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Nopuente Law Firm We help people and businesses stay compliant, protect deals, and solve legal problems before they get expensive. Tax. Corporate. Labor. Criminal. Civil. Admin.

Clear strategy. Clean documentation. Defensible compliance.

Not every relationship will lead to marriage. Unforeseen circumstances may change a couple’s plans. But that does not ex...
09/10/2026

Not every relationship will lead to marriage. Unforeseen circumstances may change a couple’s plans. But that does not excuse deliberately and publicly humiliating a partner.

In ### v. People of the Philippines, the man withdrew their marriage-license application without informing his pregnant partner, after publicly committing to marry her and knowing that she had announced the planned union.

The Supreme Court treated his willful conduct as emotional manipulation and public humiliation that caused proven mental and emotional anguish. It affirmed his conviction under Section 5(i) of Republic Act No. 9262.

The Court did not punish the broken promise itself. The way he withdrew from the commitment, and the anguish his conduct caused, mattered.

A broken engagement alone does not establish criminal liability. The prosecution must still prove every statutory element beyond reasonable doubt, including the covered relationship, the acts constituting psychological violence, and the resulting mental or emotional anguish.

When assessing a similar situation, preserve the relevant messages and records and have the full facts reviewed.

Source: ### v. People of the Philippines, G.R. No. E-00648, July 29, 2026

______________________
Atty. Ivn Maj Nopuente
NOPUENTE LAW FIRM
https://nopuentelawfirm.com
[email protected]
0907-060-8699

Before you approve a corporate-compliance quotation, ask what the total covers.The professional fee pays for the agreed ...
08/10/2026

Before you approve a corporate-compliance quotation, ask what the total covers.

The professional fee pays for the agreed legal work. Government filing charges are payable to the agency. Possible penalties need a separate check against the applicable rules and the company’s records.

A quotation may combine these amounts or leave some costs outside the total. Ask for a written breakdown that identifies the work covered, exclusions, payment terms, and who will handle each filing.

Also check which amounts are confirmed and which remain estimates. If a government amount has been assessed, request the assessment and the filing or period it covers. If it is still an estimate, ask what remains to be verified.

This matters when you have a limited budget. Agreeing on a lower professional fee does not, by itself, reduce the amount properly due to the government.

As the work progresses, keep the government payment receipts and filing acknowledgements or status records. Paying the professional fee alone does not establish that government dues were paid or that a filing is complete.

______________________
Atty. Ivn Maj Nopuente
NOPUENTE LAW FIRM
https://nopuentelawfirm.com
[email protected]
0907-060-8699

If your compliance budget is limited, training the owner or staff who will handle routine tax tasks can be a practical s...
07/10/2026

If your compliance budget is limited, training the owner or staff who will handle routine tax tasks can be a practical starting point.

Before a tax-awareness session, list the parts of your process that are unclear. Ask which tax returns, invoices and records apply to your business, what deadlines to track, and what proof to keep after filing and payment.

Use the answers to identify what your team can properly handle and where an accountant or lawyer is needed. A general explanation may still need to be checked against your registration, transactions and actual documents.

After the session, turn the answers into a short checklist with a person responsible for each task and a due date. Keep the unresolved questions on that list for review.

Include that preparation in your plans for growth. Depending on your needs, counselling and training can be more cost-efficient than having a lawyer do all the actual compliance work.

______________________
Atty. Ivn Maj Nopuente
NOPUENTE LAW FIRM
https://nopuentelawfirm.com
[email protected]
0907-060-8699

You were prevented from entering the workplace, but no termination notice was served. Does that mean there was no dismis...
05/10/2026

You were prevented from entering the workplace, but no termination notice was served. Does that mean there was no dismissal? Not necessarily.

In Gabrillo v. Tri-J Marketing, the employee was repeatedly pressured to resign under threat of criminal prosecution and was prevented from entering the workplace. The employer argued that its prepared termination notice had never been served. The Supreme Court nevertheless found constructive dismissal.

Constructive dismissal occurs when the employer’s conduct makes continued employment impossible, unreasonable, or unlikely. The surrounding circumstances matter. An investigation or a genuinely voluntary offer to resign does not automatically establish dismissal.

If you face a similar situation, preserve complete messages and reporting instructions. Document your attempts to report for work, any refusal of entry, and who witnessed it. Seek legal advice promptly rather than waiting indefinitely for a termination letter.

Source: Niño Rio Gabrillo v. Tri-J Marketing, Inc., G.R. No. 279863, August 26, 2026

⸻

Atty. Ivn Maj Nopuente
NOPUENTE LAW FIRM
https://nopuentelawfirm.com
[email protected]
0907-060-8699

Congress must enact an anti-dynasty law. But the Supreme Court’s ruling does not itself supply that law.According to the...
03/10/2026

Congress must enact an anti-dynasty law. But the Supreme Court’s ruling does not itself supply that law.

According to the Court’s official briefer, the Court granted mandamus directing Congress to fulfill its constitutional duty. Congress retains the responsibility to define political dynasties and determine the scope of the prohibition. That discretion does not make compliance optional or permit indefinite delay.

This also explains why the ruling should not be read as automatically disqualifying every candidate from a political family. The petition against COMELEC was denied; the legislative definition remains necessary.

The ruling establishes Congress’ obligation. Actual enactment still requires congressional action and legislative judgment.

Source: Kapatiran Party (Alliance for the Common Good), et al. v. Congress of the Philippines, et al., and consolidated cases, G.R. Nos. 263934, 272370, 277747, and 279201, August 26, 2026; based on the SC press briefer dated September 16, 2026.

______________________
Atty. Ivn Maj Nopuente
NOPUENTE LAW FIRM
https://nopuentelawfirm.com
[email protected]
0907-060-8699

Happy birthday to our Firm Manager, Katrina Zoleta!Katrina brings creativity and close attention to detail to editing ou...
27/09/2026

Happy birthday to our Firm Manager, Katrina Zoleta!

Katrina brings creativity and close attention to detail to editing our firm’s videos. In her conversations with clients and staff, she understands that different people need different approaches. She also speaks up and stands firm when she believes something is right.

Thank you, Katrina Zoleta, for the thought and care you put into your work. We hope this year also gives you room to pursue the ideas and ambitions that matter to you.

With appreciation from your Nopuente Law Firm family.

Suppose your finance officer receives a Viber message using your photo: “Transfer ₱300,000 now. I’m in a meeting.” She t...
27/09/2026

Suppose your finance officer receives a Viber message using your photo: “Transfer ₱300,000 now. I’m in a meeting.” She transfers the money, but you never sent that instruction.

Was she deceived? Did she knowingly participate? Were payment safeguards missing or bypassed? More than one explanation may apply.

I would suggest checking these records before assigning responsibility:

1. The original conversation and sender’s number. Your photo alone does not identify who sent the message.
2. The transfer records. Where did the money go, and who controlled the receiving account?
3. The approval process. Was independent confirmation required? Was it attempted? Did you ordinarily authorize payments this way?
4. Any separate communications or money trail connecting the employee to the recipient.

Following the instruction does not, by itself, establish knowing participation. A missed verification step also needs to be examined against the actual rules and practices of your business.

Preserve the original messages, transaction records, and approval history before they are deleted or changed. Reconstruct what happened before deciding whom to hold responsible.

⸻

Atty. Ivn Maj Nopuente
NOPUENTE LAW FIRM
https://nopuentelawfirm.com
[email protected]
0907-060-8699

Your employee sends customers a payment QR code displaying her husband’s name. She says the company account was unavaila...
26/09/2026

Your employee sends customers a payment QR code displaying her husband’s name. She says the company account was unavailable. You later discover missing collections.

In this hypothetical situation, what should you check?

I would suggest tracing each payment:

1. Preserve the original messages showing who sent the QR code and what customers were instructed to do.
2. Ask customers to confirm their payments, including the dates, amounts, and transaction references.
3. Verify who owns and controls the recipient account through records obtained lawfully.
4. Match each payment against the customer’s invoice, collection records, and any remittance to the company.

Also check the employee’s authority to collect, whether anyone approved the alternative account, and whether the company account was actually unavailable.

Her husband’s displayed name is a reason to investigate. By itself, it does not establish that either spouse took company money.

Preserve the records and verify her explanation before deciding who is responsible for the shortfall.

⸻

Atty. Ivn Maj Nopuente
NOPUENTE LAW FIRM
https://nopuentelawfirm.com
[email protected]
0907-060-8699

Suppose your accounting team receives an email apparently from your supplier: “We changed banks.” They transfer ₱850,000...
25/09/2026

Suppose your accounting team receives an email apparently from your supplier: “We changed banks.” They transfer ₱850,000. Later, the supplier demands payment.

Who bears the loss? I would first establish what happened before assigning responsibility.

1. Who sent the email? Check the actual address and original email records. Was it an imitation address, a compromised account, or an authorized message?
2. Who authorized the change? Examine the supplier’s payment instructions, your contract, and previous dealings.
3. Where did the money go? Check the receiving account’s details against the transfer records.
4. How was the change verified? Did someone contact the supplier using a previously established number, or rely on contact details in the same email?
5. Who approved the transfer, and what checks were actually completed?

A familiar sender name and a successful transfer do not, by themselves, settle those questions. Neither does the supplier’s denial.

I suggest preserving the original emails, including their technical headers, payment records, and verification and approval records. Those details matter when assessing who should bear the loss.

⸻

Atty. Ivn Maj Nopuente
NOPUENTE LAW FIRM
https://nopuentelawfirm.com
[email protected]
0907-060-8699

A will admitted to probate can still contain provisions that cannot be enforced.In Abella v. Sumayod, G.R. No. 269598, 2...
24/09/2026

A will admitted to probate can still contain provisions that cannot be enforced.

In Abella v. Sumayod, G.R. No. 269598, 2 April 2025, the Supreme Court examined a will that disposed of shares belonging to other people.

Josefina Abella’s will referred to her own share in properties in Pawing, Palo, Leyte. It also directed that the shares of Irene, Teodoro, and Leon go to specified beneficiaries.

After the will was admitted to probate, the beneficiaries’ heirs asked the court to enforce those provisions.

The Supreme Court rejected their request. Josefina could not transfer those other persons’ shares through her will.

Probate generally establishes that a will was properly executed and meets the required formalities. It does not automatically make every disposition legally effective.

Here, the probate court could address the challenged provisions within the same proceedings. Requiring a separate case would serve no useful purpose.

But the Court also corrected the broader invalidation of the provisions concerning the properties.

Josefina’s reference to her own share had to be treated separately. If she actually owned an undivided share, she could dispose of that share by will.

The invalid dispositions did not automatically invalidate the disposition of her own share.

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