Hey Attorney

02/10/2026

"Hindi ko nakikita, e. Paano ko ibibigay?"

In an interview with Ogie Diaz uploaded on September 29, 2026, actor Patrick Garcia said he last gave child support to his son with Jennylyn Mercado in 2017. He said he last saw his son that December, and that his Viber messages since 2018 have gone unanswered. Jennylyn's camp disputes his account. Within days the interview had millions of views, and every family-law question in the country landed in the comments.

Hindi namin hinuhusgahan si Patrick Garcia, and we don't take sides in this episode. And please, walang bashing ng mga bata. Bashing a minor online can be child abuse under RA 7610, and the Cybercrime Prevention Act raises the penalty when it's done online.

So what does the law actually say? In this episode, Atty. Bernice Piñol-Rodriguez answers the three questions every parent in this situation is asking:

⚖️ Pwede bang itigil ang sustento kung hindi mo nakikita ang anak mo?
⚖️ Kung ikaw ang tatay at hindi ka kinakausap ng nanay, paano ka magbibigay? Or is that just a lame excuse? Plus: what "support in arrears" means, and when unpaid support becomes a debt
⚖️ Pwede ka bang makulong kung hindi ka nagbibigay ng child support?

Stay for the third question. The Supreme Court's answer is not what most people assume.

If you're a father in Patrick's shoes, or the mother on the other side of that story, this episode is for you.

📚 LAWS & CASES DISCUSSED
• Family Code, Arts. 176, 194, 195, 201, 202, 203 and 207
• Civil Code, Art. 2035 (no compromise on future support)
• Republic Act No. 9262, Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act, Secs. 5(e), 5(i), 6, 8 and 24
• Republic Act No. 11642, Domestic Administrative Adoption Act, Sec. 42
• Republic Act No. 7610, Special Protection of Children Against Abuse Act
• Republic Act No. 10175, Cybercrime Prevention Act
• De Asis v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 127578, February 15, 1999
• Silva v. Court of Appeals, G.R. No. 114742, July 17, 1997
• Lacson v. Lacson, G.R. No. 150644, August 28, 2006
• Melgar v. People, G.R. No. 223477, February 14, 2018
• Del Socorro v. Van Wilsem, G.R. No. 193707, December 10, 2014
• Acharon v. People, G.R. No. 224946, November 9, 2021

💬 QUESTION OF THE DAY
Kung ikaw ang tatay at walong taon kang hindi sinasagot ng nanay, ano ang gagawin mo? And if you're the mother, ano ang gusto mong gawin niya? Tell me in the comments, in English, Tagalog or Bisaya. I'll read the best answers on Monday.

🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell. I'm here Monday to Friday, turning the headlines into law you can actually use. Alamin natin ang batas bago pa ito maging problema mo.

I'm Atty. Bernice Piñol-Rodriguez. Know your rights. Do what's right.

⚠️ DISCLAIMER
This video is for general legal information and education only and is not legal advice. Facts about the persons mentioned come from published reports and their own public statements, which are disputed. Nothing in this video says or implies that anyone has committed a crime. For your specific situation, consult a lawyer.

29/09/2026

This is purely a reaction video of Cong.
Zamora's trending direct examination of Police Major Sangalang during Day 30 of the Impeachment Trial of Vice President Sara Duterte.

What made her so trending? In this episode, Atty. Bernice Rodriguez finds out why.

Is her manner of questioning proper? Is it acceptable in courtroom settings?

This is purely a reaction video of Cong. Zamora's trending direct e...

29/09/2026

Pag-usapan natin ang “barrril” in my reaction video😅 Just posted on Youtube!

25/09/2026

𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞 𝟏𝟔-𝐕𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝???

Last Wednesday, September 23, 2026, the Sara Duterte impeachment trial just hit a turning point. On Day 29 of the impeachment trial, the Senate impeachment court voted to lower the voting threshold to convict Vice President Sara Duterte — changing the constitutional threshold for conviction from 16 votes down to 14, in the middle of her own trial.

In this episode, Atty. Bernice breaks down the full 16-vote threshold debate: the oral arguments of prosecution counsel Atty. Chel Diokno and defense counsel Atty. Michael Poa on the impeachment voting threshold, what the Senate impeachment court's ruling on the conviction threshold actually means, and whether this constitutional fight over VP Sara Duterte's impeachment is really over.

Is the 16-vote threshold gone for good, or is this voting threshold fight headed to the Supreme Court? Watch to find out exactly how the Duterte impeachment trial's constitutional threshold changed — and why it matters for every impeachment case after this one.

Goodbye 16-Vote Threshold???Last Wednesday, September 23, 2026, t...

22/09/2026

Alin sa mga Amici Curae ang tama? Who do you agree with? Here is my controversial take.

22/09/2026

Amicus or amici curae? Sila ba ang magpapa baba ng 16-vote rule? Watch the full discussion of VP Sara's Impeachment Trial on lowering the voting threshold on The Hey Attorney Podcast on Youtube!

22/09/2026

When Sen. Erwin Tulfo filed his motion for reconsideration questioning the 16-vote threshold to convict Vice President Sara Duterte, the Senate impeachment court did the unprecedented it summoned FOUR retired Supreme Court justices as amici curiae: Davide, Puno, Panganiban, at Azcuna. Tatlo ang nagsabing pwedeng bumaba ang bilang. Isa ang nagsabing hindi. Aling amicus curiae ang tama?

Sa episode na ito, ipapaliwanag natin nang simple:

16 votes ba talaga ang kailangan para ma-convict si VP Sara — o pwedeng bumaba?

Ano ang BIG DEAL kung i-lower o panatilihin ang bilang?

4 senators are absent — paano nito binabago ang buong laban?

Davide, Puno, Panganiban, o Azcuna — sino ang tama, at bakit?

No spin. Just the Constitution, the jurisprudence, and one lawyer's honest verdict at the end. 👉 Subscribe to Hey Attorney — know your rights, do what's right.

11/09/2026

Martin Romualdez Is Finally Going to Jail!!

This should not be a partisan issue, kakampink man o DDS.
Kung sino man ang guilty, dapat managot.

Let's hold our public officials accountable.

Know your rights and do what's right.

10/09/2026

Martin Romualdez's Arrest: Will He Rot in Jail?

Habang buhay ba talaga ang kulong sa kanya? Bailable ba o non-bailable ang plunder? Ano ang kailangan niyang patunayan para makakuha ng bail?

Know your rights and do what's right.

09/09/2026

Should someone accused of stealing from Filipinos 7.4 Billion pesos and possibly many billions more be allowed to bail?