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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Defense of Alibi: Limits on Intervention in Criminal Law Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when alibi fails as a defense and how courts determine intent in robbery with rape cases.
Credibility in Rape Cases: Why Victim Testimony Carries Decisive Weight
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, underscoring that a victim's credible, positive testimony outweighs alibi and improbable claims.
Credibility of Witness Testimony in Rape Cases: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
How Philippine courts assess witness credibility in rape cases, explained through People v. Lopez, where a child victim's testimony prevailed over alibi.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Victim Testimony and Use of Force in Philippine Rape Cases
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, explaining why a victim's testimony can stand even without physical injuries or fresh lacerations.
Credibility IN Rape Cases Upholding THE Victims Testimony Despite Minor Inconsistencies
Rape and Defective Information: The Importance of Timely Objections and Evidentiary Standards in Qualified Rap
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on qualified rape, defective informations, timely objections, and evidentiary standards in child rape cases.
Credibility in Rape Cases: The Weight of Victim Testimony in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why a rape victim's credible testimony alone can sustain a conviction, explained in plain language.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Credibility of Victim's Testimony Paramount in Rape Cases
In People v. Pagurayan, the Supreme Court affirmed a rape conviction, ruling that a lone credible victim testimony can sustain a guilty verdict.
Rape Conviction Affirmed THE Critical Role OF Victim Testimony IN Statutory Rape Cases
Moral Ascendancy as a Substitute for Force in Child Rape Cases
Philippine Supreme Court explains how an uncle's moral ascendancy over a child victim substitutes for force or intimidation in statutory rape.
Burden of Proof in Rape Cases: Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt Explained
Learn how Philippine courts establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt in rape cases, from victim testimony to the prosecution's burden of proof.
Parental Authority vs. Child's Rights: Redefining Consent in Statutory Rape Cases
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that a stepfather's common-law status affects rape penalties, not the victim's consent or conviction.
Why Prosecutors Must Present Evidence in Rape Cases: Lessons from Merciales v. Court of Appeals
A Supreme Court ruling on prosecutorial duty, state witnesses, and due process in rape with homicide cases.
Intimidation in Rape Cases: Upholding Victim Testimony and Protecting Children
The Supreme Court affirmed a rape conviction in a 2002 case, ruling that a child victim's testimony and the presence of intimidation can outweigh a bare denial and a sweetheart defense.
Uncertain Testimony in Rape Cases: Safeguarding Justice and Due Process
The Supreme Court clarifies that an imprecise date in a rape information does not void it, but failure to allege the victim's age bars the death penalty.
Rape Shield Laws Protecting Victims AND Ensuring Fair Trials IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape cases clarifies that exact dates need not be alleged, but victim's minority must be for death penalty.
The Slightest Touch: Defining Rape and Protecting Children in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies "slightest penetration" in rape cases, distinguishing consummated rape from attempted rape in People v. Quarre.
Moral Ascendancy as Substitute for Force in Incestuous Rape Cases: People v. Marcellana
In incestuous rape, a father's moral ascendancy over his child substitutes for force or intimidation, the Supreme Court ruled in People v. Marcellana.
Protecting Children: The Weight of Testimony in Statutory Rape Cases in the Philippines
How a child victim's credible testimony can convict in statutory rape cases, and why forensic exams must be child-sensitive.
Breach of Trust: Examining Parental Accountability in Incestuous Rape Cases in the Philippines
A father convicted of raping his daughter twice. The Supreme Court affirms the conviction, clarifies penalties, and awards damages.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Rape of a Person with Mental Retardation and the Admissibility of Their Testimony
The Supreme Court affirms that a mental retardate can be a credible witness in rape cases, and explains why an intact hymen does not negate rape.
Upholding the Testimony of Rape Victims: The Colisao Case and the Standard of Proof
The Supreme Court's acquittal in People v. Abino clarifies the stringent standard of proof required in rape cases, emphasizing that conviction rests on credible evidence, not mere possibility.
Presumption of Innocence Prevails: Analyzing Evidence in Incestuous Rape Cases
How the Supreme Court weighs a child victim's testimony against alibi in incestuous rape, and why the presumption of innocence demands rigorous proof.