Paraffin test is unreliable | The Manila Times
Dear PAO, My brother was shot by Mark. Luckily, he survived the attack. The only pieces of evidence we have against Mark are the CCTV footage from the crime scene and the paraffin test conducted by the police. The investigator informed me that the paraffin test yielded a negative result, and he seemed concerned when […]
Will done via video recording
Dear PAO, My husband died three years ago without leaving a written last will and testament. However, years before his death, he made a video recording expressing how he wished the business we had established two years ago before our marriage would be bequeathed. Can this video recording be considered his last will and testament, […]
Presence of defendant but absence of his lawyer during pre-trial
Dear PAO, I just want to inquire on behalf of my friend’s father. He is a defendant in a civil case, but his lawyer is currently in the hospital. He was informed of the date of the pre-trial hearing, and he plans to attend, but he is unsure if his lawyer will be able to […]
Can obedience be considered as an exempting circumstance for charges of dishonesty in work dismissal cases?
Dear PAO, Some of my colleagues were charged with serious misconduct for allegedly falsifying their time cards. From what we know, one of the reasons for the alleged falsification was due to my co-employees’ obedience to our superior instructing them to go to various places to accompany the latter in his private affairs. Having said […]
Prohibition on information disclosure on communicable diseases
Dear PAO, I have been closely monitoring recent news about the diseases affecting our country. I am curious why the identities of the infected patients are not being disclosed. Perhaps it would greatly help the contact tracing of other possible close contacts if the identities of the patients are published. Is it legal to disclose […]
Public ridicule against persons with disabilities
Dear PAO, I was at the airport last week and witnessed a male passenger ridiculing a co-passenger who is a person with disability (PWD). The male passenger mocked how the PWD walked and laughed loudly with his friends. Everyone noticed, and the PWD quietly walked away, visibly ashamed. Isn’t this illegal? Mokie Dear Mokie, Persons […]
Burning of solid waste within own property is illegal
Dear PAO, Our neighbor keeps on burning their garbage in their backyard. When I confronted them about it, they said that it is allowed because they only burn within their property. Are they correct? Please help me be clarified. Thank you. Christine P Dear Christine P, As early as 2000, the Philippine government crafted policies […]
Excluded from absolute community of property
Dear PAO, My mom and dad got married in 2000, but unfortunately, my mom died in 2020. Recently, my dad talked to me and to my siblings, asking for our blessing because he wants to re-marry. I have no issue if he marries again. My only reservation is its possible effect on the properties obtained […]
Effects of legal separation | The Manila Times
Dear PAO, Josh and I got married in 2019. At first, we had a happy marriage. However, when he lost his job during the pandemic, he became an alcoholic and violent. Whenever his demands weren’t met, he would punch, kick, and even hit me with a stool. I researched and discovered that I could file […]
Adverse claim as remedy if landowner refuses to surrender certificate of title
Dear PAO, I bought a 500-square-meter lot in Bulacan for P500,000. The seller and I executed a deed of conditional sale, and we agreed that once I paid the full purchase price, he would surrender the Transfer Certificate of Title (TCT) of the land so that I could register it with the Register of Deeds. […]