Sik-Law

28/05/2024

The highest court in the Philippines.

"Judicial power shall be vested in one Supreme Court and in such lowet courts as may be established by law.

Judicial power includes the duty of the courts of justice to settle actual controversies involving rights which are legally demandable and enforceable, and to determine whether or not there has been grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack or excess of jurisdiction on the part of any branch or instrumentality of the Government." (Sec. 1, Art. VIII, 1987 Constitution)

20/05/2024

𝙲𝚢𝚌𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙲𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐

Madami sa ating mga kasamahang siklistang babae ay na-cacatcall habang sila ay nasa ride. Madalas ang mga salarin ay ibang motorista, driver ng mga truck, jeep at iba pang PUVs o ang kanilang mga pahinante.

Ano ba ang Catcalling?

Sa ilalim ng Republic Act 11313 o Safe Spaces Act:
Catcalling refers to unwanted remarks directed towards a person, commonly done in the form of wolf-whistling and misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic, and sexist slurs;

Sa madaling salita ito ay isang uri ng pangbabastos mapababae man or miyembro ng LGBT. Ang mga halimbawa nito ay:

- Isang truck truck dinaanan ang isang babaeng siklista kung saan sinabi ng truck driver na “Miss, sabay ka na samin” o “Hi, baby!”
- Isang mangagawa na nagaantay ng masasakyan ay sinabihan ng pulis na “Miss, san ka nakatira, hatid na kita” o sinipulan ng “witwiw”

Sa ilalim ng nabanggit na batas ang unang paglabag ay may kaparusahan ng multang 1000 pesos at 12 hours na community service at gender sensitivity seminar; ang ikalawang paglabag ay may kaparushang pagkakakulong ng anim hanggang sampung araw o multa sa halagang 3,000 pesos; ang ikatlong paglabag ay naman ay may parusang 11 days – 30 days at multa na 10,000 pesos.

Kapag ang salarin ay nagpakita ng ari o ibang mahalay na aksyong sekswal ang unang paglabag ay may kaparushan ng multang 10,000 pesos, at 12 hours na community server at gender sensitivity seminar; ang ikalawang paglabag ay may kaparushang pagkakakulong ng 11 – 30 days o multa na 15,000 pesos. Ang ikatlong paglabag ay may kaparusahang 1month and 1 day to 6 months na pagkakakulong at 20,000 pesos na multa.

Kung ito ay sinamahan ng paghahawak sa katawan ng biktima mas mataas ang parusa nito.

Para sa ating mga kalalakihan, igalang natin ang mga kababaihan na nagbibisikleta. Tandaan natin na tayo ay may mga nanay at mga kapatid na babae at isipin nalang natin kung ano ang mararamdaman mo kapag sa kanila ito ginawa o papaano nalang kapag sila ang ginahasa? Diba?

For full text ng R.A. 11313 please click the link: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2019/04/17/republic-act-no-11313/

11/05/2024

Yehes!

Roxas Blvd will be CAR-FREE every Sunday from 5am to 9am starting this Sunday, May 12 until the end of June.

Closed roads will be the northbound and southbound sections of Roxas Boulevard from Padre Burgos Avenue to Quirino Avenue.

07/05/2024

𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑

According to the case of Rubi vs. Provincial Board, police power is the most powerful tool of the state in regulating liberty. It is that inherent and plenary power of the state which enables it to prohibit all things hurtful to the comfort, safety and welfare of society.

Police power emanates from the Legislative Department but may be delegated to the Local Government Units and the Executive Branch by law. An example of a valid delegation is the General Welfare Clause found in the Local Government Code (𝑝𝑎𝑔 𝑔𝑎𝑤𝑎 𝑛𝑔 𝑜𝑟𝑑𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑎 𝑠𝑢𝑏𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡 𝑡𝑜 𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑖𝑚𝑖𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 - 𝑠𝑒𝑒 𝐶𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑀𝑎𝑛𝑖𝑙𝑎 𝑣𝑠. 𝐽𝑢𝑑𝑔𝑒 𝐿𝑎𝑔𝑢𝑖𝑜)

𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒔:

1. Lawful Subject
2. Lawful Means

𝑻𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒗𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒅𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑷𝒐𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓:

1. The interest of the public greatly, as distinguished from those of a particular class, requires its exercise.

N.B.: In other words, it benefits the public in general, hindi lang yung mga tao sa specific class.

2. The means employed are reasonably necessary for the accomplishment of the purpose and not unduly oppressive upon individuals.

N.B.: Hindi siya oppressive and hindi siya arbitrary.

06/05/2024

THE CRIME OF SERIOUS ILLEGAL DETENTION

In the aftermath of his conviction for serious illegal detention, one of the accused lamented that the trial erred in convicting him. He said that the crime was not committed since the victim was not detained. Assuming there was, the detention had not lasted more than one day and no physical injuries were inflicted.

Is he correct?

Let us talk about this for purposes of academic discussion.

The crime of serious illegal detention is defined and punished under Article 267 of the Revised Penal Code. It is committed by any person (public or private) who detains another without legal ground. The gravamen (or the operative act) is the act of detaining or depriving the victim of his liberty. The mens rea (guilty mind) of the offender is to deprive his victim of liberty. The law imposes a supreme penalty of reclusion perpetua upon the offender.

There are four circumstances which qualify the detention to serious: (1) if the detention lasted for more than 3 days; (2) if there are physical injuries or threats to kill the victim; (3) if the offender simulated public authority; or (4) if the victim is a minor, female or a public officer.

Additionally, the detention becomes serious if the detention is for the purpose of demanding a ransom.

If any of all these circumstances are present, then the crime is serious illegal detention. Only one circumstance is required to qualify the crime.

Thus, it is clear that, even if the detention did not last for 3 days, the crime is still serious illegal detention if, for instance, the offender demanded ransom from the victim or there were threats to kill or physical injuries inflicted. Otherwise put, the period of detention is not material if other circumstances exist.

In kidnapping for ransom, it is not necessary that there be actual giving of ransom money. It is enough that the detention is shown for the purpose of ransom - meaning, the accused detained the victim to demand for ransom in exchange for his liberty.

There is a privileged mitigating circumstance if the offender released the victim within 3 days without the offender realizing his purpose and before the filing of criminal complaint. In which case, the crime is only slight illegal detention under Article 268 of the Code.
(Photo from screengrab of ABS CBN)

02/05/2024

02/05/2024

𝐇𝐢𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐧𝐚 𝐤𝐚𝐦𝐢 𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐬𝐚𝐰𝐚 𝐤𝐨 (𝐦𝐚𝐲 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐬𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧), 𝐩𝐰𝐞𝐝𝐞 𝐤𝐨 𝐛𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐧𝐚𝐦𝐞 𝐤𝐨?

HINDI, sa kaso ni Laperal vs. Republic of the Philippines, sinabi ng korte na ang legal separation ay hindi ground para magpalit ng last name ang babaeng asawa.

Binigyang-kahulugan ng Korte Suprema ang Art. 372 ng Kodigo Sibil (wala pang Family Code nung kaso na to) na nagsasabi na:
ART. 372. When legal separation has been granted, the wife shall continue using her name and surname employed before the legal separation.

Sabi ng Korte, mandatory ang pag gamit ng babaeng asawa ng pangalan at apelyido na ginagamit niya bago yung legal separation. Bukod doon, sabi rin ng korte na ang married status ng magasawa ay hindi apektado ng legal separation. (In short, sa legal separation, married parin sila, pero hiwalay sila ng tirahan at ng mga ari-arian).

01/05/2024

Affirming the State’s promise to protect Filipino workers here and abroad, the Supreme Court has ruled that it is illegal to fire an employee solely for testing positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-employment-termination-due-to-hiv-illegal/

01/05/2024

This Labor Day, we honor all the hardworking Filipinos and their contribution to the country. It is a regular holiday, which means those who will render work today are entitled to double pay.

29/04/2024

𝑷𝒔𝒚𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝑺𝒆𝒙𝒖𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝑷𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝑽𝒊𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑬𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒐𝒎𝒊𝒄 𝑨𝒃𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝑨𝑾𝑪 𝑳𝒂𝒘.

VAWC is a public crime, meaning any person having personal knowledge of the crime can file a complaint.

The offenders in a VAWC case are usually the husbands, boyfriends, any person with whom the victim has/had sexual or dating relationship, or she has a common child with.

NOTE: In a case decided by the Supreme Court, Le****ns can also commit this crime and even relatives of the perpetrators can also commit this crime.

Psychological Violence – An act which causes mental or emotional suffering of the female or child.
Examples:
1. Public ridicule “pinapahiya”
2. Marital Infidelity
3. Intimidation
4. Harassment - threatening to send n**e photos of the woman

Sexual Violence – Any act which is sexual in nature committed against a woman or her child.
Examples:
1. Marital R**e
2. The act of making your child or your female partner engage in prostitution.

Physical Violence – Acts that include bodily harm or physical harm.
Examples:
1. Battery
2. Coercion

Economic Abuse – refers to acts that make or attempt to make a woman financially dependent.
Examples:
1. Withdrawal/Denial of support to the victim where the victim is entitled to the support
2. Preventing the victim from engaging in any legitimate profession, activity, etc.
3. Threat of depravation of resources.