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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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.
Admissibility of Confessions and Eyewitness Testimony in Philippine Murder Cases
Learn how Philippine courts weigh eyewitness testimony, extrajudicial confessions, and circumstantial evidence in murder convictions.
Circumstantial Evidence and Treachery in Philippine Murder Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when treachery qualifies murder and why conspiracy must be proven beyond reasonable doubt.
Positive Identification in Philippine Criminal Law: Overcoming Doubts and Alibis
How Philippine courts weigh positive identification against alibis and dying declarations, explained through a landmark murder case.
Witness Identification and Conspiracy in Philippine Murder Cases
How the Supreme Court weighed witness credibility, conspiracy, and qualifying circumstances in a murder conviction.
Eyewitness Testimony vs Alibi: How Philippine Courts Weigh Evidence in Murder Cases
The Supreme Court explains why positive eyewitness identification prevails over alibi and denial in murder cases, citing People v. Sarabia.
Alibi vs Eyewitness Testimony: How Philippine Courts Decide Criminal Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when alibi fails against positive eyewitness identification, and how minority affects sentencing in murder cases.
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.
Understanding Conspiracy and Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: A Case Study
How the Supreme Court applied conspiracy and treachery in a murder case, explained in plain language for everyday readers.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Can You Justifiably Use Force?
Philippine law allows force in self-defense, but the Supreme Court explains strict limits. Learn the rules from a murder case.
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.
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.
The Weight of Witness Testimony: Understanding Credibility in Philippine Murder Cases
How Philippine courts assess eyewitness credibility in murder cases, explained through the 1996 Supreme Court ruling in People v. Sotes.
Eyewitness Testimony and the Perils of Alibi in Philippine Criminal Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on eyewitness identification, alibi as weak defense, and treachery in murder cases.
The Importance of Proper Notice in Philippine Legal Proceedings: A Case Analysis
A Supreme Court ruling on self-defense, credibility of witnesses, and the weight of evidence in murder and frustrated murder cases.
Eyewitness Testimony: How It Can Make or Break a Murder Case in the Philippines
How a single eyewitness's positive identification can secure a murder conviction, and why courts trust credible testimony over denial.
When Witness Testimony Determines Guilt: Credibility in Philippine Murder Cases
Learn how Philippine courts assess eyewitness credibility in murder cases, from the 1996 People v. Pano ruling on positive identification versus alibi.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Understanding Alevosia and Its Implications
A look at how Philippine courts define treachery (alevosia) in murder cases, using the 1996 Paragua decision as a guide.
Self-Defense and Treachery: Understanding Criminal Liability in Philippine Law
A look at how Philippine courts weigh self-defense claims against treachery in murder cases, using the Lapura ruling.
Proving Treachery in Murder Cases: Lessons from People v. Ocsimar
The Supreme Court clarifies that treachery must be proven as clearly as the crime itself, and a stab from behind does not automatically qualify as murder.
Treachery in Criminal Law: Understanding Sudden and Unexpected Attacks
The Supreme Court explains treachery in murder cases through a sudden, unexpected bolo attack at a dance.
Positive Identification Over Alibi Upholding Conviction in Murder and Frustrated Murder Case
Supreme Court affirms murder and frustrated murder conviction, ruling positive identification prevails over alibi and denial.
Understanding Intent in Murder Cases: When Can a Killing Be Reduced to a Lesser Crime
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on intent, treachery, and penalty computation in murder cases under the Revised Penal Code.