SC awards grandparents custody over father after mother's deathThis file photo taken April 13, 2022 shows the Supreme Court of the Philippines in Manila. MANILA, Philippines — In cases involving illegitimate children where the mother is the sole legitimate parental authority, the grandparents shall exercise "substitute parental authority," as specified in the Family Code, the Supreme Court (SC) said. In a June 26, 2023 decision, the Supreme Court's second division "partially granted" a petition by a minor's grandparents challenging the award of custody to the minor's father following the mother's death shortly after childbirth. The SC also pointed out the lack of marriage between Stolk and Daen, which the High Court said the RTC did not consider. The SC remanded the case to the RTC, instructing it to consider the factors and measures outlined in the Rule on Custody of Minors when deciding Winston's custody.
