1/5/2021
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2. Very recently, it has come to the
Supreme Court and ICAB entered
treatment of foreigners who reside in
adoption through the courts. Attached
attention of the Petitioners that the
into an agreement regarding the
the Philippines and file a petition for
as Annex "A" is a copy of the DSWD
Memorandum dated 1 June 2018,[18] which refers to this agreement.
3. Accordingly, in reference to OCA Circular 213-2017, foreigners who reside
in the Philippines should secure a certification from their Foreign Adoption
Agencies and/or Embassies that since they are not residents in their
countries and they are residing in the Philippines, the said agencies could
not issue the documents required by the domestic courts in support of their
Petition for domestic adoption. "If ever their cases will be endorsed to
ICAB by the court, ICAB will file a manifestation on this matter so
that the domestic adoption could be pursued."
4. In light of this supervening event, Petitioners pray for a reconsideration
of the Order dated 19 June 2018 and that they be given thirty (30) days
from notice to secure the necessary certification.[19] (Emphasis supplied)
In an Order[20] dated July 10, 2018, respondent Judge denied the foregoing
Manifestation and Second Motion for Reconsideration for being a prohibited pleading.
Petitioners received a copy of said Order on July 19, 2018. Petitioners pointed out that
they have 60 days from receipt of the Order, or until September 17, 2018, to file a
Petition for Certiorari under Rule 65 of the Rules of Court, with the CA.[21]
Ruling of the Court of Appeals
On September 12, 2018, petitioners filed a Petition for Certiorari under Rule 65 of the
Rules of Court with the CA, which assailed respondent Judge's Orders
dated
September 11, 2017, June 19, 2018, and July 10, 2018.[22]
However, in its November 21, 2018 Resolution, the CA dismissed the Petition for
Certiorari for being filed out of time. The CA reasoned that the 60-day period should
have been counted from the denial of petitioners' First Motion for Reconsideration, not
the second. Said Resolution partly reads:
In this case, the petitioners alleged that they received the 19 June 2018
Order, which denied their first Motion for Reconsideration, on 2 July 2018.
Following the express provision of Section 4, Rule 65 of the Rules of Court,
the petitioners had 60 days from 2 July 2018, or until 31 August 2018,
within which to file a petition for certiorari. Instead, the petitioners filed a
Manifestation and Second Motion for Reconsideration. Only upon the denial
of their second Motion for Reconsideration did the petitioners initiate the
certiorari proceeding. Considering that the instant Petition for Certiorari was
filed only on 12 September 2018, this Court cannot give due course thereto
for being filed out of time.[23]
https://elibrary.judiciary.gov.ph/thebookshelf/showdocsfriendly/1/65992
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