A Legal Discussion and Google

November 22, 2005

Many of the conversations I have with my father are about legal issues.  He takes a position — usually provocative one — and eggs me on to disagree.  I invariably fall for the bait.  We argue, raise our voices, make relevant (but maybe erroneous) citations of law and jurisprudence, invent non-existent scientific data or studies, bluf and oftentimes, agree to disagree.  Believe me, it may sound unpleasant but neither of us leaves with hard feelings.  Discussions of law are never personal, it’s one way to waste time.

Today was slightly different because we happened to talk when I was on-line.  He said Dr. Fortun, a forensic expert, said that it is only in the Philippines where paraffin tests are admissible and that since the ’60’s these had been discredited in the US. 

I didn’t disagree.  Instead of offering a truly uneducated, equally provocative and contrary opinion, I Google’d.  And surprisingly I hit pay dirt. 

In the case of People v. Cajucom, our Supreme Court (citing earlier cases), reiterated their holding that paraffin tests are inconclusive as evidence.  The Court, through Justice Ynares-Santiago, said: (more…)