Supreme Court Ph Podcast

Can a trial court issue a provisional custody order based solely on a parental compromise agreement without conducting a full-blown trial? In child custody cases, are courts bound by what parents agree on, or does the best interest of the child always come first?Listen to the #SupremeCourtPH Podcast with guest Court of Appeals Associate Justice Emily L. San Gaspar-Gito. She is a member of the Family Law and Civil Law Departments of the Philippine Judicial Academy, as well as the Court of Appeals Committee on Rules and the Supreme Court Committee on Family Courts and Juvenile Concerns. She is also a law professor and Bar reviewer.Supreme Court Chief Communications Officer Atty. Mike Navallo and Justice San Gaspar-Gito discuss parental compromise agreements and the best interest of the child in custody cases within the context of the case of Empuerto v. Cabrillos, GR No. 268979. This decision was penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and promulgated by the Supreme Court Second Division on February 5, 2025.

For legitimated children, how do you correct details in their birth certificates to reflect their father’s surname?Listen to the #SupremeCourtPH Podcast with guest Court of Appeals Associate Justice Emily L. San Gaspar-Gito. She is a member of the Family Law and Civil Law Departments of the Philippine Judicial Academy, as well as the Court of Appeals Committee on Rules and the Supreme Court Committee on Family Courts and Juvenile Concerns. She is also a law professor and Bar reviewer.Supreme Court Chief Communications Officer Atty. Mike Navallo and Justice San Gaspar-Gito discuss legitimation and change of surname within the context of the case of Teresita Calliza Barba v. Local Civil Registrars of Manila and of Cebu City, G.R. No. 269743. This Decision was penned by Senior Associate Justice Marvic M.V.F. Leonen and promulgated by the Supreme Court Second Division on August 18, 2025.

Does the use of common familial terms such as “uncle” or “niece” in a criminal information, particularly in rape cases, sufficiently inform the accused of the nature of their relationship to the victim, especially when the relationship qualifies the crime and increases the penalty? Listen to the #SupremeCourtPH Podcast with guest Atty. Dean Ace Pamaran, a Bar Examiner in Criminal Law during the 2024 Bar Examinations. He is a seasoned court attorney and law professor with extensive experience in decision writing, legal research, judicial management and administration, and legal education. He has also lectured on the Supreme Court Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations or SPJI, gender sensitivity and gender-based violence, tourism laws, cybercrime, and legal writing.Supreme Court Chief Communications Officer Atty. Mike Navallo and Atty. Pamaran discuss the significance of making proper allegations in a criminal information within the context of the case of People of the Philippines v. BBB254878, G.R. No. 254878. This Decision was penned by Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting and promulgated by the Supreme Court En Banc on October 22, 2024.

How can a valid arrest collapse over an unmarked gun, and how crucial is the chain of custody in securing a conviction under RA 10591, or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act?Listen to the #SupremeCourtPH Podcast with guest Atty. Dean Ace A. Pamaran, a Bar Examiner in Criminal Law during the 2024 Bar Examinations. He is a seasoned court attorney and law professor with extensive experience in decision-writing, legal research, judicial management and administration, and legal education. He has also lectured on the Supreme Court Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations or SPJI, gender sensitivity and gender-based violence, tourism laws, cybercrime, and legal writing.Supreme Court Chief Communications Officer Atty. Mike Navallo and Atty. Pamaran discuss about the handling of seized firearms during a warrantless search within the context of the case of Tony Baclig II v. People of the Philippines, G.R. No. 252644. This Decision was penned by Associate Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting and promulgated by the Supreme Court En Banc on April 8, 2026.

How will eNotarization benefit the public and transform the way Filipinos access notarization services?Listen to the #SupremeCourtPH Podcast with guest Atty. Bettina Melchor, Interim Electronic Notary Administrator and Officer-in-Charge of the Office of the Bar Confidant.Supreme Court Chief Communications Officer Atty. Mike Navallo and Atty. Melchor discuss electronic notarization, as well as significant provisions of the eNotarization Rules and the Guidelines on the Accreditation of Electronic Notarization Facility Providers under A.M. No. 24-10-14-SC.