thursday's child

Today is May 13, 2022, Friday the 13th. That explains my accidental rediscovery that I. Have. An. Online. Journal. And that I am now married. Hitched. Effing no longer a spinster, like my Mama always threatened I'd become.  I am sitting in my office space along Tiano-San Agustin Streets wearing my safari-inspired shirt dress from H&M, contemplating whether grabbing banana turon is a wise decision. I am still a Public Attorney after all these years. I intentionally spelled that with capital letters to reflect my growing pride in the service.  My husband turned 34 yesterday. On the index of happy ages, he is sitting at the margins of bliss. I love him so much that it pains me that we are going to be physically apart for the most part of our lives. I, however, am happy to accept the predicament, as long as I know he is getting the vitamins and shut-eye he needs. Oh, I have got lots of stories. I do hope to unload these as we go one day at a time. I've missed writing like this...

Can you blame me for wanting to take chances? Drop in, sweep me off my feet. And then put me back on the ground. Unceremoniously. Pull the rug.  But still... Here be my heart. Do with it what you will.

I met a non lawyer today who regularly appears before the DARAB, an administrative board, as counsel for the farmer beneficiaries. He came to the office to have several pleadings notarized and I immediately observed the defective verification attached to the pleadings on appeal. Instead of the valid IDs of the parties, meaning government issued, he indicated IDs issued by their own private farmer's association. I brought the matter to his attention, that his pleadings would eventually be denied on mere technicality as improper verification, and therefore all his efforts at representing the parties would be futile and dismissed outright, which is a sad thing. I must have embarrassed him by pointing out the issue  in front of his 'clients', but I tried my hardest to explain it to him in a way that didn't humiliate him or put to question his credibility to handle the cases. I'm glad he listened. I made him come back and change the verification page, gather the valid...

Today a client walks in and charges a colleague of mine with discrimination, saying that the latter refused to extend legal help due to the former's disability. He was not shy expressing his disgust with the office, and all my attempts at drilling some sense into him were futile. Records bear out that he was denied assistance by our office thrice: twice for conflict of interest, and once for lack of merit. As I spoke to this person he was clearly not in the mood to listen. My assistant would later tell me that he was the kind of person who is indisposed to people saying No to him. I simply gave up. Every time I open my mouth, he interrupts. This guy would not listen or attempt to listen to any explanation at all. So I made him gather himself and leave the office, politely, of course. I also told him that if he would like to file a complaint against us, public defenders, he may do so. The law is on our side. Stubborn at best. Ohm. Ohm. Ohm. Great thing about the incident: ...

First day at work today. I made it to the municipal hall 10 minutes before clock-in. The RTC where I'm assigned is Branch 21. My staff Jen accompanied me there and I introduced myself, armed with my folders of the day's cases for hearing, seven all in all. However, we were informed that the presiding judge was put under preventive suspension starting today. My lucky stars? Err, no, because it means a temporary and indefinite halt for the progress of the cases. My first day in this little town. I am in for more surprises.

Hi! I thought blogging on here would become a regular thing, but with all the craziness of the situation at work, which is a good kind of crazy I must say, blogging seems a long shot. Anyhoo, I'm here because I just had to share what transpired in court today. I was defending the accused in a drug use case and presented him on the stand to testify. Direct exam went smoothly until I threw the last question at the accused: "Do you take any illegal drug?" Dear friends, the answer of my client was : "Yes." Ni-ulbo akong kaspa. XDDDDD