Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    The Best of The Unforgettable Legal Stories
    The Best of The Unforgettable Legal Stories
    The Best of The Unforgettable Legal Stories
    Ebook150 pages2 hours

    The Best of The Unforgettable Legal Stories

    By Aida Sevilla Mendoza

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    The Best of The Unforgettable Legal Stories recounts some of the most controversial classic and contemporary legal cases in the country. Penned by Aida Sevilla Mendoza, this book illustrates how the emotional reactions and consequences of breaking the law remains the same through cases old and new.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAnvil Publishing, Inc.
    Release dateNov 15, 2017
    ISBN9789712733147
    The Best of The Unforgettable Legal Stories

    Related to The Best of The Unforgettable Legal Stories

    Related ebooks

    Law For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Arrests Within Months If ICC Crimes Against Humanity Probe Into Rodrigo Duterte's Drug War Goes Ahead: Rights Lawyer

      Jun 15, 2021

      In a 57-page document, the ICC's outgoing chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said her office's review had found "a reasonable basis to believe" the Duterte government had "deliberately" killed 12,000 to 30,000 Filipinos between 2016 and 2019. It said th

      4 min read

    • Article

      No Legalization of Sharia Law

      Jul 28, 2017

      Q: Did a Muslim federal judge rule two parts of sharia law legal? A: No. That only happened in a fake story on a satirical website. FULL ANSWER Sharia is […] The post No Legalization of Sharia Law appeared first on FactCheck.org.

      2 min read

    • Article

      Letters

      Jul 24, 2020

      I USED to work at an old-age home until the end of June. As we all know, all homes went into lockdown in March. No more visits from the old people’s loved ones. So we had to up the caring. We as caregivers have to be extra careful and follow all the

      3 min read

    • Article

      Yvonne Bailey-Smith: ‘I Can’t Believe The Things That Priti Patel Is Coming Out With’

      Jun 23, 2021

      Yvonne Bailey-Smith had a phone call last week from the former deputy head of her daughter Zadie Smith’s school. The deputy head didn’t want to talk about Zadie or her bestselling novels; she wanted to congratulate Yvonne, who at 67 years old has jus

      5 min read

    • Article

      The Language of LOVE

      Aug 11, 2020

      The Language of LOVE
      5 min read

    • Article

      Small Moments of Joy: The Millions Interviews Edwidge Danticat

      Oct 30, 2019

      Edwidge Danticat was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, in 1969. At the age of 12, she moved to Brooklyn, N.Y., where her mother worked in a factory and her father drove a taxi. Danticat’s 16 works of fiction and nonfiction have won numerous awards. She

      3 min read

    • Article

      Winning Letter

      Mar 31, 2023

      ONE of my lecturers told us we shouldn’t rely on hope to get us through difficult times because it creates a false sense of security. I got it but I just can’t accept the idea that life without hope is better. So many stories in this edition show why

      5 min read

    • Article

      OF LOVE & shadows

      Oct 23, 2020

      OF LOVE & shadows
      10 min read

    • Article

      Fire Starter

      May 25, 2020

      Fire Starter
      7 min read

    • Article

      Aussie Underbelly

      Oct 30, 2022

      An unsolved murder is central to the plot of All That’s Left Unsaid, but it’s so much more than a crime thriller. Family and friendship, the immigrant experience, racism and perfectionism are all themes that are explored within the pages of this rela

      3 min read

    • Article

      How I’m using A TRAGEDY TO HELP OTHERS

      Jul 16, 2020

      Zoe Scharenguivel, 46, Gold Coast, Qld Every time I switched on the news or glanced at a headline it seemed to be the same. There were constant stories of violence against women. Devastating murders such as the Gold Coast woman whose ex-husband sho

      4 min read

    • Article

      Winning Letter

      Dec 9, 2022

      AT THE time of writing this we were waiting to hear if President Cyril Ramaphosa would step down following the damning Phala Phala report. When news of his impending resignation started filtering in, there was an almost collective sigh of weariness.

      5 min read

    • Article

      Dear Sasha and Malia ...

      Jan 14, 2017

      Dear Sasha and Malia ...
      3 min read

    • Article

      Once Upon A Time THE RISE OF STORYTELLING

      Mar 23, 2020

      South Africa has a rich history of storytelling. And while we don’t routinely sit around a campfire telling tales under the stars any longer (wait, does a braai count?), we all still have stories to share. Think online dating horror stories, reminisc

      8 min read

    • Article

      A Hand Up, Up And Away

      Oct 4, 2021

      A Hand Up, Up And Away
      4 min read

    • Article

      MY Australian DREAM

      Aug 6, 2020

      MY Australian DREAM
      9 min read

    • Article

      Welcome Home

      Feb 3, 2022

      Welcome Home
      3 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Best of The Unforgettable Legal Stories

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      The Best of The Unforgettable Legal Stories - Aida Sevilla Mendoza

      Classic Unforgettable

      Legal Stories

      The Woman who had Two Husbands

      The following story is based on a case handled by Generoso V. Jacinto. Except for the name of lawyer Jacinto, the names of the persons involved and some identifying details have been changed.

      Benita Guimaras was only twenty years old when she met Mateo Masarra in Dagupan. A good-looking young man, Mateo had the dash and charm of men who choose to live dangerously. To put it bluntly, Mateo lived by his wits. He was an impatient adventurer who eagerly joined get-rich-quick schemes even when such schemes involved swindling, stealing, or robbery.

      But Benita had no inkling of Mateo’s criminal tendencies. She fell in love with him. She was dazzled by the swaggering, romantic Mateo. On some occasions he was loaded with money and spent as if there were no tomorrow. The flattered and impressed Benita never thought of probing further into his sources of cash.

      Early one morning, Mateo came to Benita’s house and urged her to elope with him. He has, he said, come into a lot of money and this was their chance to get married. As proof, Mateo flashed a thick wad of P500 bills.

      Benita did not need much convincing. She was impressionable, she was in love, and her parents’ desperate penury as a result of too many children and too little income depressed her romantic young heart. Stealthily, she crept back into her room, packed a few good clothes, and ran off with Mateo to Baguio.

      They were married in a chapel in Baguio City the next morning and spent a happy, week-long honeymoon in the mountain resort city. But soon Mateo’s bankroll began to dwindle, so they returned to Dagupan. They went to Benita’s parents to seek their forgiveness but were given a cool reception. Any hopes of temporarily staying with Benita’s parents were sternly dashed. Secretly, Benita felt relieved, for she did not relish the prospect of going back to live with her parents.

      What about your parents? Benita asked Mateo. Can’t we stay with them?

      My mother died ten years ago, and I’ve lost contact with my father, Mateo said, I ran away from home when I was only fifteen. But don’t worry. We’ll rent an apartment in the commercial part of Dagupan. I’m expecting some more money in a few weeks.

      Early Separation

      After they had found an apartment, Mateo left Benita, saying he had to go on an out-of-town trip. He came back a week later to leave a packet of cash with Benita. I have to go again, he told her, but I’ll be back soon. This money should last you for several months.

      Several months? Benita was puzzled and on the verge of tears. But where are you going this time?

      It’s better if you don’t know. Mateo replied. But don’t worry—I’ll come back as soon as I can. Then he kissed her and was gone.

      Two, then three months passed, but Mateo Massara did not return. The heartbroken Benita cried herself to sleep each night and practically imprisoned herself in the apartment, going out only to do the marketing and to go to church. Her emotions were particularly susceptible for she was pregnant with her first child. She missed Mateo terribly, yet she was too proud to go back to her parents.

      When six months had passed and still there was no word from Mateo, Benita lost all hope of ever seeing him again. She gave up the apartment, which she could no longer afford, and moved to a rooming house, supporting herself by taking part-time jobs as a dishwasher in a restaurant, as a laborer in a zipper factory, and as a laundress. When her baby was born, it was a healthy seven-pound boy. Benita decided to name him Teodoro, or Teddy.

      Life took on a different complexion for Benita when she had an infant at her breast. She realized that for her son’s sake she could not go on with her hand-to-mouth existence. She was still young and strong, and she had finished high school. Perhaps if she went to Manila and found a steady job there, she could provide a better future for Teddy.

      Accommodating Aunt

      As soon as Teddy was a year old and could be weaned, Benita took him to an elderly maiden aunt who lived in La Union. Her Tita Juling had been her baptismal godmother, so she felt sure that she would help her.

      Benita was right. Tita Juling was happy to see her and was delighted with little Teddy. So you’ve got married, and you didn’t invite me to the wedding! Tita Juling scolded Benita, but very lightly—even fondly. And this is your son—may I hold him? You and your baby must stay for a few days!

      Benita accepted the invitation. In the days that followed, she let the old woman cuddle the baby and help in his care, for she wanted little Teddy to get used to her. Finally, she confided her problem to Tita Juling. Her husband, she said, had abandoned her, and she wanted to go to Manila to seek better job opportunities there. Could Tita Juling look after Teddy in the meantime? Benita promised to send for him as soon as she had found a steady job in Manila.

      Tita Juling said yes without any hesitation. Although a spinster, she was a warm-hearted woman who loved children. In the short span of three days little Teddy had captivated her heart. I’ll take good care of him, she vowed. Just don’t forget to write often, so that he’ll grow up remembering you and expecting you to come back for him anytime.

      With tears in her eyes Benita kissed her baby goodbye and left for the bus terminal. During the trip to Manila, she stared out the bus window, her thoughts traveling back to La Union, her heart torn by self-pity and the fear that she might not do well in Manila. What if she couldn’t find a job at once? She had no friends or relatives in the city. She was all alone.

      The main terminal of the bus Benita had taken was in Quezon City, so she decided that she might as well start there. With her meager belongings in a paper bag and her life savings in a small plastic purse, Benita found a rooming house whose landlady accepted day-to-day rental payments. The next morning, Benita bought a newspaper and scanned the want ads, checking with a pencil those that she could qualify for. Then she went out and began her job-hunting in earnest.

      In this way Benita met Philip Kwa Lee two days later. When Benita reached the Kwa Lee biscuit factory in San Juan, Rizal, she was tired and discouraged, for the other jobs she had applied for in the past few days were either already taken or required experience and qualifications she did not have. There were a few vacancies which were hers for the taking, but the work involved had questionable undertones. Benita was not yet that desperate; she could hold out for a few more days.

      The vacancy that the Kwa Lee biscuit factory had advertised was for a conveyor-line worker. The factory had a high turnover of workers and needed a healthy young female who would help in the wrapping and packing of biscuits. Benita was only one of the dozens applying for the job.

      A Job, Finally

      But Philip Kwa Lee, the manager and proprietor, happened to take a liking to Benita. A pleasant, balding man in his late thirties, he was pleased by Benita’s provincial simplicity, her utter lack of artifice or pretense. To him, Benita embodied the unaffected, healthy, young barrio lass so difficult to find in a city teeming with mercenary, excessively made-up, ambitious women.

      In turn, Benita liked the neat manners of her soft-spoken prospective employer and the clean and spacious working conditions in the factory. Although the salary offered wasn’t much, it was a start. She could not aspire for anything higher anyway, with only a provincial high school education as her qualification.

      When she was asked to fill out an application form, Benita listed her civil status as single. She feared that if she revealed that she was married, her chances for the job would be adversely affected.

      Philip Kwa Lee took Benita’s application form, looked it over, and told her the job was hers. She could report for work the very next day, he said.

      Benita thought that she was lucky to land a job on her third day in Manila. She thanked Philip Kwa Lee profusely and rushed back to her rooming house to write Tita Juling about the good news. If things went as smoothly as they did now, she could be reunited with her baby in a month or so!

      Philip Kwa Lee, in the meantime, sat at his desk, cradling Benita’s application form in his hands, a series of thoughtful lines creasing his broad forehead. He noted with satisfaction that the girl’s application form stated that she was single.

      For he was hopelessly infatuated with Benita. Although she was no stunning beauty, she was like an invigorating wisp of fresh air from the northern provinces. He could not remember when he had been so delighted by the presence of a strange young woman.

      In the days that followed, Philip took his time, subtly observing Benita every chance he could. He liked what he saw. Benita’s guilelessness was no act; she was the genuine article. After a few weeks, Philip gathered enough courage to ask her if he could escort her home. The next day he invited her to have dinner with him at a downtown Chinese restaurant.

      Benita realized that her Chinese employer was courting her. But she was not offended, for he treated her with respect and never took advantage of their employer-employee relationship. As their friendship developed and Philip began to declare his intentions and reveal his feelings, Benita grew increasingly worried. What if he proposed marriage? She was a married woman and would have to turn him down. Yet she did not want to lose him. Despite herself, she was growing fond of Philip Kwa Lee.

      To make a long story short, the time came when Philip Kwa Lee asked Benita to live with him. Benita wondered why he did not propose marriage, yet she was relieved that he had not. Philip promised that he would treat her and care for her as his wife and that if they had any children, he would give them his name and provide for them. He offered his love, his devotion and everything he had on earth.

      Rare Chance

      Benita knew that a chance like this seldom came to a girl in her circumstances. From their months of association and courtship, she had discerned that Philip Kwa Lee was a kindhearted, law-abiding, and responsible man who would make a good husband. Although her feelings for him had none of the wild abandon and romantic zest that she had experienced in her interlude with Mateo Massara, Benita had the common sense to realize that Philip

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1