Need legal advice.. Estafa? Defamation? or Moral Damages

dear sir,
gusto ko po snang i consult ung nangyari sa kin at ng pinsan ko. Last 2009 pinadalhan ko po ang pinsan ko ng 600k to pay for my property (w/c is near to foreclosure) unfortunately, nde nya po ito binayad so na foreclosed na po ng tuluyan. Wla po syang pinadala sa king khit ano na papers na nagsasabing na foreclosed na po ung property ko.Ang sbi nya po nung kinukuha ko na ung pera ko, nakasangla daw po ang passbook nya nde nya po raw ma withdraw ang pera ko. Dumaan po ang mga 6 months, pinilit po sya ng father ko na ilabas ang pera ko (nakapag labas po syang 215k). so me natitira pang 385K, July 2010, nag chat kami kc kinukuha ko na ung natitira, sbi nya ipapahiram nya raw para patubuan kc me nagsasangla raw po ng house and lot na me title, nsa kanya na raw, so out of trust sa kanya, kc po pinsan ko, umoo po ako pero sbi nya ibibigay nya raw po ang title ng property sa kin at ang kasulatan na pinautang nya, Umuwi po akong Aug.'10, hinihingi ko po ung title at ung mga documents na sinasabi nya na pina notarized nya, wla pa rin syang naipakita sa kin, lage nyang rason busy sya, etc. Eto na po, umabot na ng March 2011, ska pa lang nya naibalik ang 385k na natira sa pera ko sa kanya. Wlang title na ibinigay at wlang documents na naipakita. Nalaman ko po na ung sinabi nyang naisangla sa kanya, nde po pala nakabayad at nakuha ng pinsan ko ang house and lot na sinabi nyang un ang pinerenda. Ang tanong ko po ngayon, since na forfeit ang property ko, dahil sa kanya, dahil di nya ibinayad ang pinadala ko? ano pong case ang pede kong isampa laban sa kanya? plus, ung nag chat kami last time, ako pa ang ginawa nyang masama.. Me evidence po ako na pinadala ko sa kanya ang money thru remittances at ung chat namin na me dpat syang ibigay na documents sa kin. Meron din po akong copy ng chat namin na kung ano ano na ang pinag sasabi nyang masama against me. Please lang po, tulungan nyo po ako. Naghihirap ang kalooban ko dahil sa halos 1.5M na naibayad ko dun sa property ko na un, ng dahil sa knya nawala. I will appreciate your reply. god bless.

the facts of your case rendered an estafa case. you must remember, blood is thicker than water. If I may suggest, going through the legal process may burn bridges with your relativs. It would still be prudent if you can resolve your case amongst your cousin and other relative that can mediate between the two of you.

Defamation if he made defamatory statements that have humiliated you infront of other people or the public itself.

Filing estafa, you should ready documents to prove your case. Email threads are accepted as evidence under the electronic evidence law.

wla po kaming relatives na pedeng maging medium ng aming conversation, dahil nahahati na po ang mga kamag anak namin since nun pa dahil sa nangyari.. kya gusto ko pong ituloy ang kaso na estafa laban sa kanya. ang gusto ko pong malaman enough na po ba ang remittances na pinadala ko sa kanya nakapangalan? kc nde ko na po na save pa ang ilang mga emails about dun sa pinadala ko. sa chat po kci kami lage nag uusap.. ano ano po bang mga documents ang needed to pursue the case? kung sa witness naman po pede pong mag testify ang uncle ko na sya rin pina follow up na rin den dinelete din po sya ng pinsan ko sa fb.

Pede ko rin po syang sampahan ng libel case kci now me post sa fb about me. Tinukoy po tlaaga niya ako. I have save all the post and i have taken photos of it po.. enough na po ba ito? ano [pa po bang necessary to pursue libel case except sa mga na save ko.

thanks in advance for your answer.....

see Revised Penal Code provisions below for your reference:

Art. 315. Swindling (estafa). — Any person who shall defraud another by any of the means mentioned hereinbelow shall be punished by:

1st. The penalty of prision correccional in its maximum period to prision mayor in its minimum period, if the amount of the fraud is over 12,000 pesos but does not exceed 22,000 pesos, and if such amount exceeds the latter sum, the penalty provided in this paragraph shall be imposed in its maximum period, adding one year for each additional 10,000 pesos; but the total penalty which may be imposed shall not exceed twenty years. In such cases, and in connection with the accessory penalties which may be imposed under the provisions of this Code, the penalty shall be termed prision mayor or reclusion temporal, as the case may be.

2nd. The penalty of prision correccional in its minimum and medium periods, if the amount of the fraud is over 6,000 pesos but does not exceed 12,000 pesos;

3rd. The penalty of arresto mayor in its maximum period to prision correccional in its minimum period if such amount is over 200 pesos but does not exceed 6,000 pesos; and

4th. By arresto mayor in its maximum period, if such amount does not exceed 200 pesos, provided that in the four cases mentioned, the fraud be committed by any of the following means:

1. With unfaithfulness or abuse of confidence, namely:

(a) xxxxxxx.

(b) By misappropriating or converting, to the prejudice of another, money, goods, or any other personal property received by the offender in trust or on commission, or for administration, or under any other obligation involving the duty to make delivery of or to return the same, even though such obligation be totally or partially guaranteed by a bond; or by denying having received such money, goods, or other property.

(c) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

2. By means of any of the following false pretenses or fraudulent acts executed prior to or simultaneously with the commission of the fraud:

(a) By using fictitious name, or falsely pretending to possess power, influence, qualifications, property, credit, agency, business or imaginary transactions, or by means of other similar deceits.

(b) xxxxxxxxxxxxx.

(c) xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

(d) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

(e) xxxxxxxxxxxxx.

3. Through any of the following fraudulent means:

(a) By inducing another, by means of deceit, to sign any document.

(b) xxxxxxxxxxxx

c) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.


Art. 353. Definition of libel. — A libel is public and malicious imputation of a crime, or of a vice or defect, real or imaginary, or any act, omission, condition, status, or circumstance tending to cause the dishonor, discredit, or contempt of a natural or juridical person, or to blacken the memory of one who is dead.

Art. 354. Requirement for publicity. — Every defamatory imputation is presumed to be malicious, even if it be true, if no good intention and justifiable motive for making it is shown, except in the following cases:

1. A private communication made by any person to another in the performance of any legal, moral or social duty; and

2. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.

Art. 355. Libel means by writings or similar means. — A libel committed by means of writing, printing, lithography, engraving, radio, phonograph, painting, theatrical exhibition, cinematographic exhibition, or any similar means, shall be punished by prision correccional in its minimum and medium periods or a fine ranging from 200 to 6,000 pesos, or both, in addition to the civil action which may be brought by the offended party.

Sir in ur previous Reply sbi nio po pde k sya sampahan ng estafa, pati ba ung pagsangla ng title ko wlang paalam grounds din po ba un? Gusto ko po kc ma gather ko lhat ng evidence bago ko po isampa. Ska sir mga how many years po ttakbo ang kaso if in case? Need b evrytime na andun ako or ung atty na nahahawak ang dpt lagi andun? Pls let me know ur reply. Thanks po pla sa mga replies ninyo...

yes you can institute a estafa case on your cousin. you just need to prove that you were decieved and defrauded by your cousin. in connection with the duration of the case, it will all depend on the appreciation of the prosecutor whether or not he find a probable cause on your complaint and also it will depend on the evidence that will be presented by your cousin to controvert your allegation. But as you said you have all the evidence against your cousin it will be up to your lawyer to draw out your complaint. Normally in the process before the Prosecutor you need to be there to attest to your complaint. again it will all depend on the prosecutor if he will allow your counsel to appear less your presence.

sir pede ko ba kayong i retain as my lawyer? kc ung isa pong lawyer di daw po sya nag ha handle ng area namin.. baka po kayo me kakilala or baka po pwede kayong mag handle ng case ko? wla po kc akong kilalang lawyer ngayon na pedeng mag handle ng case na ito.. paki help naman po kung pupuwede.. maraming salamat po and may god bless you!

atty. meron lang po sana ako gustong malaman. possible po ba na meron mag file ng case against me ng hindi ko nalalaman? and will that reflect po kapag kumuha ako ng nbi clearance? kase ang pagkakaalam ko po, kapag nag file ng case, dapat makatanggap ng subpoena ang kinakasuhan at bibigyan sya ng time para sumagot sa subpoena di po ba?