Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
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Due Process in Custodial Investigation: When Lack of Counsel Does Not Void a Conviction
A conviction based on eyewitness testimony stands even if custodial rights were violated, as no confession was obtained.
Positive Identification Over Alibi: The Weight of Eyewitness Testimony in Murder Convictions
How the Supreme Court upheld a murder conviction based on eyewitness identification, rejecting the defenses of alibi and alleged due process violations.
Faith Healing or Reckless Endangerment: Distinguishing Intent in Unlicensed Medical Practices Under Philippine
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when unlicensed faith healing causing death is reckless imprudence, not murder.
Redundancy vs Illegal Dismissal: Employer’s Burden to Prove Just Cause
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that redundancy requires proof of good faith and fair process; employers must justify dismissals.
Entrapment vs Instigation: Due Process in Drug Sale Arrests
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies entrapment vs instigation in drug busts, affirming a buy-bust conviction for shabu sale.
Defective Notice of Appeal and Due Process: Lessons from Fajardo v. Court of Appeals
A defective motion without notice of hearing is a scrap of paper; appeal period runs from counsel's receipt of judgment.
When the Supreme Court Corrects Aggravating Circumstances in Murder Convictions
A look at People v. Cachola, where the High Court affirmed murder convictions but corrected the trial court's appreciation of aggravating circumstances.
Adultery and Its Consequences: Honor, Outrage, and the Limits of Justifiable Homicide in the Philippines
When a spouse kills a cheating partner caught in flagrante, Philippine law may spare them from prison—but only under strict conditions.
THE Limits OF DUE Process When Pleading NOT Guilty Means Waiving Your Rights
Substantial Compliance Prevails: Due Process Over Procedural Lapses in Certiorari Petitions
SC rules substantial compliance with Rule 65 requirements can outweigh technical defects, protecting due process in certiorari cases.
Passion Proof and Penalties: When Jealousy Doesnt Equal Murder
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when a killing is homicide, not murder, and how accomplices are penalized.
Circumstantial Evidence Conviction: Murder Reduced to Homicide in Icalla Case
Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence suffices for conviction and why murder was reduced to homicide in People v. Icalla.
Rape Conviction Stands But Death Penalty Reduced: Qualifying Circumstances Must Be Alleged in the Information
A rape conviction stands, but the Supreme Court reduces the death penalty to reclusion perpetua because minority and relationship were not alleged in the information.
Non-Negotiable Withdrawal Slips: Bank Liability for Delayed Dishonor Notices
When a bank delays notice of dishonor on non-negotiable withdrawal slips, is it liable for damages? The Supreme Court explains.
Bank Negligence and Dishonored Checks: Protecting Your Reputation and Finances
Learn from the Firestone v. Luzon Development Bank case why non-negotiable instruments carry risks and how banks' duties apply.
The People vs the President: Defining the Limits of People Power and Presidential Immunity in the Philippines
The Supreme Court's landmark ruling in Estrada v. Desierto clarifies resignation, presidential succession, and immunity from suit under the 1987 Constitution.
Judicial Efficiency VS DUE Process Balancing Timeliness AND Fairness IN Court Decisions
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that judges must decide cases within prescribed periods; pending transcripts or heavy caseloads do not excuse delay.
Incestuous Rape: When Parental Authority Cannot Shield a Father's Crime
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction but rules that unalleged qualifying circumstances bar the death penalty.
Self-Defense vs. Unlawful Aggression: Lessons from a Philippine Homicide Case
Understanding self-defense claims in Philippine criminal law, and why unlawful aggression is the foundation of any successful defense.
Due Process in Sentencing: When a Judge's Discretion Goes Too Far
A judge's order denying credit for time served without hearing violates due process. Learn the limits of judicial discretion.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Rape of a Person Deprived of Reason in Philippine Law
Philippine law protects persons deprived of reason from rape. This article explains the legal standards, penalties, and what the Mauricio case teaches about due process.
Breach of Trust: Upholding Rape Conviction in Cases of Familial Abuse
A father's rape conviction upheld by the Supreme Court, explaining how parental authority substitutes for violence in incest cases.
The Weight of Witness Testimony: Convicting Based on Single Eyewitness Accounts
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a single eyewitness account suffices for conviction and why alibi fails without physical impossibility.