Short answer. Yes. The list of who may file a protection order includes at least two concerned responsible citizens of the city or municipality where the violence occurred who have personal knowledge of the offense. Ordinary witnesses can step in when the victim cannot or dares not act alone.
What the law says
At least two (2) concerned responsible citizens of the city or municipality where the violence against women and their children occurred and who has personal knowledge of the offense committed
RA 9262, Section 9 — Who May File. Read the full provision →
Witnesses are on the list of who may file
A protection order is not something only the victim or her family can seek. Among the people the law authorises to file are At least two (2) concerned responsible citizens of the city or municipality where the violence against women and their children occurred and who has personal knowledge of the offense committed. Two conditions stand out. There must be at least two of them, and each must have personal knowledge of the abuse — not rumour, but something they themselves witnessed or directly know. They must also be from the city or municipality where the violence happened. When those boxes are ticked, neighbours or bystanders can genuinely act.
Why the law lets outsiders act
Victims of abuse are often the least able to seek help — frightened, controlled, isolated, or financially dependent on the abuser. If the law waited for the victim alone to come forward, many would never be protected at all. Opening the door to concerned citizens, alongside relatives, officials, police, social workers and health providers, spreads the responsibility across a whole community. The message is that abuse behind closed doors is not a private matter to be ignored by those who see it. People who know what is happening are given a lawful way to intervene rather than a reason to look away.
What filing on someone's behalf requires
Filing for another person carries its own step. When the applicant is not the victim, the application must be accompanied by an affidavit attesting to the circumstances of the abuse and to the victim's consent to the filing. So concerned citizens cannot simply file over a victim's objection; the victim's consent is part of the picture. The account must be truthful and based on real knowledge, since it is sworn. This keeps the power to help from becoming a power to interfere, and ties the citizen's petition to what they actually know and to what the victim actually wants.
Acting responsibly as a witness
If you have seen abuse and want to help, the practical path is to find at least one other person who also has direct knowledge, to be ready to state honestly what each of you observed, and to involve the victim so her consent is real rather than assumed. Where the situation is dangerous, coordinating with the barangay, the police women and children's desk, or a social worker is wiser than acting entirely alone. The law gives concerned citizens a real role, but it is a role of responsible assistance — grounded in what you know, aligned with the victim's wishes, and aimed at her safety.