Law Office of John Paul Wania, CPA

01/06/2026

🍊 **ORANGE ➡️ SHARMAINE** 👀

Napanotaryo na daw ang change of name mula **Orange to Sharmaine** — pero ang tanong… **ganun lang ba talaga kadali sa mata ng batas?** 🤔

Notaryo lang ba sapat?

Sa Pilipinas, ang **pagpapalit o pag-correct ng pangalan** ay maaaring **Administrative** o **Judicial**, depende sa klase ng pagbabago.

✅ **ADMINISTRATIVE** *(hindi na kailangan dumaan sa korte, subject to legal requirements)*
• Change of First Name/Nickname(subject to conditions)
• Correction of Clerical or Typographical Errors(maling spelling, obvious mistakes, etc.)

⚖️ **JUDICIAL** *(kailangan dumaan sa korte)*
• Change of Surname
• Change of BOTH First Name and Surname
• Substantial corrections/cancellations** sa civil registry entries

Kaya bago magpa-“rebrand” ng pangalan, siguraduhin nating **tama ang proseso at legal ang daan** 😉 Hindi lahat nadadaan sa notarization lang.

ay problema ka ba sa pangalan mo sa birth certificate? Mali ang spelling? Gusto magpalit ng apelyido?**
Tara, usapan natin kung ano ang tamang legal route para maiwasan ang aberya. ⚖️😉

06/05/2026

Thinking of setting up a corporation? 🤔
Here’s a quick breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages to help you decide if it’s the right move for your business. From limited liability and credibility to compliance requirements and taxation, it’s important to weigh both sides before making the leap.
💡 The right structure can protect your assets and position you for growth—but it also comes with responsibilities.
📩 Have questions or need guidance?
Send us a message today and let’s help you choose the best setup and get sound advice from both legal and accounting perspective ;)

Thinking of setting up a corporation? 🤔

Here’s a quick breakdown of the advantages and disadvantages to help you decide if it’s the right move for your business. From limited liability and credibility to compliance requirements and taxation, it’s important to weigh both sides before making the leap.

💡 The right structure can protect your assets and position you for growth—but it also comes with responsibilities.

📩 Have questions or need guidance?
Send us a message today and let’s help you choose the best setup for your business.

07/04/2026

Yung ginagawang kong example sa class may actual application na:
“When you send money to the wrong GCash number, the recipient has no legal right to keep it. Under Article 2154 of the Civil Code, if something is received when there is no right to demand it and it was delivered through mistake, the obligation to return it arises. This is called solutio indebiti.”
According to Atty Namla, “the recipient who blocked the sender and refused to return PHP 13,000 is not just being rude. That person may be liable for unjust enrichment under Article 22 of the Civil Code, and possibly even estafa under Article 315 of the Revised Penal Code if the intent to misappropriate can be established.”

Nakakaiyak talaga ma-wrong send… ng pera.😢📱

Narito ang puwede mong gawin kung aksidenteng nakapagpadala sa maling GCash number, kahit i-block ka pa ng nakatanggap ng pera.

Link to article in the comment section.

06/03/2026

From professor in Oblicon (one of the nicest)to being Panyero and colleagues in the Academe.

Dati pinaparecite nyo lang ako ngayon kwentuhan na lang tayo. Thanks sa time po! See you around Arellano.

05/03/2026

When I was in first year law school I used to ask why do we need to read 20 -30 cases per subject (tapos 10 lang nababasa ko). Yung ibang subject kaya naman ng codal o textbook kung tutuusin.

Now that I teach law, I realized the law is better appreciated and understood when it is applied.

Kaya no choice ang mga students ko kahit wala sa law school need nila mag basa ng cases (for these topics lang naman).

10/02/2026

It has long been discussed that Article 148 of the Family Code even applies to same - s*x couples. It is a welcome news that there is now a current jurisprudence in support of this argument.

The (SC) has ruled that same-s*x couples who live together may be recognized as co-owners of property under Article 148 of the 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦, provided there is proof of actual contribution.

In a Decision written by Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez, the SC’s Second Division granted a woman’s complaint for partition of property and recognized her as a co-owner of the house and lot she shared with her same-s*x partner.

Article 148 of the 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦 governs the property relations of couples who are living together but cannot legally marry, acknowledging co-ownership based on their actual contributions.

The two women lived together as a couple. A year into their relationship, they purchased a house and lot, and agreed to register the property in one partner’s name to facilitate banking transactions.

Upon separation, they agreed to sell the property and divide the proceeds equally. One partner signed an 𝘈𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 stating that the other had paid about 50% of the purchase and renovation costs.

However, she later refused to sell the property and denied that her former partner was a co-owner.

To protect her interest, the former partner annotated an adverse claim on the title and demanded partition of the property. When this failed, she filed a case for partition of real estate and damages, relying on the 𝘈𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 as proof of co-ownership.

The SC granted the complaint for partition of real estate, as it clarified the provisions in the 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦 governing the property relations of unmarried couples living together.

Article 147 applies to unmarried couples who may legally marry. Property acquired during their cohabitation is presumed jointly owned.

Article 148, on the other hand, applies to couples who are not permitted to marry. Only properties obtained through actual contribution are considered common property.

Since the 𝘍𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦 only allows marriage between a man and a woman, the SC held that same-s*x couples necessarily fall under Article 148.

Here, the SC found that the signed 𝘈𝘤𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸𝘭𝘦𝘥𝘨𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, where one partner admitted that the other paid about half of the property costs, was a binding admission and sufficient proof of actual contribution. This established co-ownership.

Read the full text of the press release at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=160462.

Read the full text of the Decision at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=160431.

Read the Concurring Opinion of Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=160444.

Read the Concurrence of Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=160439.

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

28/01/2026

Isinantabi ng ang kasong adultery na inihain ng kinatawan ng isang lalaki laban sa kanyang asawa. Muling iginiit ng Korte na tanging ang mismong asawang nasaktan o naagrabyado ang may karapatang magsampa ng ganitong kaso.

Sa isang desisyong isinulat ni Associate Justice Antonio T. Kho, Jr., binaliktad ng Ikalawang Dibisyon ng Korte Suprema ang pasya ng Regional Trial Court (RTC) na nag-utos na muling buksan ang kasong adultery laban kina Aurel Ann Chua-Chiba at kapwa-akusado na si Michael Llona.

Nagsampa, sa pamamagitan ng isang kinatawan, ng kasong adultery at grave threats si Jin Chiba laban sa asawa niyang si Aurel at kay Michael.

Hindi pinagbigyan ng Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) ang kasong adultery sa dahilang tanging ang mismong asawang naagrabyado lamang ang maaaring magsampa nito.

Binaliktad ng RTC ang desisyon ng MeTC at pinagtibay na tumugon sa mga pamantayang legal ang pagsasampa ng kaso, dahil nakalakip naman sa reklamong inihain ng kinatawan ni Jin ang mismong complaint-affidavit ni Jin.

Hindi ito sinang-ayunan ng Korte Suprema at muling iginiit na ang adultery ay isang pribadong krimen na maaari lamang usigin kung may reklamong inihain mismo ng asawang inagrabyado. Binanggit ng Korte ang Rule 110, Section 5, ng Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure at ang Article 344 ng Revised Penal Code (RPC).

Ipinaliwanag ng Korte Suprema na umiiral ang kahingiang ito “bilang paggalang sa panig na inagrabyado, na maaaring mas piliing tiisin na lamang nang tahimik ang dinanas na paglabag kaysa humarap sa eskandalo ng isang pampublikong paglilitis.” Pinahihintulutan ng batas ang asawang inagrabyado na magpasya kung dadalhin ba ang usapin sa hukuman o aayusin ito nang pribado.

Sa kasong ito, ang reklamong adultery ay hindi sinimulan ng mismong asawang inagrabyado kundi ng kanyang kinatawan. Bagaman nagsumite si Jin ng sarili niyang complaint-affidavit, ito ay isinama lamang bilang kalakip o annex sa reklamong inihain ng kanyang kinatawan.

Dahil hindi natugunan ang mga kahingian sa ilalim ng Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure at ng Revised Penal Code, itinuring ng Korte Suprema na walang wastong reklamo naisampa at tuluyan nitong ibinasura ang kaso.

Basahin ang kabuuan ng press release sa https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=159759

Basahin ang kabuuang teksto ng Desisyon sa https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=159743

Basahin ang Concurring Opinion ni Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen sa https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=159748

Sumunod sa Credit Attribution Policy ng SC PIO: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/credit-attribution-policy/.

11/11/2025

The best trial technique : Don't go to trial , if settlement is a viable option take it!
Brings peace of mind to both parties :)

07/11/2025

God let me live out of another lawyer goals! To appear and defend a client as a volunteer lawyer for IBP Legal Aid RSM.

Nakakatuwa lang kasi yung client sobrang happy na sumipot ang lawyer nya.

Bonus : I got to live out yung isa sa mga favorite topics ko sa criminal procedure which is demurrer to evidence.

17/10/2025

Looking forward to meet you soon panyero and panyeras!
For now study hard and pray even harder that God sustain you from today until you finish the Bar Exams!