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.
Insurable Interest: Can a Landlord Claim Insurance on a Tenant's Property?
Philippine Supreme Court rules a landlord cannot claim fire insurance proceeds on a tenant's merchandise without insurable interest. Learn the key principles.
Judicial Delay, Negligence, and Falsified Certificates: Lessons from a Philippine Judge's Administrative Case
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge fined for gross negligence and falsified certificates of service—key lessons for judicial accountability and integrity.
Consent and Rape: When Mental Retardation Negates Valid Consent
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape of a mental retardate and why apparent consent does not negate criminal liability.
Rape of a Person Deprived of Reason: Consent and Mental Capacity in Philippine Law
Philippine law treats carnal knowledge of a woman deprived of reason as rape, regardless of apparent consent. This case explains why.
Gross Ignorance of the Law: When Judges Overstep Their Authority
A Supreme Court ruling on when a judge's sentencing errors become gross ignorance of the law warranting administrative sanctions.
Land Registration in the Philippines: Why Newspaper Publication Is Mandatory
Why newspaper publication is a mandatory requirement in Philippine land registration, and how failing to comply can invalidate your application.
Unintended Consequences: Criminal Liability for Foreseeable Outcomes in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on criminal liability, dying declarations, and witness credibility in murder cases under Philippine law.
Criminal Conspiracy and Exempting Circumstances: Duress and Mental Capacity in Philippine Law
A look at how the Supreme Court defined conspiracy, duress, and imbecility defenses in a kidnapping and homicide case.
Parricide in the Philippines: Proving Intent in Family Killings
Understand parricide under Philippine law and how courts prove intent in family killings, with lessons from a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Equitable Mortgage vs. Pacto de Retro Sale: When a "Sale" Is Really a Loan
Philippine law presumes certain "sales with right to repurchase" are equitable mortgages, protecting borrowers from unfair lending arrangements.
Self-Defense and Homicide: Understanding the Limits of Justifiable Force in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense applies in Philippine homicide cases, using the 1997 Maalat ruling as a guide.
Self-Defense and Voluntary Surrender: Key Lessons from a Philippine Murder Case
A Philippine Supreme Court case clarifies when self-defense fails and voluntary surrender mitigates murder liability. Learn the rules.
When Eyewitness Testimony Alone Can Lead to a Conviction in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when eyewitness testimony suffices for conviction, and how buy-bust operations establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Buy-Bust Operations in the Philippines: Entrapment vs. Instigation Explained
Understand the legal line between entrapment and instigation in Philippine buy-bust operations, and what the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. De Vera means for drug cases.
Positive Identification Trumps Alibi: Lessons from People v. Balad
In People v. Balad, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that positive identification by credible witnesses prevails over the defense of alibi in Philippine criminal law.
Self Defense in the Philippines: Understanding Unlawful Aggression and Reasonable Means
Learn how Philippine courts test self defense claims through unlawful aggression, reasonable means, and provocation, as shown in People v. Artiaga.
When Can a Motion for Extension Be Denied? A Philippine Law Analysis
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when courts may deny motions for extension and the proper requirements for certifications against forum shopping.
Confessions and Constitutional Rights: Safeguarding the Accused in Custodial Investigations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on inadmissible uncounselled confessions and the constitutional rights of persons under custodial investigation.
Common Carriers and Passenger Safety: The Standard of Extraordinary Diligence in Philippine Law
Philippine law requires common carriers to exercise extraordinary diligence in ensuring passenger safety. This article explains the legal standard and its practical implications.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Can You Justifiably Use Force?
Philippine law allows force only against unlawful aggression. Learn the limits of self-defense and why alibi rarely works.
Family Disputes and Property Rights: Extrajudicial Settlements and Reconveyance
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when family members must attempt compromise before suing and how reconveyance works for wrongfully registered property.
Witness Testimony and the Standard of Proof in Philippine Criminal Law
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness testimony against denial and alibi in criminal cases, explained through a murder conviction.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: When an Attack Qualifies as Murder
The Supreme Court explains how treachery elevates killings to murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code.
NTC Collegiality: How the Supreme Court Settled Regulatory Decision-Making in Philippine Telecoms
The Supreme Court ruled the NTC is a collegial body; a single commissioner cannot decide cases alone. Learn the rule and its impact.