Legal Advisory

Paksa: MAARI BA NA IREKLAMO O KASUHAN ANG PARENT-

IN-LAWS NG VIOLATION NG R.A. 9262 (VAWC)??

Ayon sa isang artikulo na inilathala sa Huffington Post na may pamagat na “5

Ways to Destroy Your Marriage” ang mga “in-Laws” di umano ang leading cause ng
paghihiwalay ng mag-asawa.

Taong 2004 ng isabatas sa ating bansa ang R.A. 9262 na pinamagatang "Anti-
Violence Against Women and Their Children”. Ito ay naglalayong magbigay ng
protection sa family and its members particularly women and children, from violence and
threats to their personal safety and security.

Subalit, saklaw ba ng batas at may jurisdiction ba ang korte sa mga parent-in-

laws?

Sa definition of terms kasi ng nasabing batas, particular sa Section 3: (a)

"Violence against women and their children" refers to any act or a series of acts
COMMITTED BY:

1. any person against a woman who is his wife,

2. former wife,
3. against a woman with whom the person has or had a sexual or dating
relationship,
4. with whom he has a common child, o
5. against her child whether legitimate or illegitimate,

within or without the family abode, which result in or is likely to result in physical,
sexual, psychological harm or suffering, or economic abuse including threats of such acts,
battery, assault, coercion, harassment or arbitrary deprivation of liberty.

Sa unang tingin wala nga naman talaga sa enumerations ang parent-in-laws, at

malinaw sa well known rule ng statutory construction ang maxim na “expression unius
est exclusion alterius” na ibig sabihin kapag ang batas, by its terms, expressly limited
to certain matters, it may not be extended to others.

Samakatwid, maari nga ba na ireklamo o kasuhan ang parent-in-laws ng violation

ng R.A. 9262, kahit ito ay wala sa enumerations??

OO, kapag ang parent-in laws ay in CONSPIRACY sa kanyang anak sa pag

commit ng acts of violence.

Sa kaso ng Go-Tan vs Tan, G.R. No. 168852, Sept 30, 2008, nilinaw ng Korte
Suprema na bagamat wala sa enumeration ang parent-in-laws, ang Revised Penal Code
ay suppletorily applied sa R.A. 9262, sa madaling salita maari na gamitin ang PRINCIPLE
NG CONSPIRACY sa mga parents-in-law. Ang nasabing principle ay ang tahasang
pakikipag-sabwatan ng isat-isa para matupad ang isang criminal design. The act of one
is the act of all conspirators ika nga.

Sa panghuli, maliwanag na kapag ang parent-in-laws ay in conspiracy to commit

acts of violence against women and their children, sila ay maaring ireklamo at makasuhan
ng sa paglabag ng R.A. 9262.

PSI NEIL B COMPANERO PSUPT EDWING G ENGAY

Legal Officer, RLO5 Chief, RLO5