The seafarer,the father and his responsibilities

I just want to ask for a help. This is not my problem but my sister's son. His father is a kind of asshole! My sister does her very best to support his son. My sister doesn't like to ask assistance from them but we are not that rich . Now, the child has been admitted at the hospital . She called the father of the child which is a Seafarer but, he only answered like this " I am sorry ,but I don't have money here. I gave it to my mom, so please just ask for assistance to my mom" . I felt so sad,angry and want to do my very best just to help my sister. She is a good mother,she always does her very best for her son. When the baby was still young , like months.. She used to change the last name of my nephew because the family of that asshole said that
" Pls change the last name from our last name to ur last name " . So ,it was like an insult to us, they are rich, so my sister just followed them. There were times where they say " Let's have a DNA test " . Which is for me is the best , but knowing that they really have doubts to the child, it is an insult to us .. they gave money (once in a blue moon) but only when my sister cries out loud in front of them .What to do now ? What legal action should we do ? He is a seafarer too, they have money but they kept on saying they didn't have . Days ago, when my sister called, he was drunk. I was just so pissed knowing that my nephew can't breathe and can't even talk because he suffers pneumonia while that asshole was drunk. PLS HELP US. Child's AGE IS 2 years old,still young and fragile :-(

advise your sister to approach a lawyer and draft a demand letter for the support of the child. if he does not comply with the demand, then she can proceed to sue him. granted he is a seafarer, but once he returns to the Philippines, he will be held accountable.

xtianjames
Thank you for the reply Sir James. The father of the child just arrived months ago. There were some articles I read and it was said that we can't ask for assistance if the father didn't recognize as his son/daughter . However, it can be proven by DNA test, but we can't afford that and to know that they have this so called wealth . And for the demand letter ? Is it necessary for us to approach a lawyer ? so it could be more presentable and formal,pls reply Sir, I am happy that you help us .

If the father will not recognize the child, there is a chance that he will also not comply with your request for DNA test. in this case, your only course of action is to file a complaint through court and the court will be the one to compel him to go through with the DNA test. Unfortunately, it is the burden of the mother to establish filiation between the father and child, hence, even if the supposed father is wealthy, she will have to shoulder the expenses. Once the filiation has been established and it was confirmed that the respondent is the real father, you can demand for payment of the fees incurred during the case like the cost of the DNA test.
A demand letter doesn't need to be drafted by a lawyer but in most cases, letters from lawyers have more impact than if you will make one yourself.