Atty. Athan Valiente

Social media

In 𝗫𝗫𝗫 𝘃. 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗚.𝗥. 𝗡𝗼. 𝟮𝟳𝟰𝟴𝟰𝟮, 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟮, 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱, the SC issued guidelines to determine who owns or controls a social media account in criminal cases. This may be shown by evidence such as the offender’s admission, being seen using the account or composing the post, posts containing information known only to the offender or a few individuals, a language style that matches the offender, or records and forensic data linking the account to the offender.

In 𝐁𝐨𝐡𝐨𝐥 𝐖𝐢𝐬𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐥 𝐯. 𝐌𝐚𝐛𝐚𝐨, 𝐆.𝐑. 𝐍𝐨. 𝟐𝟓𝟐𝟏𝟐𝟒, 𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟐𝟑, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒, the SC ruled that it was illegal for a school to suspend its unmarried teacher for being pregnant. It held that se*ual relations between two unmarried, consenting adults are not immoral. No law prohibits this, nor does it go against any fundamental state policy found in the Constitution, making it an invalid ground for suspension.

Unjustified Absence = Psychological Incapacity

In 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐚 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐳 𝐯. 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐮𝐳𝐚 𝐉𝐫., 𝐆.𝐑. 𝐍𝐨. 𝟐𝟒𝟐𝟑𝟔𝟐, 𝐀𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐥 𝟏𝟕, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟒, the SC declared the marriage of petitioner Leonora O. Dela Cruz-Lanuza and private respondent Alfredo M. Lanuza, Jr. is 𝐕𝐎𝐈𝐃 on the ground of psychological incapacity. It ruled that decades-long unjustified absence from the marital home may be evidence of a spouse’s psychological incapacity to comply with marital obligations. Under Article 68 of the Family Code, spouses must live together, observe mutual love, respect, and fidelity, and render mutual help and support.