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.
Circumstantial Evidence and the Right Against Self-Incrimination in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence suffices for conviction and why the right against self-incrimination does not cover physical evidence.
Successor Liability in Philippine Labor Law: When New Owners Inherit Labor Obligations
Learn when a successor company inherits a predecessor's labor obligations under Philippine law, based on the Caliguia ruling.
Understanding Evident Premeditation and Self-Dense Claims in Philippine Murder Cases
Learn how Philippine courts prove evident premeditation and evaluate self-defense claims, based on a 1996 Supreme Court ruling.
Negligence Trumps Fortuitous Events: Service Shops Must Insure Customer Vehicles
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a service shop's failure to insure customer property makes it liable for loss by fire, even if the fire is a fortuitous event.
Habeas Corpus After Criminal Charges: When Illegal Arrest No Longer Justifies Release
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when habeas corpus becomes moot after criminal charges are filed and bail is posted.
Eyewitness Testimony When Doubt Leads To Acquittal IN Philippine Courts
When does a lone eyewitness's testimony fail the test of moral certainty? The Supreme Court explains in People v. Perez.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Sudden Attacks and Intent
The Supreme Court explains when a sudden, unexpected attack qualifies as treachery, aggravating a killing to murder under Philippine law.
Gross Ignorance of the Law: When Judges Fail to Follow Basic Legal Procedures
A judge who issued a warrant of arrest in a summary procedure case was fined for gross ignorance of the law. Learn the rules.
Treachery (Alevosia) in Philippine Murder Cases: The Apawan Ruling Explained
Learn how treachery (alevosia) qualifies a killing as murder under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in People vs. Apawan.
Retroactive Application of Reduced Penalties: A Guide to R.A. 7659
When can a final sentence be reduced by a new law? The Supreme Court explains the retroactive effect of R.A. 7659 on drug penalties.
Conspiracy and Circumstantial Evidence: When Is It Enough for Conviction
The Supreme Court clarifies when circumstantial evidence and conspiracy can—and cannot—support a criminal conviction beyond reasonable doubt.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Intent and Qualifying Circumstances
The Supreme Court explains when treachery qualifies a killing as murder, and why sudden attacks alone do not prove it.
Employee Transfers: Understanding Employer Rights and Limits in the Philippines
Learn the rules on employee transfers in the Philippines—when employers can validly transfer workers and what limits the law imposes.
Self-Defense and Defense of Relatives in Philippine Law: Limits and Lessons from People v. Babor
When does self-defense fail in the Philippines? People v. Babor clarifies the limits of justifying circumstances, unlawful aggression, and reasonable force.
The Clerk's Duty and Timely Record Submission in Philippine Courts
A 1996 Supreme Court ruling clarifies the distinct duties of clerks of court and stenographers in transmitting case records on appeal.
Liability for Damage to Stored Goods: Negligence and Interest Rates Explained
A warehouse operator's negligence can mean paying for damaged goods. Learn the rules on liability and the correct interest rates.
Consent and Rape: Understanding the Nuances of Sexual Assault in the Philippines
The Bawar case shows how Philippine courts weigh consent, credibility, and behavior in rape cases—crucial for understanding sexual assault law.
When Silence Speaks Volumes: Eyewitness Testimony and Credibility in Philippine Murder Cases
The Supreme Court affirms murder convictions based on a lone eyewitness's testimony, explaining why silence during a crime does not destroy credibility.
Positive Identification vs Alibi: Lessons from a Philippine Murder Conviction
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness identification against alibi, explained through a 1996 Supreme Court murder ruling.
The Credibility of Child Witnesses: Upholding Justice Beyond Tender Years
How the Supreme Court affirmed a murder conviction based on the positive identification of a ten-year-old eyewitness, and the rules on child testimony, treachery, and alibi.
Treachery in Philippine Law: How a Deceptive Attack Elevates Homicide to Murder
Learn how treachery turns homicide into murder under Philippine law, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Fabrigas.
How Philippine Courts Weigh Identification and Alibi in Robbery with Rape Cases
A 1996 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when victim identification prevails over alibi and how courts distinguish robbery from robbery with rape.
Homicide vs Murder: Intent and Aggravating Circumstances in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains when a killing is homicide, not murder, and how aggravating circumstances affect the penalty.
When Disputes Over TROs Are Judicial, Not Administrative: Tallado v. Racoma
The Supreme Court clarifies when errors in issuing TROs are judicial matters, not grounds for administrative discipline against judges.