Dear PAO,

I have not been lucky when it comes to relationships. My wife and I were separated for almost four years now. I have been trying to gain custody of our child because my wife always leaves our child with her parents whenever she boards an international cruise ship for work. I brought this matter before the barangay, but my parents-in-law still refused to surrender the custody to me. They claimed that I am an irresponsible dad. Just in case I will proceed with the filing of a petition to gain custody of my kid, am I correct in my assumption that I will be favored by the court because I am a nearer relative than my parents-in-law? What are the factors that will be considered in awarding child custody?