Before the Regional Trial Court or Second Level Court was established as we know it today, there was the Court of First Instance. Before the Metropolitan Trial Court, Municipal Trial Court, Municipal Circuit Trial Court or First Level...

MANILA, Philippines—The Judiciary mourns the passing of retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Jose Perez.The high court did not disclose the reason for his death.Associate Justice Marvic Leonen, in a post on social media, said: “My condolences to the family and friends of Just...

The Supreme Court is talking with the national government to include in the list of eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations those approved to take the coming 2020/2021 Bar Examinations. The Bar Exams will be held physically in various local sites this November."We are working with the Inter-Age...

MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court (SC) yesterday ordered the late Herminio Disini, an associate of the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos, to pay the government P1 billion in temperate damage and P1 million in exemplary damages for his role in the awarding of the $2.2-billion Bataan Nuclear P...

To some lawyers, the taking of a deposition is of minimum legal value. Why take a deposition when the deponent is expected to evade the questions or simply deny material and relevant facts within his knowledge? This was the question I received more than a decade...

How should we enforce the July 12, 2016 Arbitral Award (AA) vis-à-vis China’s intractable claim of ownership and sovereignty over almost the entire South China Sea (SCS) including our exclusive economic zone (EEZ)?My short answer: Stick to the rule of law. As a professor of public inter...

Dear PAO,I am in my 50s, and I am presently looking for work. I am just wondering if companies can require me to declare my age or birth date in my application process.NinoDear Nino,The law that is relevant to your concern is Section 4 (a) (2) of Republic Act (RA). 109...

Despite his reelection defeat, Donald Trump continues to rabble-rouse his anti-black, anti-Asian, anti-migrant, and anti-establishment Republican diehards and riotous partisans, jeopardizing two centuries of American struggle for social, racial, gender, and political e...

After learning of the outright denial of the motions to inhibit Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen (taken up in this space last Sunday), many asked, “To complete the story, what is the status of the election protest filed on June 29, 2016 by former senator Bongbong Marcos against VP Leni Robredo in the ...

Dear PAO, I recently bought a new car from a reputable bank-partnered dealer. I know that the cars from this dealer were bank foreclosed properties. Nonetheless, it is worth noting that the cars were being advertised as “good as brand new.” A week ago, I felt some problems with my newly bought ...

Dear PAO, Is an admission of a suspect or an accused before a media personnel admissible in our courts in the event that his/her case will be elevated to such tribunal? I remember from my Philippine Constitution class in college that the accused has certain rights such as the right to a counsel and...

MANILA, Philippines — A lawyer fatally shot himself after shooting and killing a judge at the Manila Regional Trial Court inside her office at the Manila City Hall on Wednesday afternoon, police said. Police said the victim, RTC Branch 45 Judge Maria Teresa Abadilla, 44, was allegedly shot by law...