1/5/2021 E-Library - Information At Your Fingertips: Printer Friendly SECOND DIVISION [ G.R. No. 248035, November 27, 2019 ] SPOUSES JOON HYUNG PARK AND KYUNG AH LEE, PETITIONERS, VS. HON. RICO SEBASTIAN D. LIWANAG, PRESIDING JUDGE OF THE REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MAKATI CITY, BRANCH 136, RESPONDENT. RESOLUTION HERNANDO, J.: For resolution is a Petition for Review on Certiorari[1] filed under Rule 45 of the Rules of Court which seeks to set aside the November 21, 2018 Resolution[2] of the Court of Appeals (CA) in CA-G.R. SP No. 157452 which dismissed the Petition for Certiorari under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court for being filed out of time, and the June 19, 2019 Resolution,[3] which denied the Motion for Reconsideration thereof. Finally, the instant Petition prays that the case be remanded to the Regional Trial Court (RTC) for continuation of the adoption proceedings. Antecedent Facts Petitioners Spouses Joon Hyung Park and Kyung Ah Lee (petitioners) are American citizens residing in the Philippines, particularly in Makati City . They are the petitioners in the Petition for Adoption with Change of Name of the minor "Mayca Alegado" a.k.a. "Innah A1egado" (Innah) before the RTC of Makati City, docketed as Sp. Proc. Case No. R-MKT-16-01300-SP, and raffled to Branch 136 thereof presided over by respondent Judge Rico Sebastian D. Liwanag (respondent Judge).[4] Petitioners have been residing in the Philippines since 2007 (in the case of petitioner Park) and since 2009 (in the case of petitioner Lee). They have been gainfully employed in the Philippines for almost the same length of time that they have been residing in the country. Petitioner Park is the President of two Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA)-located corporations, Wyntron, Inc. and Danam Philippines, Inc., while petitioner Lee is the Senior Adviser of Banco De Oro's (BDO's) Korean Desk.[5] Innah was born on December 13, 2012 in Tuguegarao City. She was barely 22 days old when rescued by a non-government organization from traficking and referred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Field Office in Cagayan. Innah's biological mother attempted to give her away in exchange for transportation fare.[6] Innah is now six years old. She was a little over one year old when her care and https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/65992 1/13

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