DivinaLaw

11/05/2026

DivinaLaw is looking for individuals to be a part of our dynamic team.

Interested applicants may send their resume to [email protected].

11/05/2026

A DOSE OF LAW | Not every franchise violation is a crime

Published 11 May 2026, The Daily Tribune

A legislative franchise is a privilege granted by the State allowing a corporation or entity to engage in activities imbued with public interest. Broadcasting networks, power distributors, water concessionaires, transport operators, and similar enterprises derive their authority from such franchises. Because these businesses directly affect the public, the State retains broad powers of supervision and regulation over them.

But does the violation of a franchise condition amount to a crime?

Dean Nilo Divina discusses legislative franchise violations.

Please check the comments for the link.

10/05/2026

To mothers all around the world,

Whose warmth and comfort light up the home,
Whose sacrifices are felt in countless meaningful ways,
Whose care and compassion continue to uplift their children, even as they grow older:

Thank you for your endless love and selfless devotion. May you feel the same joy and appreciation that you so generously give to others.

Happy Mother’s Day from DivinaLaw.

08/05/2026

DivinaLaw Managing Partner Nilo T. Divina sat down with journalist Pinky Webb in the recent episode of On Point on the Bilyonaryo News Channel.

Atty. Divina talked about the legal industry and the growth of the Firm, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Watch the interview here.

Pinky Webb gets , where she asks the tough questions, tackles key issues, and clears the facts.🕛 7:30 p.m., Mondays to Fridays📺 Free TV Ch. 31, Cig...

08/05/2026

DivinaLaw boosts mining practice with new SP

DivinaLaw proudly welcomes Atty. Noel Raymond R. Ostrea as the Firm’s newest Senior Partner.

An accomplished legal practitioner, legal educator at the Ateneo de Manila School of Law and Adamson University College of Law, and former President and CEO of the Ostrea Mineral Laboratories, Inc. (OMLI) Group of Companies--Atty. Ostrea brings extensive experience in mining law alongside a broad range of practice areas, including litigation, labor and employment, gaming and amusement, family law, and policy reform.

With Atty. Ostrea joining the firm, DivinaLaw continues to strengthen its capabilities across highly specialized areas of practice, delivering strategic legal solutions that address the evolving needs of clients and reflecting the firm’s continued growth as a premier full-service law firm.

Atty. Ostrea obtained his Bachelor of Laws from the Ateneo de Manila University School of Law. He finished his Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila where he has also taken courses towards a Doctor of Business Administration degree. He obtained his Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of the Philippines.

08/05/2026

A DOSE OF LAW | When paternity becomes the threshold of criminal liability

Published 8 May 2026, The Daily Tribune

In a recent ruling that clarifies the limits of criminal liability under the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 (RA No. 9262), the Supreme Court held that paternity or filiation must first be established before a person may be convicted for economic abuse arising from the alleged refusal to provide financial support to a child.

Dean Nilo Divina talks about the case of ### v. People of the Philippines (G.R. No. 262419, 3 November 2025).

Please check the comments for the link.

04/05/2026

A DOSE OF LAW | When a corporate dispute is not corporate at all

Published 4 May 2026, The Daily Tribune

Not every dispute involving shares of stock is, strictly speaking, a corporate controversy. Sometimes, beneath the language of corporations lies a more fundamental issue — succession.

This distinction takes center stage in a recent case where the Supreme Court clarified a recurring confusion in commercial litigation: when does a dispute among supposed stockholders truly fall within the realm of intra-corporate controversy, and when is it merely a civil dispute dressed in corporate clothing?

Dean Nilo Divina writes about the case of Yu v. Que (G.R. No. 268687, 29 October, 2025).

Please check the comments for the link.

01/05/2026

Today, we honor the individuals whose hard work sustains and strengthens our nation.

Our workers are the pillars of our industries and communities and the force that drives our progress forward.

DivinaLaw wishes you a meaningful and restful Labor Day.

01/05/2026

A DOSE OF LAW | When the mind fails, the law understands

Published 1 May 2026, The Daily Tribune

There are cases that test not only the limits of the law, but also the depth of our humanity. The recent Supreme Court decision acquitting a mother with schizophrenia of parricide is one such case—tragic in its facts, but instructive in its affirmation of a fundamental legal principle: culpability requires consciousness.

Dean Nilo Divina discusses the case of People of the Philippines v. ### (G.R. No. 273354, 29 October 2025).

Please check the comments for the link.

27/04/2026

A DOSE OF LAW | No camera, no warrant

Published 27 April 2026, The Daily Tribune

The adoption of body-worn cameras in the Philippines marks a significant step toward strengthening accountability in law enforcement while safeguarding constitutional rights. The Supreme Court, through A.M. No. 21-06-08-SC, institutionalized the use of these devices, particularly in the ex*****on of arrest and search warrants, in response to recurring concerns over alleged abuses and disputed police operations.

At its core, the rule requires law enforcement officers to use body-worn cameras, or at the very least, alternative recording devices, when implementing warrants. This requirement is not a mere procedural add-on. It ensures that police operations are documented in real time, providing an objective and contemporaneous account of events as they unfold.

However, while body-worn cameras promote transparency and accountability, they also raise serious and legitimate data privacy concerns.

Dean Nilo Divina shares the guidelines on body-worn cameras.

Please check the comments for the link.

25/04/2026

DivinaLaw partners with SAKURA Law

DivinaLaw Managing Partner Atty. Nilo T. Divina and SAKURA Law Office Managing Attorney Kenshiro Michish*ta recently signed an affiliation agreement between the two firms in DivinaLaw’s office in Makati City, Philippines.

“We (in DivinaLaw) are expanding our presence in five major cities all over the world. One of them is Tokyo, Japan,” said Atty. Divina. “I cannot think of a better partner than someone who will come all the way from Japan to join us in our (20th anniversary) celebration. I look forward to a mutually beneficial, long-lasting relationship.”

The signing of the agreement was witnessed by DivinaLaw Senior Partners Atty. Cybill B. Uytiepo and Atty. Gregorio Y. Larrazabal, DivinaLaw Partner Atty. Floro C. Balato, Jr. and Mr. Eric Valbuena who was part of Mr. Michish*ta’s entourage along with Ms. Hiroko Fukuda. SAKURA LAW was welcomed by DivinaLaw Senior Partner Atty. Danny E. Bunyi, Partner Atty. Floro C. Balato, Jr., Senior Associate Atty. Marnelli A. Sales, and Associate Atty. Alaiza A. Adviento.