO, Out of pity, I extended a loan to my neighbor amounting to one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00). She promised to pay me back after six (6) months. However, a year has passed, and she never paid a cent. Thus, I brought a complaint before our barangay, and we executed a compromise agreement wherein […]