GRG Law Office

31/05/2026

𝙍𝙚𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙘 𝘼𝙘𝙩 9262, 𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙞-𝙑𝙞𝙤𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝘼𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙩 𝙒𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙞𝙧 𝘾𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣 (𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙞-𝙑𝘼𝙒𝘾) 𝘼𝙘𝙩 𝙤𝙛 2004

Republic Act 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children (Anti-VAWC) Act of 2004, is the foundational Philippine law protecting women and their children from physical, sexual, psychological, and economic abuse.

DISCLAIMER: This post by GRG Law Office is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by interacting with this content.

24/05/2026

“𝙃𝙊𝙒 𝙏𝙊 𝙁𝙄𝙓 𝙀𝙍𝙍𝙊𝙍𝙎 𝙊𝙉 𝙔𝙊𝙐𝙍 𝘽𝙄𝙍𝙏𝙃 𝘾𝙀𝙍𝙏𝙄𝙁𝙄𝘾𝘼𝙏𝙀”

The Administrative Petition for Correction Automated System (APCAS) allows the correction of common clerical or typographical errors under Republic Act No. 9048, as amended by Republic Act No. 10172.

These corrections may include:

✔️ Misspelled first name or surname
✔️ Wrong place of birth
✔️ Incorrect birth day or month
✔️ Errors in the sex/gender marker

Here’s the easy step-by-step guide for your reference.

Source: Philippine Statistics Authority

DISCLAIMER: This post by GRG Law Office is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by interacting with this content.

17/05/2026

“𝘽𝘼𝙒𝘼𝙇 𝘽𝘼𝙎𝙏𝙊𝙎 𝙇𝘼𝙒” 𝙤𝙧 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙛𝙚 𝙎𝙥𝙖𝙘𝙚𝙨 𝘼𝙘𝙩

📌 Republic Act No. 11313, or the Safe Spaces Act (Bawal Bastos Law), criminalizes gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces, workplaces, schools, and online. It covers catcalling,Wolf-whistling, unwanted comments, misogynistic slurs, and persistent, uninvited advances, imposing fines and imprisonment.

Source: Republic Act No. 11313

DISCLAIMER: This post by GRG Law Office is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by interacting with this content.

14/05/2026

May 14, 2026 | IBP Statement on the Reported Shooting at the Philippine Senate

11/05/2026

𝘼𝙣𝙩𝙞-𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩 𝙎𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝘼𝙘𝙩

In simple terms, AFASA is a law designed to protect the public from scams involving bank accounts, e-wallets, online banking, and other financial accounts used in fraudulent activities.

What does AFASA punish?

AFASA penalizes individuals who use financial accounts to commit scams, fraud, or illegal transactions. These include:

1. Using another person’s bank or e-wallet account for fraudulent activities;
2. Selling or allowing others to use your account for scams;
3. Opening “dummy accounts” or “mule accounts” for criminal syndicates;
4. Phishing, social engineering, or tricking victims into giving OTPs or passwords;
5. Using stolen identities to create financial accounts;
6. Possessing or using devices or software intended for financial fraud.

Ano ang “money mule”?

Isa sa mga karaniwang modus na ginagamit ngayon ng mga scammer ay ang paggamit ng tinatawag na “money mule.”

Ang “money mule” ay isang tao na nagpapagamit ng kaniyang bank account, e-wallet, ATM account, o iba pang digital account upang tumanggap at maglipat ng perang nagmumula sa ilegal na gawain o panloloko.

Some people are deceived into becoming money mules by offers of easy money or online jobs. Others knowingly allow their accounts to be used in exchange for commissions.

Under AFASA, even allowing your account to be used for fraudulent transactions may result in criminal liability.

Common scams covered by AFASA:

1. Online banking fraud;
2. Fake investment scams;
3. OTP scams;
4. Phishing links;
5. Fake online selling;
6. E-wallet fraud;
7. Account takeovers;
8. Online lending harassment involving illegal fund transfers;
9. Social engineering scams.

Important reminder to the public:
Never give your:

1. OTP;
2. PIN;
3. Password;
4. Online banking credentials; and
5. E-wallet verification codes to anyone.

Ang mga bangko, e-wallet companies, at mga lehitimong institusyon ay hindi kailanman nanghihingi ng mga sensitibong inpormasyon through text messages, phone calls, or social media chats.

Source: National Bureau of Investigation

DISCLAIMER: This post by GRG Law Office is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by interacting with this content.

06/05/2026

The has acquitted a man charged with violence against women and their children, or VAWC, for allegedly refusing to provide financial support to a child not proven to be his, emphasizing that a legal duty to provide financial support arises only after filiation or paternity has been established.

In a Decision written by Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao, the SC’s Third Division reversed the rulings of the Regional Trial Court and the Court of Appeals, which found the accused guilty of economic abuse under Republic Act No. 9262, or the 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪-𝘝𝘪𝘰𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘈𝘨𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘵 𝘞𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯 𝘈𝘤𝘵 𝘰𝘧 2004 (𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪-𝘝𝘈𝘞𝘊 𝘈𝘤𝘵).

The case arose from a complaint filed by a woman against her former boyfriend, accusing him of refusing to provide financial support for her child.

The accused consistently denied he was the father, claiming that the child was born only eight months after they last had sexual relations.

During trial, the woman presented the child’s birth certificate as evidence. However, the portion indicating the father’s name, was marked "𝘕/𝘈" and left unsigned.

The woman also admitted in court that the accused refused to give financial support because he doubted that he was the child’s father.

In reversing the accused’s conviction, the SC explained that to convict a person for economic abuse under Section 5(i) of the 𝘈𝘯𝘵𝘪-𝘝𝘈𝘞𝘊 𝘈𝘤𝘵, the prosecution must show the following: (1) the victim is a woman and/or her child; (2) the woman is the offender’s wife or partner, or someone with whom the offender has a common child; (3) the offender refused to give financial support due; and (4) the refusal was intended to cause mental or emotional suffering.

In this case, the SC ruled that the prosecution failed to prove two essential elements: that the accused and the woman share a common child, and that the refusal to provide support was done to inflict psychological harm.

As the accused’s paternity was not proven in this case, no legal obligation to provide support could be imposed.

Read the full text of the Press Release at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=164663.

Read the full text of the Decision at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=164655.

Copying of this content is subject to the SC PIO’s Credit Attribution Policy: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/credit-attribution.

06/05/2026

“𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙏𝙤 𝙁𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝘼 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙡 𝘾𝙤𝙢𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙋𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙞𝙥𝙥𝙞𝙣𝙚𝙨?”

Depending on the nature of the offense, but here’s a general, step-by-step guide grounded in the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure and other pertinent rules.

📌 1. Prepare your Complaint-Affidavit and Affidavits of Your Witnesses

Your Complaint-Affidavit is the foundation of your case. It must be:
-In writing
-Sworn (notarized)

It should contain:
-Full names and addresses of the complainant and respondent
-A clear narration of facts (what happened, when, where, and how)
-The crime committed and its elements

Attach supporting evidence:
-Documents
-Photos/videos
-Medical records (if applicable)

Witnesses: If there are witnesses, each must execute a separate sworn affidavit.

⚠️ Practical guidance:

-If you have a lawyer, it is best to have them prepare your affidavit.

-If you do not have one, go to the nearest police station. An investigator can assist you.

-For VAWC cases, you may seek free legal help from the Public Attorney's Office.

-For cybercrime complaints, you may go to the nearest RACU (Regional Anti-Cybercrime Unit) of the Philippine National Police, which specializes in handling online and digital offenses.

📌 2. Where do you file?

Filing depends on where the crime was committed:
-City Prosecution Office (if the crime took place in a city)
-Provincial Prosecution Office (if the crime occurred in a municipality under a province)

📌 3. File your complaint

Submit your Complaint-Affidavit, witness affidavits, and evidence to the proper office. Once filed:
-Your case will be docketed
-A prosecutor will be assigned

📌 4. Preliminary Investigation (if required)

A preliminary investigation is required for offenses where the penalty is at least six (6) years and one (1) day. This is not yet a trial, it is a screening process.

Process:
-The prosecutor issues a subpoena
-The respondent submits a counter-affidavit
-You may file a reply-affidavit and the respondent may file a rejoinder
-Clarificatory questions may be asked

Standard applied: The prosecutor looks for a prima facie case with reasonable certainty of conviction.

📌 5. Resolution of the Prosecutor

After evaluation, the prosecutor will:
-Dismiss the complaint, or
-File an Information in court if the required standard is met

📌 6. Filing in Court

If the case proceeds: The prosecutor files the Information before the proper court

📌 7. Judge’s Determination

The judge will independently assess the case and may:
-Issue a warrant of arrest,
-Or dismiss the case outright if he does not find probable cause (this rarely happens)
-In case of doubt on the existence of probable cause, the judge may order the fiscal to present additional evidence

⚠️ Important Reminders

-If both the complainant and respondent reside in the same city or municipality, criminal offenses which have an imposable penalty not exceeding 1 year or a fine not exceeding 5,000 pesos must first undergo barangay conciliation under the Local Government Code

-For private crimes (adultery, concubinage, seduction, acts of lasciviousness) there must be a complaint by the offended party

-Your affidavit must be based on personal knowledge, not hearsay

Filing a criminal complaint is not about proving guilt right away. It's about showing that your case deserves to be heard in court.

DISCLAIMER: This post by GRG Law Office is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by interacting with this content.

13/06/2025