R&B Law - Regis and Bacomo-Regis Law Office

𝐋𝐓𝐎 𝐞𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐯𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐲/𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟏, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒

The Land Transportation Office (LTO) has extended the deadline on the prohibition against the use of improvised and temporary plates for motor vehicle owners.

Instead of the September 1 deadline, the prohibition will start its implementation on December 31 this year.

But LTO Chief, Assistant Secretary Atty. Vigor D. Mendoza II said this should not be an excuse for motor vehicle owners who have already available license plates to install them in their motor vehicles.

‘We ask the motorists to claim and install their respective license plates as soon as they are available either in the car dealerships and replacement plates in our offices,” said Assec. Mendoza.

The LTO earlier issued a memorandum circular against the use of improvised and temporary plates after an initial investigation revealed that registered owners of vehicles, especially the newly-bought ones, are not claiming their license plates from motor vehicle dealerships.

Thousands of license plates remain unclaimed in various motor vehicle dealerships and in a meeting with car dealers last month, the car dealers said their clients are unable to claim the plates despite their repeated message to them.

Assec Mendoza said the installation of license plates are also the LTO contribution to the crime prevention measures especially that some vehicles are being used in criminal activities.

“Wala na pong backlog sa mga four-wheel vehicles so there is no reason for these vehicle owners not to claim and install them in their vehicles,” said Assec Mendoza.

“Ang natitira na lamang pong backlog ay mga plaka sa mga motorsiklo at ito po ay ang focus namin ngayon in compliance with the directive from President Marcos to address all the backlog on license plates by June next year,” he added.

Assec Mendoza, however, stressed that the deadline extension will not diminish their effort to aggressively come up with measures to deliver all the unclaimed license plates to the rightful owners.

He said he already instructed the LTO Regional Directors and District Office heads to coordinate with the local government units for the distribution of the license plates. #

From September 1 to December 1, 2024, first-level and second-level courts all over the country will slowly transition to electronic filing for civil cases.

By September 1, 2024 all civil filings must include electronic versions of hard copies, or else the courts will not act on them.

Note the three S’s after the physical filing of civil pleadings in first- and second- level courts:

Step 1: SCAN each pleading, with annexes, or convert them to Portable Document Format (PDF).

Step 2: SAVE as separate files following these filename formats:
– [Pleading]-[Docket No.].pdf
– [Annex A]-[Pleading]-[Docket No.].pdf

Step 3: SEND via email:
– Subject: [Docket No.], [Case Title-Pleading Title]
– Body: (a) Primary manner of filing; (b) Filing date; (c) Docket number; (d) Case Title; (e) Filing Party; (f) Contact Numbers; (g) Other e-mail addresses; and (h) Titles of attachments.
– Send to the court’s official email address within 24 hours from the primary filing.
– Cc: all counsel and their law firms.
– Retain copy of transmittal email.

For more information, visit the eFiling microsite at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/electronic-filing/.

The Supreme Court has ruled that decades-long unjustified absence from the marital home may be considered evidence of psychological incapacity to comply with marital obligations.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-unjustified-absence-from-marital-home-considered-psychological-incapacity/

The Supreme Court has found Atty. Nilo T. Divina guilty of misconduct under the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability for committing impropriety when he sponsored the trips of Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Central Luzon officers.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-finds-lawyer-guilty-of-misconduct-for-sponsoring-trips-of-ibp-officers/

Petisyon ng doktor na pumanaw sa kulungan, hindi pinagbigyan ng Korte Suprema

Hindi pinagbigyan ng Korte Suprema ang habeas corpus petition ng isang doktor na nakulong matapos mahatulan ng reckless imprudence resulting in serious physical injuries.

Inihain ang petition ng kinakasama ni Dr. Benigno Agbayani, Jr. para kwestiyunin ang hatol sa doktor na pagkakakulong ng Metropolitan Trial Court ng Maynila. Mali umano ang naging desisyon ng korte na nagpabaya ang doktor sa paggamit ng hindi sterilisadong medical equipment.

Pero ayon sa desisyong isinulat ni Associate Justice Antonio T. Kho, Jr., mali ang paghain ng petition for habeas corpus dahil para lamang ito sa mga iligal na nakakulong, di gaya ni Dr. Agbayani na nahatulan ng korte.

Matagal na ring naging pinal ang hatol dahil hindi nakapaghain ng apela sa Regional Trial Court si Dr. Agbayani sa kabila ng mga palugit at kulang-kulang naman ang mga dokumento nang dumulog siya sa Court of Appeals.

Mali rin na inihain ang petisyon diretso sa Korte Suprema.

At dahil pumanaw na si Dr. Agbayani, "moot" na o wala nang dapat pagdesisyunan pa sa kaso.

Basahin ang buong press release: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-denies-the-petition-for-habeas-corpus-filed-on-behalf-of-dr-benigno-a-agbayani-jr/

𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭!

Idineklara ng pamahalaan na special (non-working) day sa buong bansa ang Agosto 23, 2024, araw ng Biyernes, para sa obserbasyon ng Ninoy Aquino Day.

Read: https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/LlbhWK

The Supreme Court has disbarred a lawyer for having multiple extramarital affairs.

The Court found him guilty of grossly immoral conduct, in violation of the Code of Professional Responsibility and Accountability (CPRA).

Under Canon VI, Section 33(f) of the CPRA, grossly immoral conduct, a serious offense, is an “act that is so corrupt or false as to constitute a criminal act.”

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-disbars-lawyer-for-extramarital-affairs/

The Supreme Court has invalidated a Quezon City zoning ordinance that reclassified the property used by the Manila Seedling Bank Foundation, Inc. and effectively deprived the Foundation of its use.

The Court ruled that the ordinance was beyond Quezon City’s scope of authority.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-qc-ordinance-wrongfully-deprived-manila-seedling-bank-of-property-use/

The Supreme Court has affirmed the dismissal of an Ombudsman official for fixing cases in exchange for money.

The Court found Rolando Zoleta from the Office of the Special Prosecutor administratively liable for grave misconduct, serious dishonesty, and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-affirms-dismissal-of-ombudsman-official-for-fixing-cases/

August 6, 2024 is a Special Non-Working Holiday in the Province of Cebu including the cities of Cebu, Mandaue, Lapu-Lapu, Danao and Toledo pursuant to R.A. 8952.

PRESS RELEASE | NEW ERA IN PROSECUTION: DOJ unveils preliminary investigation guidelines

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. and Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin “Boying” C. Remulla led the ceremonial signing of the 2024 Department of Justice - National Prosecution Service (DOJ-NPS) Rules on Preliminary Investigations and Inquest Proceedings today.

Executive Secretary Lucas P. Bersamin, Court Administrator Raul B. Villanueva National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) Director Jaime B. Santiago, Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Maj. Gen. Rommel Francisco Marbil, Prosecutor General Benedicto A. Malcontento and all officials, city/provincial/regional prosecutors of the DOJ were present in the momentous occasion.

The new rules shall institutionalize the Executive and inquisitorial nature of preliminary investigations (PI) in line with legal precedents and reinforcing the DOJ’s authority in this domain.

The new Rules will also enhance existing prosecutorial functions empowering them to take a proactive role in the investigation of crimes and ensure efficient case build-ups.

As the guidelines in the conduct of PI become clearer, fairness and due process shall be given paramount consideration in the handling of cases especially those involving warrantless arrests to ensure that rights are safeguarded.

The new Rules will also set up a clear quantum of evidence - prima facie evidence with reasonable certainty of conviction to ensure that only cases with a strong foundation will proceed to trial.

Further, the utilization of the new PI rules shall streamline e-filing procedures and virtual preliminary investigation hearings to reduce delays and increase accessibility, especially in remote areas.

“Today marks a significant milestone in our criminal justice system, a new era in prosecution we have always dreamed of has now become a reality. Let me take this chance to extend my warmest appreciation to the hard working men and women of the DOJ in making this possible,” Secretary Remulla highlighted.

E-filing of pleadings by September 1, 2024

OCA Circular No. 197-2024

TO: ALL JUDGES, CLERKS OF COURT OF THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT, AND BRANCH CLERKS OF COURT OF THE FIRST AND SECOND LEVEL COURTS

SUBJECT: AMENDMENT TO THE GUIDELINES ON SUBMISSION OF ELECTRONIC COPIES OF PLEADINGS AND OTHER COURT SUBMISSIONS BEING FILED BEFORE THE LOWER COURTS PURSUANT TO THE EFFICIENT USE OF PAPER RULE

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has signed into law the Negros Island Region (NIR) Act, which allows the unification of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, and Siquijor into one administrative region on Thursday, June 13, 2024.

The Supreme Court has ordered the dismissal and disbarment of a Calamba City, Laguna judge who falsified certificates of service of her former driver and misappropriated her staff member's salaries.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-dismisses-and-disbars-judge-for-making-false-certifications-and-misappropriating-staffs-salaries/

JUST IN: President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has declared June 17, 2024, Monday, as a regular holiday to give way for the observance of Eid’l Adha, or the Feast of Sacrifice. | via Anna Bajo/GMA Integrated News

The Supreme Court has nullified a set of quitclaims after finding that the employer tricked its employees into signing them.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-voids-quitclaims-due-to-employers-use-of-deceit/

𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧
The NAPOLCOM Regional Office No. VII will be accepting WALK-IN APPLICATIONS for PNP Entrance and Promotional Examinations for both Cebu City and Tagbilaran City starting May 29, 2024 until June 5, 2024

𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄: Walk-in applicants SHOULD register first using the link below.

Here are the links for each Examination Center and dates.

JUNE 3
CEBU: https://forms.gle/UCUL4V9QGhM3ksy29

TAGBILARAN: https://forms.gle/4pTeBp5z9Uf5Cqg68

JUNE 4
CEBU: https://forms.gle/TxYa7aX7aei34zbm6

TAGBILARAN: https://forms.gle/WXdQLpJ13XLrgHd68

JUNE 5
CEBU: https://forms.gle/VAf6Y8BZne6jxUDA7

TAGBILARAN: https://forms.gle/QTRTLF63zf71dVSS7

The Supreme Court has invalidated a regulation from the Bureau of Internal Revenue that requires self-employed professionals to submit their rates and register appointment books to monitor their tax compliance.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-requiring-professionals-to-submit-appointment-books-to-monitor-tax-compliance-violates-right-to-privacy/

The Supreme Court has ruled that the heir of a Philippine Air Force combat pilot who died in the line of duty may be allowed to settle the deceased soldier’s outstanding socialized housing loan to avoid foreclosure.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-allows-heir-to-settle-gsis-housing-loan-left-by-fallen-military-pilot/

The Supreme Court En Banc has found previously disbarred Lorenzo G. Gadon guilty of gross misconduct for committing perjury and making accusations based on hearsay.

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-finds-gadon-guilty-of-gross-misconduct-anew/

The Supreme Court has reiterated that the private complainant in a criminal case cannot question the grant of bail and acquittal in favor of the accused.

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-private-complainant-in-criminal-case-cannot-challenge-grant-of-bail-acquittal-of-accused/

The Supreme Court has affirmed the conviction of an accused for robbery for demanding money from his ex-girlfriend in exchange for deleting her n**e photos posted on Facebook.

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-affirms-imprisonment-of-accused-for-demanding-money-in-exchange-for-deletion-of-ex-girlfriends-n**e-photos/