Kase Digest: Labor Law & Employment

23/05/2025

14/05/2025

🔇🔇FYI to Notaries Public
Supreme Court Memo regarding compliance of all notaries public on the payment of DST

02/05/2025

The (SC) has reiterated that while notarized documents are presumed authentic, they will be invalidated if proven to be fake.

In a Decision written by Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, the SC’s Second Division cleared Gil Chua (Chua) of liability for Interbrand Logistics and Distribution, Inc.’s (Interbrand) unpaid PHP 150 million loan from the Bank of Commerce (Bank).

The loan was secured by promissory notes and notarized Continuing Surety Agreements (CSAs) signed by several of Interbrand’s officers. Chua was listed as one of the sureties, but unlike the other signatories, he was not an officer, director, or shareholder of the company. When Interbrand failed to pay the loans, the Bank sued the company and all the sureties.

Chua denied any involvement, saying he never signed a CSA nor appeared before a notary public. The Bank, however, insisted that the CSA, as a notarized document, is presumed valid.

Emphasizing that notarization does not cure a forged or fabricated document, the SC ruled that the notarized CAS was questionable and that Chua was not bound by it.

The SC found that Chua successfully challenged the validity of the CSA. He consistently denied signing the document or appearing before a notary. He held no position or interest in Interbrand, and the Bank had no specimen of his signature to verify the CSA.

Additionally, his CSA and another were allegedly signed on the same day in far-apart locations but had identical witnesses, which raised doubts as to their authenticity. The notary public who supposedly notarized the CSA was also never presented in court.

Read the full text of the Press Release at https://tinyurl.com/2zz7wmbd.

Read the full text of the Decision at https://tinyurl.com/5t4dxh45.

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

22/04/2025

Copies of recent pleadings involving public interest are regularly uploaded to the Public Pleadings page of the website.

VISIT https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/public-pleadings/ or SCAN the QR code for the latest upload:

- COMELEC's (public respondent's) Comment in G.R. No. 278305 (Members of R2KRN Coalition, et al. v. COMELEC, et al.)

- MIRU-ICS-CPSTI Joint Venture's (private respondent's) Comment in G.R. No. 278305

16/04/2025

The (SC) En Banc, during its April 2, 2025 session, has ordered Atty. Raul Lambino to show cause within 10 days from notice why he should not face administrative action for spreading false information.

In a Facebook Live broadcast on March 11, 2025, Atty. Lambino falsely claimed that the Supreme Court had issued a TRO against the arrest of former President Rodrigo Roa Duterte. This misinformation caused public confusion and misled the people about the Supreme Court’s actions.

Read the press briefer at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/press-briefer-april-08-2025/.

04/04/2025

Sinu-sino ang mga maaaring mag-notaryo? 🧐

Tanging mga abogadong mayroong wastong komisyon bilang notaryo publiko (Notarial Commission) ang pinahihintulutang magsagawa ng pagnonotaryo.

Isang karaniwang maling akala tungkol sa notarisasyon ay ang lahat ng abogado ay maaaring magnotaryo ng dokumento. Hindi lahat ng abogado ay notaryo publiko. Ngunit lahat ng notaryo publiko ay abogado.

Ang kapangyarihang magnotaryo ng mga dokumento ay hindi likas sa mga abogado.

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04/04/2025

Ano ang kahalagahan ng notarisasyon? 🤔

Isa sa mga pangunahing kahalagahan ng notarisasyon ay upang magpatotoo sa pagkakakilanlan ng mga lumalagda sa isang dokumento.

Ito ay naglalayong maiwasan ang pandaraya at pagtiyak na ang dokumento ay pinapatupad ng mga tamang partido.

Ipinapalagay na regular ang dokumentong notarisado o na ito ay sumunod sa proseso at paraan ng naaayon sa batas.

Tinitiyak ng isang notaryo publiko ang pagkakakilanlan ng mga indibidwal sa pamamagitan ng personal na pagharap ng mga ito. Tinitiyak din ng notaryo publiko ang pagiging tunay ng mga lagda ng mga lumalagda sa dokumentong ipapanotaryo.

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