Short answer. Yes. In deciding a permanent protection order under Section 16 of RA 9262, the court is directed to allow the introduction of any history of abusive conduct by the respondent, even where that abuse was not aimed at you or the person you are applying for. His past pattern of abuse against others can be brought before the court.
What the law says
The court shall allow the introduction of any history of abusive conduct of a respondent even if the same was not directed against the applicant or the person for whom the applicant is made.
RA 9262, Section 16 — Permanent Protection Orders. Read the full provision →
What the law says
The court shall not deny the issuance of protection order on the basis of the lapse of time between the act of violence and the filing of the application.
RA 9262, Section 16 — Permanent Protection Orders. Read the full provision →
A history of abuse against anyone is admissible
You do not have to prove that your husband has only ever hurt you. In the hearing for a permanent protection order, Section 16 of RA 9262 states plainly: The court shall allow the introduction of any history of abusive conduct of a respondent even if the same was not directed against the applicant or the person for whom the applicant is made. That means abuse he inflicted on a former partner, another family member, or other people can be placed before the court. The law recognizes that a pattern of abusive behavior is relevant to your safety, and it opens the door to that broader history rather than confining the evidence to what he did to you alone.
Delay in filing is not held against you
Victims often wait — out of fear, dependence, or hope that things will change — before seeking help. The law does not punish that. Section 16 provides that The court shall not deny the issuance of protection order on the basis of the lapse of time between the act of violence and the filing of the application. So the fact that time passed between the abuse and your application is not, by itself, a reason to refuse you protection. This protects applicants who could not come forward immediately, and it fits with allowing the court to look at a longer history of the respondent's conduct rather than only very recent events.
The hearing proceeds even if he stays away
A respondent cannot defeat a permanent protection order simply by not showing up or by lacking a lawyer. Under Section 16, his non-appearance despite proper notice, or the absence of counsel, is not a ground to postpone the hearing on the merits. If he appears without a lawyer, the court appoints one and proceeds; if he fails to appear despite notice, the court allows the applicant to present evidence and rules on that basis. The permanent protection order, once granted, stays effective until a court revokes it on the application of the person it protects.
Protection does not depend on a criminal conviction
A protection order is a civil safeguard, separate from any criminal case. Section 16 makes clear that regardless of the respondent's conviction or acquittal, the court must still determine whether the order should become final, and that even in a dismissal a permanent protection order shall be granted as long as there is no clear showing that the act from which it might arise did not exist. So you can obtain lasting protection even if a related criminal charge fails or was never pursued. What the court weighs is your safety and the reality of the abusive conduct, which is why his broader history is allowed in.