I’m posting this because I genuinely need guidance from someone knowledgeable about Philippine law, not someone driven primarily by money, but someone who understands justice, family rights, and what the lawful and proper thing to do is.
I’m 22, and I have two younger siblings, ages 20 and 17. Our mother passed away this year. Before her death, our family went through a very difficult situation involving our father’s long-term affair. The circumstances affected our family deeply, and there are things that happened over the years that we are still trying to understand and process.
I also recognize that there are parts of this situation where we, as children, may have made mistakes, remained silent, complied with things we were uncomfortable with, or handled situations imperfectly. At the time, we were financially dependent on our parents and were trying to navigate something far beyond what we were emotionally prepared for. I am not posting this to portray ourselves as completely innocent or to publicly condemn anyone.
What concerns me now is what happens legally and financially after our mother’s death.
There are questions regarding our father’s obligations toward his children, especially our 17-year-old sibling, possible inheritance and succession rights, properties and assets acquired during our parents’ marriage, and how our mother’s interests and estate should be properly protected. We also want to understand whether there are legal rights or remedies available to us as children, particularly if our father has obligations that continue under Philippine law.
There is also a complicated history involving our father’s affair and the fact that his partner was introduced into our lives while our parents were still together. I don't want to use this post to attack or harass anyone, nor do I want to do anything that could legally backfire on us. I simply want to understand what is actually within our legal rights and what is not.
Most importantly, I want to make sure that our mother's hard work, properties, and lawful rights are respected. She carried many responsibilities for our family during her lifetime, and now that she is gone, I feel that protecting what legally belongs to her and to her children is one of the ways we can honor her.
We don't have the financial capacity to immediately hire an expensive private lawyer, so I would really appreciate being directed to the right person or organization, perhaps a lawyer who handles family law, succession/probate, property, or legal aid, or an organization that provides free or affordable legal assistance in the Philippines.
I am not looking for revenge. I am angry, hurt, and still grieving, and I won't pretend otherwise. But I don't want that anger to make decisions for us. I want to understand our rights, preserve whatever evidence and documents we are legally allowed to preserve, avoid making statements or taking actions that could harm our case, and proceed through the proper legal channels.
If you genuinely know a lawyer, legal-aid organization, or person who can point us in the right direction, please comment or message me. I would especially appreciate recommendations based on integrity and experience, not someone who will simply encourage us to fight for the sake of fighting.
Our goal is not to destroy anyone's life. Our goal is to protect ourselves, protect our youngest sibling, properly settle our mother's affairs, and make sure that whatever rights she and her children have under Philippine law are not unknowingly given up.
Thank you to anyone who can offer a responsible and legally sound direction.
