Author name: Juliana Sales

Under Section 20(D) of the POEA-SEC, “[n]o compensation and benefits shall be payable in respect of any injury, incapacity, disability or death of the seafarer resulting from his willful or criminal act or intentional breach of his duties, provided however, that the employer can prove that such injury, incapacity, disability or death is directly attributable to the seafarer.”

Philippine courts have jurisdiction over a petition for declaration of nullity of a bigamous marriage between a foreigner and a Filipino, even if the marriage was celebrated abroad.

Having been able to perform some marital obligations does not mean that one cannot be subsequently incapable of fulfilling some of the other obligations. Article 36 of the Family Code holds that psychological incapacity can manifest after the marriage’s solemnization, making it a viable ground for its nullity.

A romantic relationship does not equate to consent. The Supreme Court held that love is never a license for coercion, reiterating that even a partner can commit rape if sexual relations occur without the victim’s free and voluntary consent.

While the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 (Anti-VAWC Act) provides that the offender be related or connected to the victim by marriage, former marriage, or a sexual or dating relationship, it does not preclude the application of the principle of conspiracy under the RPC.

Employers may be held solidarily liable for workplace sexual harassment if they fail to act on complaints with urgency and due diligence.