Ajero Law Office

Celebrating the spirit of togetherness and shared aspirations, Ajero Law Office and Associates wish all of us a year brimming with joy, prosperity, and meaningful moments! As we bid adieu to the past, let's embrace the endless possibilities that the New Year holds. May each day be a canvas painted with success, shared laughter, and uplifting achievements. Here's to a year of collective growth, happiness, and the realization of our fondest dreams! 🎉🌈

Your Legal Champions, Always!

Wishing You Joyful Holidays!

With Warm Regards,
Your Legal Champions

SC Disbars Lawyer who Refused to Provide Child Support |

The protection of women and children extends to the cleansing of the ranks of lawyers with the audacity to evade the duty to support one’s family and who violate court directives, including those who unlawfully conceal properties beyond the reach of their families and the courts.

Thus ruled the Supreme Court En Banc in a Per Curiam Decision imposing the supreme penalty of disbarment on then Atty. Wilfredo A. Ruiz for economic and emotional abuse; gross immorality; committing falsehood and exploiting court processes; unduly delaying a case; impeding the ex*****on of a judgment; and misusing court processes.

In ordering Ruiz’s disbarment, the Court underscored that “membership in the Bar is a privilege burdened with conditions,” adding that such membership “can be withdrawn where circumstances concretely show the lawyer’s lack of essential qualifications required of them, including good moral character.”

“A high sense of morality, honesty, and fair dealing is expected and required of members of the Bar. They must conduct themselves with great propriety, and their behavior must be beyond reproach anywhere and at all times,” stressed the Court.

Such conduct is affirmed in the CPR, which lawyers, including Ruiz, vowed to uphold.

Ruiz, however, was found to have violated the foregoing provisions of the CPR when he committed multiple, immoral, deceitful, and dishonest acts for abusing court processes and misusing his knowledge of the law so he could repeatedly evade the writ of ex*****on for his child’s support. The Court held that Ruiz, for eight years, “systematically used bogus addresses throughout the trial court proceedings so court processes and services could not be legally served on him. As a lawyer, he ought to understand what a writ of ex*****on is and the final and immediately executory character of the order of support.”

Read more at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-disbars-lawyer-who-refused-to-provide-child-support/. Read the Decision in full at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/13132-teodora-altobano-ruiz-vs-attys-wilfredo-a-ruiz-cherry-anne-dela-cruz-and-francisco-s-benedicto-iii/.

Tara Lex!

Online registration is now available thru: bit.ly/LexRun3Reg

Join the Fun LEX Run on September 10, 2023 at the Legazpi Boulevard for the benefit of the IBP Free LegalAid Programs and Civic Projects.

Onsite Registration is also available, just visit our IBP Albay Chapter Office at IBP Road, Bitano, Legazpi City(at the back of ICR)

Register now!

Landmark Decision from the Supreme Court, on copyrighted music, published today.

1. Off the Grill restaurant should have obtained a license from FILSCAP and paid the necessary fees, for (a) allowing live bands to play copyrighted music; and (b) playing recorded copyrighted music in its premises.

2. Filing a duplicate of the document assigning the rights to copyrighted musical works is permissive and not mandatory upon the author or the assignee (such as FILSCAP). Assignees cannot be compelled to file a duplicate copy of the document evidencing the assignment, and have the deeds or agreements published in the IPO Gazette before their rights can be invoked or enforced.

3. Under the Berne Convention, the enjoyment of rights protected by copyright "shall not be subject to any formality; such enjoyment and such exercise shall be independent of the existence of protection in the country of origin of work." The purpose of registration is to protect subsequent purchasers or mortgagees for value and without notice, since in principle, it is similar to the filing and recording statute pertaining to chattel mortgages.

4. As the assignee, FILSCAP has the right to demand compensation for the playing or performance in public of copyrighted musical works under its catalogue in establishments or other venues, when infringement is being committed due to the absence of a license and payment of fees.

5. The Court acknowledges that FILSCAP, by authority of the deeds/agreements, represents the owners or holders of copyrighted musical works under its catalogue. As the assignee, FILSCAP is tasked to monitor and issue licenses to persons, businesses, establishments, and the like which are interested to play or perform these musical compositions. Although it seems trivial or outrageous to collect fees for this purpose especially when almost everything is readily accessible to the listening public, the copyright owners are still entitled to be compensated for their creative work. There is no question that they invested time, creativity, talent, and effort in the creation and development of their compositions. Thus, assigning FILSCAP to pursue their intellectual property rights on their behalf should not be taken against FILSCAP, as it is acting not merely for its own benefit, but for the copyright owners' as well. Still, FILSCAP's monitoring, licensing, and its other functions should all be exercised within reasonable, proper, and just means.

COSAC, Inc. v. Filipino Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers, Inc., GR 222537, 28 Feb 2023

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Paki-basa na lang po ang comments section, kung may mga tanong tungkol sa Decision, at kung paano naman ang mga small-time establishments at bands. Baka po mas mabigyang linaw. Salamat!

Ready to protect you.

Emphasis on Innovative solutions, and powerful advocacy.

Count on our representation.

Your legal friend,
ALO

📢 The Office of the Bar Confidant has issued a Notice to the 2023 Bar Applicants regarding the availability of the Bar Applicant Registration Information System and Tech Assistance (BARISTA) User Guide and Video Tutorials.

Read the Notice in full at https://t.co/TngMZ5eCJm.

For more information kindly visit the 2023 Bar microsite at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/bar-2023/. Bar Examinations-related concerns may be raised through the 2023 Bar Examinations Helpdesk Form at https: L/bit.ly/2023BarExamsHelpdesk or through the OBC Hotline at (02) 8552 9690 or (02) 8552 9642 during office hours (8:00 AM - 4:30 PM).

To receive updates relating to BARISTA, you may also join the Viber Channel at https://tinyurl.com/2023BarViberChannel.

IBP Cebu Chapter proudly brings to you another Lawyer’s Guide Lecture Series with the topic focused on the new law on Administrative Adoption and Alternative Care, specifically focused on the new process for administrative adoption.

The lecture will be held via zoom on AUGUST 22, 2022 [Monday] from 9:00AM until 12:00NN.

We are honored to have the DSWD Region VII RACCO Officer, Ms. Concepcion Solera, as our speaker.

This webinar is open to all lawyers and staff, and is in partnersip with Manlaw, CELLA, YLAC, MILL, Law Inc. (Legal Alternatives for Women), and ofcourse, CLB (Childrens Legal Bureau).

Zoom details to follow.

Project Chairman: VP Michael Francis Hubahib

Registration for the Bar Personalized Login Unified System (Bar PLUS) Platform is now LIVE!

Applicants for the 2022 Bar Examinations may go to https://lis.judiciary.gov.ph/scp to create their account and accomplish the application form.

Here are some resource materials to help applicants through the application process:

1. Bar PLUS User Guide:https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/files/BAR-2022/Bar%20PLUS%20User%20Guide%20Notice%20v2.pdf

2. Bar PLUS Video Tutorial: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ddPzQD9dx13EsUijAPIUCQCPpmIrVaec/view

3. Online Payment Instructions:https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/files/BAR-2022/Payment%20Instructions%20Notice%20v2.pdf

Applicants may also join the official Viber channel of the 2022 Bar Examinations for the latest announcements and updates through this link:
https://invite.viber.com/?g2=AQATH4LWClq6z083p3JnMsB9GgNC5UUSMY6JasHzu707FhSRIKr6qrd4Me9eKGu3.

Concerns and queries regarding the application process may be directed to the online Help Desk Form available at https://bit.ly/2022BarExamHelpDesk, or the OBC landline at (02) 8552-96-90 / (02) 8552-96-42.

Four Easy Steps on how to Apostille Duly Notarized Documents in the Philippines.

1. Have the document notarized.

2. Secure a Certificate of Authority for a Notarial Act (CANA) signed by the Executive Judge/Vice-Executive Judge/any office authorized signatories (issued by the Regional Trial Court).

3. Bring the above documents and your valid government-issued ID to the following DFA Office nearest you:

DFA NCR Northeast
Level 2 Ali Mall Araneta Center, Cubao, Quezon City
[email protected]

DFA NCR East
7th Floor SM Megamall Building C, EDSA cor. Julia Vargas Avenue Mandaluyong City
[email protected]

DFA NCR South
4th Floor Metro Alabang Town Center, Alabang Zapote Road, Muntinlupa City
[email protected]

DFA NCR West
5th Floor, SM City Manila, Conception St., Manila
[email protected]

DFA Cebu
4th Floor Pacific Mall-Metro Mandaue, UN Ave. cor. MC Briones St., Brgy. Estancia, Mandaue City
[email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]

DFA Davao
3rd Floor SM City Davao, Quimpo Boulevard, Ecoland Subdivision, Brgy. Matina, Davao City
[email protected]

DFA Pampanga
2nd Floor Robinsons StarMills, San Fernando City, Pampanga
[email protected] / [email protected]

4. At the DFA:

4.1. Ask for a number for your queue. As this is a government office, please dress appropriately; no shorts, sleeveless, or slippers.

4.2. Fill out an Authentication Form in case you don’t have one yet.

4.3. Once your number is called, you will present your ID and the documents you want to verify. If you are a representative, an Authorization letter and the applicant's ID may be presented.

4.4. Pay at the Cashier. You will be asked to come back once it is ready. You may choose to pay PHP 100 per document for Regular processing (3 working days) or PHP 200 per document for Expedite processing (1 working day).

4.5. On the date of release, bring your Original ID and Official Receipt to claim your documents. You will need to drop it at dropbox and wait for the applicant's name to be called.

4.6. Present your ID at the releasing window and receive the document with an Apostille. Check it before leaving. In case you haven't claimed it yet, the documents will be kept for 3 months. After 3 months, it will get disposed of, and you might do the process again.

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