Pagkuha ng brgy. protection order ng biktima ng pang-aabuso

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Jan. 29, 2025

Dear Chief Acosta,

May live-in partner ako na siya ring ama ng aking dalawang anak. Sinasaktan niya ako tuwing siya ay nakainom, at naging pangkaraniwan na lang ang pagmumura niya sa akin.  Alam kong mali ito, ngunit dahil may mga anak kami, nag-aalangan pa rin akong magsampa ng kaso laban sa kanya. Maaari pa ba akong mag-apply ng barangay protection order (BPO) kaugnay ng Violence Against Women and their Children (VAWC) kahit na walang nakabinbin na kasong kriminal laban sa aking live-in partner? -- Dana

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Dear Dana, 

Ang sagot sa iyong katanungan ay matatagpuan sa ilalim ng Sections 14 at 21 ng Republic Act (R.A.) No. 9262, o ang “Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004,” kung saan nakasaad na:

“SECTION 14. Barangay Protection Orders (BPOs); Who May Issue and How. - Barangay Protection Orders (BPOs) refer to the protection order issued by the Punong Barangay ordering the perpetrator to desist from committing acts under Section 5 (a) and (b) of this Act.  A Punong Barangay who receives applications for a BPO shall issue the protection order to the applicant on the date of filing after ex parte determination of the basis of the application.  If the Punong Barangay is unavailable to act on the application for a BPO, the application shall be acted upon by any available Barangay Kagawad. If the BPO is issued by a Barangay Kagawad, the order must be accompanied by an attestation by the Barangay Kagawad that the Punong Barangay was unavailable at the time for the issuance of the BPO.  BPOs shall be effective for fifteen (15) days. Immediately after the issuance of an ex parte BPO, the Punong Barangay or Barangay Kagawad shall personally serve a copy of the same on the respondent, or direct any barangay official to effect its personal service.

“The parties may be accompanied by a non-lawyer advocate in any proceeding before the Punong Barangay.”

Sang-ayon sa nabanggit, ang BPO ay karaniwang iginagawad ng punong barangay, at kung wala siya, ito ay ibinibigay ng barangay kagawad. Ito ay nag-uutos sa inirereklamo na tumigil sa kanyang ginagawang pananakit o pagbabanta sa kaligtasan ng biktima. Ang BPO ay epektibo lamang sa loob ng 15 araw.

Nangangahulugan na kahit sa barangay pa lamang ay maaari nang humingi ng tulong ang biktima upang maproteksyunan ang kanyang kaligtasan, bago pa man siya magsampa ng reklamo sa korte, kung kanyang nanaisin.

Kaakibat nito, ang hindi pagsunod sa inilabas na BPO ay may karampatang parusa sa batas, at ang kasong kriminal na naaangkop dito ay maaaring ipagpatuloy. Ayon sa Section 21 ng parehong batas:

“SECTION 21. Violation of Protection Orders. – A complaint for a violation of a BPO issued under this Act must be filed directly with any municipal trial court, metropolitan trial court, or municipal circuit trial court that has territorial jurisdiction over the barangay that issued the BPO.  Violation of a BPO shall be punishable by imprisonment of thirty (30) days without prejudice to any other criminal or civil action that the offended party may file for any of the acts committed. xxx”

Maaaring magsampa ng reklamo ukol sa paglabag ng BPO sa municipal trial court, metropolitan trial court, o municipal circuit trial court na nakasasakop sa barangay na naglabas ng BPO. Ang paglabag sa BPO ay pinarurusahan ng pagkakakulong ng 30 araw, at maaari ring magsampa ng kasong kriminal o sibil ang biktima.

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay.

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.

Libreng internet at palikuran sa mga terminal

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Jan. 28, 2025

Dear Chief Acosta,

Noong Disyembre ay napakaraming tao na naman ang nag-uwian upang makasama ang kanilang pamilya para sa Pasko at Bagong Taon. Mayroon bang batas na naglalayon na mapabuti ang kaginhawaan ng mga biyahero sa mga pampublikong terminal? — Allan

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Dear Allan, 

Ang sagot sa iyong katanungan ay matatagpuan sa Sections 3, 4, 5 at 6 ng Republic Act (R.A.) No. 11311, na may titulong “An Act To Improve Land Transportation Terminals, Stations, Stops, Rest Areas And Roll-On/Roll-Off Terminals, Appropriating Funds Therefor, And For Other Purposes,” na naglalahad ng iba’t ibang benepisyo para sa mga biyahero, gaya ng mga sumusunod:

“SEC. 3. Provision of Free Internet. - Pursuant to Republic Act No. 10929, otherwise known as the “Free Internet Access in Public Places Act”, the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT), in coordination with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and other concerned stakeholders, shall ensure that free internet is provided in transportation terminals, stations, stops, rest areas and RORO terminals. Owners, operators, or administrators of such establishments shall fully ensure the speedy and efficient implementation of this provision.

SEC. 4. Standards for Sanitary Facilities. - The owner, operator, or administrator of land transport terminals, stations, stops, rest areas, and RORO terminals shall provide clean sanitary facilities for passengers which shall be provided with the following:

(a) Separate restrooms for persons with disabilities (PWDs) male, and female passengers;

(b) Adequate ventilation and lighting;

(c) Safe, adequate, and running water supply;

(d) Flush system;

(e) Toilet seat with cover;

(f) Lavatory with toilet paper, mirror, soap, hand dryer and door lock;

(g) Waste bin; and

(h) Exclusive space for diaper-changing.

In implementing this provision, owners, operators, or administrators of land transport terminals, stations, stops, rest areas, and RORO terminals shall also comply with the applicable standards under Presidential Decree No. 856, otherwise known as the ‘Code on Sanitation of the Philippines.’ The DOTr, in coordination with the relevant government agencies, shall conduct random ocular inspections to ensure that such establishments comply with this provision.

SEC. 5. Prohibition on Collection of Fees to Access Sanitary Facilities. - It shall be unlawful to collect fees from passengers for the use of regular sanitary facilities therein.  For the purpose of this Act, the concerned passenger must show the paid bus ticket for the day in order to avail of the free use of sanitary facilities: Provided, however, That the provisions of this Act shall not apply to separate, well-appointed or deluxe sanitary facilities that are operated solely for commercial purposes and for the convenience of passengers who require and prefer such facilities within land transport terminals, stations, stops, rest areas, and RORO terminals.

SEC. 6. Lactation Station. - The owner, operator, or administrator of land transport terminals, stations, stops, rest areas, and RORO terminals shall establish at least one (1) lactation station which shall be separate from the sanitary facilities.  The lactation stations shall be clean and compliant with the applicable provisions under Republic Act No. 7600, as amended by Republic Act No. 10028, otherwise known as the ‘Expanded Breastfeeding Promotion Act of 2009’ and its rules and regulations. The DOTr, in coordination with the Department of Health (DOH) and other relevant government agencies, shall conduct random ocular inspections to ensure that such establishments comply with this provision.” 

Sang-ayon sa nabanggit na mga probisyon ng batas, ilan sa mga benepisyong dapat ibigay sa mga pasahero ng pampublikong transportasyon ay ang mga sumusunod: Una, ang pagkakaroon ng libreng internet sa mga terminal. Dapat itong matiyak ng DOTr, kasama ang DICT; Pangalawa, malinis na palikuran; Pangatlo, ipinagbabawal ang paniningil para sa paggamit ng palikuran, maliban na lang kung ang palikuran ay makokonsiderang “deluxe” o karaniwang tinatawag na “pay restroom”; at panghuli, ang pagkakaroon ng lactation station para sa may mga sanggol na magulang. 

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay. 

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.

Parusa sa rider na hindi nagbibigay ng tamang sukli

ni Atty. Persida Rueda-Acosta @Magtanong Kay Attorney | Jan. 27, 2025

Dear Chief Acosta,

Sa araw-araw na paggamit ko ng mga ride-hailing applications sa pagpasok ko sa aking trabaho, minsan ay nakakaengkuwentro ako ng ilang mga drayber o rider na nagsasabing wala silang panukli. Nagiging palaisipan tuloy sa akin, wala bang nalalabag na batas ang intensyonal na hindi pagbibigay ng sukli? Nais ko sanang maliwanagan. Maraming salamat. – Jamily

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Dear Jamily,

Patakaran ng Estado na protektahan ang interes at itaguyod ang kapakanan ng mga mamimili at mapanatiling maayos ang mga pamantayan na sinusunod ng mga pribadong negosyo o industriya. Binibigyang halaga rin ng ating pamahalaan ang pangangalaga sa mga consumer laban sa mapanlinlang at hindi patas na mga gawain ng mga nagnenegosyo.

Ang Republic Act No. 10909 (R. A. No. 10909) o mas kilala bilang “No Shortchanging Act of 2016” ay sumasakop sa lahat ng business establishments o mga negosyo na nagbebenta ng produkto o nagbibigay ng serbisyo. Sa katunayan, ang Seksyon 3(a) ng nasabing batas ay binigyang depinisyon ang mga business establishment:

“Section 3. Definition of Terms. - For the purpose of this Act, the following terms shall mean:

(a) Business establishment – any person, natural or juridical, whether single proprietorship, partnership or corporation, including a government-owned and -controlled corporation or a government entity exercising its proprietary functions, engaged in, or doing business in the Philippines, either in selling goods or providing services;”

Batay sa nasabing depinisyon, ang iba’t ibang mga pampasaherong sasakyan ay mga business establishments o negosyo, bilang sila ay nagbibigay ng serbisyo kapalit ng halaga.  Samakatuwid, ang mga namamasadang drayber o rider ay sakop ng nasabing batas.

Ayon sa Seksyon 4(a) ng R. A. No. 10909:    

“Section 4. Regulated Acts. - It shall be the duty of the business establishment to give the exact change to the consumer without waiting for the consumer to ask for the same.

(a) In General.— It shall be unlawful for any business establishment to shortchange a consumer, even if such change is only of a small amount. Nothing in this Act shall be construed as a restriction for business establishments to give an amount greater than the sufficient change.” 

Samakatuwid, tungkulin ng mga business establishments na magbigay ng eksaktong sukli sa kanilang mga pasahero, kahit na hindi ito hingin sa kanila. Higit ding ipinagbabawal ng batas sa mga nasabing establisimyento o negosyo na mag-shortchange o bawasan ang sukli ng kanilang mga mamimili, kahit na ang sukli ay maliit na halaga lamang. 

Para sagutin ang iyong katanungan, ang mga drayber o rider na intensyonal na hindi nagbibigay ng sukli ay maaaring managot sa batas. Ang akto ng hindi pagbibigay ng sukli, o pagbabawas ng sukling ibibigay, gaano man ito kaliit ay ilegal.

Dagdag pa rito, ang sinumang mapatutunayan na lumabag sa nasabing probisyon ng batas ay maaaring pagbayarin ng multa. Ayon sa Seksyon 6 nito:

“Section 6. Penalties. - Any violation of this Act as determined by the DTI under Section 5 hereof shall be punished as follows: for the first offense, a violator shall be fined five hundred pesos (P500.00) or three percent (3%) of the gross sales of the business establishment on the day of the violation, whichever is higher; for the second offense, a violator shall be fined five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) or five percent (5%) of the gross sales of the business establishment on the day of the violation, whichever is higher; for the third offense, a violator shall be fined fifteen thousand pesos (P15,000.00) or seven percent (7%) of the gross sales of the business establishment on the day of the violation, whichever is higher, and the license to operate of the business establishment shall be suspended for three (3) months; and for the fourth offense, a violator shall be fined twenty-five thousand pesos (P25,000.00) or ten percent (10%) of the gross sales of the business establishment on the day of the violation, whichever is higher, and the license to operate of the business establishment shall be revoked.

In addition to the amount of the fine mentioned above, the total amount of change the establishment failed or refused to give, as determined from the audit of the DTI, shall be paid by the said establishment to the complainant.”

Sana ay nabigyan namin ng linaw ang iyong katanungan. Ang payong aming ibinigay ay base lamang sa mga impormasyon na iyong inilahad at maaaring magbago kung mababawasan o madaragdagan ang mga detalye ng iyong salaysay. 

Maraming salamat sa iyong patuloy na pagtitiwala.