𝑫𝑰𝑬𝒁 𝑨𝑹𝑪𝑯𝑰𝑽𝑨𝑳 𝑾𝑬𝑬 & 𝑫𝑬𝑳𝑨 𝑹𝑶𝑺𝑨 𝑳𝑨𝑾 𝑶𝑭𝑭𝑰𝑪𝑬𝑺

13/02/2026

📢 Good news for your paycheck!
The BIR has officially increased the ceilings for De Minimis Benefits under RR 29-2025!

09/02/2026

09/02/2026

29/01/2026

The (SC) has dismissed an adultery case filed by the representative of a married man, reiterating that only the offended spouse may file the complaint.

In a Decision written by Associate Justice Antonio T. Kho, Jr., the SC’s Second Division dismissed the adultery charge filed by Jin Chiba, through a representative, against his wife, Aurel Ann Chua-Chiba and her co-accused Michael Llona. SC reversed the ruling of the Regional Trial Court (RTC), which had ordered the reinstatement of the adultery case against Aurel and Michael.

Aurel’s husband, Jin, through his representative, filed a complaint for adultery and grave threats against the two.

The Metropolitan Trial Court (MeTC) dismissed the adultery charge, citing that only the offended spouse can initiate it.

The RTC overturned the MeTC’s decision, confirming that the filing met legal standards because Jin’s complaint-affidavit was actually attached to the complaint submitted by his representative.

The SC disagreed and reiterated that adultery is a private crime that may be prosecuted only upon a complaint filed by the offended spouse, citing Rule 110, Section 5, of the 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘦 and Article 344 of the 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘗𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦 (RPC).

The SC explained that this requirement exists “out of consideration for the aggrieved party who might prefer to suffer the outrage in silence rather than go through the scandal of a public trial.” The law allows the offended spouse to decide whether to bring the matter to court or handle it privately.

In this case, the complaint for adultery was not initiated by the offended spouse but by his representative. Although Jin submitted his own complaint-affidavit, it was only included as an annex to his representative’s complaint.

Because there is failure to meet the requirement under the 𝘙𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘙𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘳𝘦 and the RPC, the SC held that no valid complaint was filed and dismissed the case.

Read the full text of the press release at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=159759

Read the full text of the Decision at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=159743

Read the Concurring Opinion of Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=159748

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

29/01/2026

The 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤, during its session today, January 28, 2026, denied the petition filed by the Republic of the Philippines, through the Office of the Solicitor General, which questioned the removal of an annotation on respondent Antonio V. Mitra’s (Mitra) land title.

Mitra owns a parcel of land in Quezon City. After his transfer certificate of title (TCT) was presumed lost or destroyed, he applied for administrative reconstitution.

Following Republic Act (R.A.) No. 26, the law that governs the reconstitution of lost or destroyed titles, the reconstituted title contained an annotation stating that it was without prejudice to any party whose right or interest in the property was duly noted on the original copy at the time it was lost or destroyed.

Twenty-seven years later, Mitra asked the Regional Trial Court (RTC) to cancel the annotation, pointing out that no one had claimed any interest in the property during that period. The RTC granted the request and ordered the removal of the annotation. The Court of Appeals upheld the RTC, ruling that the publication and posting requirement no longer applied because of the long lapse of time since the title was reconstituted.

Agreeing with the Court of Appeals, the SC explained that under R.A. No. 26, posting and publication are required only if the petition to cancel the mandatory annotation is filed within two years from the date of administrative reconstitution, and no petition to annotate an omitted interest has been filed during that period.

Read the full text of the Press Briefer at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=159902.

The full text of the Decision in G.R. No. 264862, Republic of the Philippines v. Antonio V. Mitra, shall be uploaded to the Supreme Court website once available.

09/01/2026

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09/01/2026

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09/01/2026

A total of 5,594 out of 11,420 examinees passed the , for a passing rate of 48.98%, as announced by Supreme Court (SC) Associate Justice Amy C. Lazaro-Javier, Chairperson of the 2025 Bar Examinations, during the release of the results at the SC Courtyard in Manila earlier.

Jhenroniel Rhey Timola Sanchez, a graduate of the University of the Philippines, topped the 2025 Bar Examinations, with a rating of 92.70%.

The oath-taking and roll signing ceremonies of successful Bar examinees will be held on February 6, 2026 at the Philippine Arena.

The examinations were held on September 7, 10, and 14, 2025 in 14 local testing centers across the country.

Read the full text of the Press Briefer at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/press-briefer-january-07-2026/.

09/01/2026

Congratulations, attorneys!

09/01/2026

09/01/2026

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃: 𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐬 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐣𝐨𝐛 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐂𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤

In line with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr.’s directive to continuously provide support to Filipino workers who may be facing displacement/layoffs, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is taking proactive steps to tackle job losses from two firms at Clark Freeport Zone.

DOLE Central Luzon, in collaboration with the Clark Development Corporation, will conduct a special job fair for the displaced workers affected by the shutdown of Charter Link Clark, Inc., engaged in the garment industry. A total of 477 employees are affected by the company's closure due to lack of demand/orders.

The special job fair additionally features 390 probationary employees from La Rose Noire Philippines, Inc., engaged in the pastries industry, who were terminated for failing to meet the company’s strict requirements.

𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘺.