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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Statutory Rape Conviction Upheld: RA 7610 and Child Testimony Explained
The Supreme Court affirms a triple statutory rape conviction, clarifying RA 7610, child testimony, and damages for child victims.
Guilt Beyond Doubt: Circumstantial Evidence in Robbery With Homicide Cases
How the Supreme Court upheld a robbery-with-homicide conviction based solely on circumstantial evidence, and what this means for criminal prosecutions.
Protecting Childhood Conviction Stands In Statutory Rape Case Despite Lack Of Fresh Medical Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court affirms statutory rape conviction based on credible child testimony, ruling medical evidence is not indispensable.
Kidnapping for Ransom: Convictions Upheld on Positive Identification and Collective Intent
The Supreme Court affirms kidnapping-for-ransom convictions, explaining how positive identification and conspiracy establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Kidnapping for Ransom Conviction Upheld: Safe House Caretaker Liable as Co-Principal
Philippine Supreme Court rules on kidnapping for ransom, conspiracy, and multiple counts when several victims are abducted in one information.
Credibility of Eyewitness Testimony in Rape Cases Despite Inconsistencies in Time
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on credible victim testimony, clarifying that exact dates need not be precise.
Stepfathers Betrayal Upholding THE Conviction FOR Rape Based ON Credible Testimony AND Medical Evidence
Buy-Bust Operations: Entrapment vs Instigation in Illegal Drug Sales
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between entrapment and instigation in buy-bust operations, affirming a drug sale conviction.
Overseas Dreams, Local Schemes: Upholding Protection Against Large Scale Illegal Recruitment
The Supreme Court affirms a conviction for large-scale illegal recruitment in People v. Abellanosa, clarifying penalties and reimbursement of placement fees.
SC Upholds Rape Conviction Based on Victim's Credible Testimony Despite Inconsistencies
The Supreme Court affirms rape convictions, ruling that minor inconsistencies in a victim's testimony do not undermine credibility when the account is coherent and believable.
Unconscious Victim and Rape Conviction: Article 266-A Explained
The Supreme Court affirms rape convictions where the victim was unconscious, explaining Article 266-A and damages in People v. Carillo.
Protecting the Vulnerable: The Duty of Moral Ascendancy in Familial Rape Cases
How the Supreme Court affirmed a father's rape conviction, explaining why moral ascendancy replaces force in incestuous abuse.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Why Consistent Testimony and Medical Evidence Matter
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, explaining how a victim's consistent testimony and medical findings prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Chain of Custody in Drug Sale Cases: Lessons from Belmonte v. People
The Supreme Court upholds a drug sale conviction, clarifying that minor deviations from Section 21's chain of custody rules are not fatal when integrity is preserved.
Rape Conviction Upheld Clarifying THE Application OF Force AND Intimidation IN Sexual Assault Cases
Self-Defense Claim Fails: Unlawful Aggression and Treachery in Murder Conviction
Supreme Court affirms murder conviction, ruling that a sudden bolo attack negates self-defense and constitutes treachery.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Upholding Conviction in Child Sexual Abuse Cases in the Philippines
The Supreme Court affirms the conviction of a man for two counts of rape, clarifying conspiracy liability and the weight given to a minor victim's credible testimony.
Defective Information Reduces Direct Assault Conviction to Homicide
A missing element in the information reduced a direct assault conviction to homicide, underscoring the constitutional right to be informed of charges.
Upholding Conviction Despite Procedural Lapses in Chain of Custody in Drug Cases
Supreme Court affirms drug sale conviction, ruling that minor chain of custody lapses do not automatically overturn a guilty verdict.
Rape and Parental Authority: Why a Father's Conviction Stood as Simple Rape
A father raped his 16-year-old daughter twice. The Supreme Court upheld his conviction but kept it as simple rape because the information omitted his relationship. Here's why.
Self-Defense vs. Retaliation: When Justification Turns to Murder in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a plea of self-defense fails and becomes retaliation, leading to murder convictions.
Protecting THE Vulnerable Upholding Convictions IN Cases OF Qualified Rape BY A Parent
The Duty to Disclose Probation and Honesty in Government Employment
A Supreme Court ruling on a court employee's failure to disclose a past conviction in his Personal Data Sheet, and the judge who recommended him.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Force, Intimidation, and Moral Ascendancy in Sexual Assault Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a stepfather's rape conviction, explaining how force, intimidation, and moral ascendancy satisfy the elements of rape under Philippine law.