At first, I thought the persistent client was not serious in pursuing with the case. Its kind of a weird thing, I tell you, that even the toughest lawyer in town wouldnt dare to tread lest hell be scorned with disdain by his peers forever. Couple of months ago, I received a call from a college friend asking if I could assist him in filing a case against his wife. Thinking its just a simple case of annulment, I told him that I might accept it. He narrated that when he was still working as a supervisor in a car company here in Cebu and earning well, his wife was just a plain housewife. He claimed that he was the one who practically fed his family. When he was offered a job in Manila with a very competetive salary, his wife forbade him from accepting it. To cut the story short, he relunctantly declined the offer and remained with his job. Fast forward: he took a turn for the worse when he was dismissed from work and became jobless since then. His wife was forced to apply for a job in an insurance firm. When his wife was hired and would be assigned in Manila, he protested the way his wife did to him. Over his vehement objection, the wife, however, prevailed and the latter went to Manila and later on became a VP in that insurance firm. Obviously, they became estranged to each other. I told him that he could perhaps file a legal separation with his wife or an annulment case for that matter, using as basis their whirlwind situation and connect it to the grounds provided under the Family Code and let the judge decide for it. But, lo and behold, I almost fell off my chair when he told me that he does not want legal separation or annulment. He wanted me to file a case for support against his wife. He reasoned out that it was his wife who caused his misery. Had his wife not prevented him from working in Manila, he insisted, he would have a better life instead. Before I could say a word, he asked me, Di ba attorney wala may limitasyon sa balaod nga dili musuporta ang asawa sa bana?. I was stunned, but he kept on telling me, wala koy trabaho ug pangita karon attorney ug wa nasad koy ginikanan. Gahanan ko mu-eskwela ug mu-negosyo unya akong asawa naay kwarta makahatag nako kay dako syag sweldo. Of course, I told him the Family Code obligates not only the husband, but also the wife to render support (vice-versa) depending on the capacity and blah..blah...blah. But, I explained to him that normally and almost all the time, it is the wife who would file a case for support against the husband and not the other way around. He was insistent even prodding me to take his case, basin musikat ka ani atty. Honestly, I didnt want to accept the case and you know why, so I told him my acceptance fee is this (huge amount) just to discourage him. He left. I thought he was discouraged with my exhorbitant and unreasonable fees. But last night, he called again and told me that he already have 1/4 of the acceptance fee after his friends bailed him out and he wanted to see me ASAP. Kalain siguro no kung mu-appear nako sa korte unya mu-ingon ko atubangan sa huwes, sa mga abogado ug mga tawo sulod sa courtroom nga Your Honor, I am respectfully appearing as counsel for the plaintiff-husband and I am ready to present him as a witness to prove that he is entitled for support from his defendant-wife. Kiwa kaayu sa? Any takers? Anyone?
Posted on: Mon, 31 Mar 2014 13:15:54 +0000
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