The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
Vice President Sara Duterte’s quitting her posts as Education chief and Vice Chairperson of the National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC) has sent shockwaves across the corridors of power in the Philippines. By stepping away from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Cabinet, Duterte has not just resigned but issued a powerful statement with deep political undertones. Duterte’s …
Points of View & Perspectives
June, 2024
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5 June
Playing the victim card
China’s claim that the Filipino soldiers stationed at Ayungin Shoal pointed guns at Chinese Coast Guard during a resupply mission on May 19 is extremely absurd, if not downright waggish. After several brushes with the Philippine troops on the West Philippine Sea that always ended with CCG ships blasting water cannons on the hapless Filipinos, China, obviously, is now playing …
May, 2024
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28 May
Business and journalism
As a young Filipino-Chinese kid who spent my childhood years staying in my paternal grandparents’ store during school breaks in Binondo, Manila, I personally witnessed how a measly 25 or 50-centavo profit from every item they sold was enough to put a smile on their faces. Back then, I didn’t understand that it was my grandparents’ ploy to lure repeat …
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13 May
‘Pares’
Curiosity brought us to a trending eatery near the GSIS office in Pasay City last Saturday evening. Us meant me, my two grown-up sons, JB and Jerson, and my very good friend, Peter Anthony Espeleta setting out to discover the fuss surrounding the latest food craze in town. We just came from the nearby Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Vito Cruz, …
April, 2024
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26 April
Attorney-Client Relationship
Lawyer-client relationship. — A lawyer-client relationship is of the highest fiduciary character. As a trust relation, it is essential that the engagement is founded on the confidence reposed by the client on the lawyer. Therefore, a lawyer-client relationship shall arise when the client consciously, voluntarily and in good faith vests a lawyer with his or her confidence for the purpose …
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19 April
TESTIMONIAL EVIDENCE
Section 22. Testimony confined to personal knowledge. – A witness can testify only to those facts which he or she knows of his or her personal knowledge; that is, which are derived from his or her own perception. (36a) A witness must have a personal knowledge on matters that he or she is testifying. A personal knowledge is that which …
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5 April
TESTIMONIAL EVIDENCE (Qualification of Witnesses)
“Section 21. Witnesses; their qualifications. – All persons who can perceive, and perceiving, can make known their perception to others, may be witnesses. Religious or political belief, interest in the outcome of the case, or conviction of a crime, unless otherwise provided by law, shall not be a ground for disqualification”. General rule: All persons who can perceive, and perceiving, …
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4 April
Weak Defense
The hacking of websites of different government agencies is becoming alarmingly rampant these days that one couldn’t help but ask if these institutions aren’t doing enough to thwart such cyber-attacks. For sure, these agencies have people to man their computer systems and are, in fact, spending millions of pesos to shield against cyber intruders. Yet, they proved no match to …
March, 2024
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12 March
Vietnamese tycoon’s trial and lessons for Filipino high-profile legal battles
The ongoing trial of Truong My Lan, the 66-year-old chair of Vietnamese real estate giant Van Thinh Phat, has sent shockwaves through Vietnam’s legal landscape. Accused of embezzling an astronomical sum, her case is not merely about financial malfeasance; it symbolizes a nation’s struggle against corruption and its determination to build a transparent and accountable business environment. Lan’s alleged misdeeds, …
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4 March
PROTECTION OF TRADE SECRETS
Section 26. Privilege relating to trade secrets. – A person cannot be compelled to testify about any trade secret, unless the non-disclosure will conceal fraud or otherwise work injustice. When disclosure is directed, the court shall take such protective measure as the interest of the owner of the trade secret and of the parties and the furtherance of justice may …