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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Threats and Testimonial Discrepancies in Rape Cases: Conviction Affirmed Despite Minor Inconsistencies
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, ruling that minor testimonial inconsistencies and delayed reporting do not undermine a credible victim's account.
Minor Docket Fee Deficiency: Supreme Court Upholds Justice Over Strict Procedure in Appeals
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled that a P5.00 docket fee deficiency, caused by court error, should not automatically dismiss an appeal.
Fatal Flaws in Filing Rape Cases: Why Precision in Criminal Complaints Matters in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court reduced a rape conviction from death to reclusion perpetua because the complaint failed to allege the qualifying circumstances of filiation and minority.
Credibility of Rape Victims in the Philippines: Why Minor Inconsistencies Don't Negate Truth
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains why minor inconsistencies in a rape victim's testimony do not destroy her credibility.
Credibility of Rape Victim Testimony: Key Lessons from People v. Cabigting
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape victim credibility, minor inconsistencies, medical evidence, and damages in People v. Cabigting.
Slightest Penetration Is Rape: How Philippine Law Protects Minors
In People v. Teves, the Supreme Court ruled that the slightest penetration consummates rape, and that an intact hymen does not defeat a rape charge.
Unreliable Defense: The Decisive Weight of Witness Credibility in Philippine Rape Cases
Credible testimony of a minor rape victim can outweigh the sweetheart theory, and moral damages now follow automatically upon conviction.
Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Minor Inconsistencies: Why Victim Testimony Matters in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction, explaining why minor inconsistencies in victim testimony do not destroy credibility.
Credible Testimony in Rape Cases: Why Minor Details Don't Overshadow the Truth
The Supreme Court explains why minor inconsistencies in a rape victim's testimony do not destroy her credibility, in People v. Magtrayo.
Credibility in Rape Cases: Why Minor Inconsistencies Don't Always Matter in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court explains why minor inconsistencies in a rape victim's testimony do not destroy credibility, especially in incestuous rape cases.
Incestuous Rape in the Philippines: Grave Consequences and Legal Safeguards
A Supreme Court ruling on incestuous rape shows how Philippine law treats a father's sexual abuse of his minor daughter, and what safeguards protect child victims.
The Unwavering Eye: How Eyewitness Testimony Secures Convictions in Philippine Murder Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a murder conviction, explaining why a single eyewitness's positive identification outweighs alibi and minor inconsistencies.
Credibility of Child Witness Testimony in Rape Cases: Philippine Supreme Court Jurisprudence
Philippine Supreme Court guidance on assessing child witness credibility in rape cases, emphasizing trial court discretion and minor inconsistencies.
Establishing Minority in Qualified Rape Cases: The Weight of Parental Testimony in Philippine Courts
How Philippine courts treat parental testimony and qualifying circumstances in rape cases, from the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Gabiana.
When Parental Authority Becomes Criminal Abuse: Rape by a Father in Philippine Law
A father's rape of his 12-year-old daughter leads to reclusion perpetua, not death, because the minority was not alleged in the information.
Rape Conviction: Force, Consent, and Credibility in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, clarifying that lack of resistance is not consent and minor testimonial inconsistencies do not destroy credibility.
Intrafamilial Trust Betrayal Overcoming Testimony Inconsistencies IN Incestuous Rape Cases
How Philippine courts weigh a rape victim's testimony against minor inconsistencies, and why credibility prevails over trivial contradictions.
Evaluating Witness Credibility in Philippine Criminal Law: The Orio Brothers Case
How Philippine courts weigh witness credibility, minor inconsistencies, and qualifying circumstances like treachery in murder cases.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Upholding Convictions in Child Rape Cases Despite Minor Inconsistencies
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape convictions, clarifying rules on information defects, alibi, and victim credibility in incest cases.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Upholding the Testimony of Child Rape Victims in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction based on the credible testimony of a mentally disabled minor, clarifying rules on evidence and procedure.
Minority and Murder: How a Minor’s Age Affects the Penalty for Murder in the Philippines
A 17-year-old convicted of murder saw his penalty reduced because of minority. The Supreme Court explains how age affects sentencing.
Protecting the Defenseless: Upholding Conviction for Child Rape Despite Claims of Unreliable Testimony
The Supreme Court affirms that a child of tender years can be a credible witness, upholding a conviction for acts of lasciviousness against a minor.
Circumstantial Evidence and Eyewitness Testimony in Rape of a Minor: People v. Torejos
The Supreme Court affirms a death sentence for rape of a three-year-old, clarifying evidentiary rules on witness credibility and circumstantial proof.
Rape and the Mitigating Circumstance of Minority: Protecting Minors From Sexual Abuse
The Supreme Court affirms rape convictions but applies the mitigating circumstance of minority, reducing penalties while increasing damages for the victim.