Atty. Steve Lozada Aquino

The Supreme Court has invalidated a regulation from the Bureau of Internal Revenue that requires self-employed professionals to submit their rates and register appointment books to monitor their tax compliance.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-requiring-professionals-to-submit-appointment-books-to-monitor-tax-compliance-violates-right-to-privacy/

Affected provisions of Rule 112 (Preliminary Investigation) of the 2000 Revised Rules on Criminal Procedure will be deemed repealed once the 2024 Department of Justice-National Prosecution Service Rules on Preliminary Investigations and Inquest Proceedings are promulgated by the DOJ.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-to-repeal-provisions-of-rule-112-of-the-revised-rules-on-criminal-procedure/

The Supreme Court has ruled that the heir of a Philippine Air Force combat pilot who died in the line of duty may be allowed to settle the deceased soldier’s outstanding socialized housing loan to avoid foreclosure.

Read more at: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-allows-heir-to-settle-gsis-housing-loan-left-by-fallen-military-pilot/

Pursuant to its constitutional power to order a change of venue to avoid a miscarriage of justice, the Supreme Court’s Second Division yesterday granted the request of Department of Justice Secretary Jesus Crispin C. Remulla to move the venue of two criminal cases against Apollo C. Quiboloy from the Regional Trial Court (RTC), Davao City to the RTC, Quezon City.

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-orders-transfer-of-venue-of-quiboloy-criminal-cases-from-davao-city-to-quezon-city/

For the guidelines on the approval of work suspension in courts within and outside Metro Manila, see OCA Circular No. 354-2023 (https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/notice-on-and-or-approval-of-work-suspension-or-early-dismissal/) and OCA Circular No. 262-2022 (https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/creation-of-the-office-of-the-court-administrator-central-disaster-coordination-monitoring-and-response-team-oca-cdcmrt/) on the Supreme Court website.

The Supreme Court has reiterated that the private complainant in a criminal case cannot question the grant of bail and acquittal in favor of the accused.

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-private-complainant-in-criminal-case-cannot-challenge-grant-of-bail-acquittal-of-accused/

The Supreme Court has affirmed the conviction of an accused for robbery for demanding money from his ex-girlfriend in exchange for deleting her n**e photos posted on Facebook.

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-affirms-imprisonment-of-accused-for-demanding-money-in-exchange-for-deletion-of-ex-girlfriends-n**e-photos/

The Supreme Court has declared that red-tagging, vilification, labelling, and guilt by association threaten a person’s right to life, liberty, or security, which may justify the issuance of a writ of amparo.

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-red-tagging-threatens-right-to-life-liberty-and-security/

The Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that Republic Act No. 9262, or the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 (Anti-VAWC Act), grants protection to women-victims not only from men, but also from women, with whom they are in an intimate relationship.

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-reiterates-that-anti-vawc-act-also-applies-to-lesbian-relationships/

Affirming the State’s promise to protect Filipino workers here and abroad, the Supreme Court has ruled that it is illegal to fire an employee solely for testing positive for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-employment-termination-due-to-hiv-illegal/

The Supreme Court has issued the Rules for the Disposal of Unserviceable Properties of the Judiciary as part of its judiciary-wide modernization program of court processes and operations.

Read the full text of A.M. No. 23-06-14-SC: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/23-06-14-sc-the-rules-for-the-disposal-of-unserviceable-properties-of-the-judiciary/

The Supreme Court has ruled that backwages due illegally dismissed probationary employees are not limited to the unexpired portion of the probationary period but cover the time when compensation was withheld up to reinstatement.

READ: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/sc-illegally-dismissed-probationary-employees-entitled-to-backwages-from-time-compensation-withheld-up-to-actual-reinstatement/