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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Rape by a Stepfather Figure and the Limits of Information in Imposing the Death Penalty
A rape conviction upheld, but the death penalty was reduced because the qualifying circumstance was not properly alleged.
Protecting Children: Parental Rape and the Importance of Victim Credibility in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court clarifies that a stepfather's relationship to a rape victim must be stated in the Information to justify the death penalty.
Robbery With Homicide: Proving Conspiracy and Liability of All Participants
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on robbery with homicide, conspiracy liability, and the penalty of reclusion perpetua when no aggravating circumstances exist.
Warrantless Search Limits and Penalty in Drug Cases: People v. Che Chun Ting
The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of warrantless searches incident to arrest and the proper penalty for drug offenses in People v. Che Chun Ting.
Step-Parent Rape and the Death Penalty: What Philippine Law Requires
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a stepfather who raped his 11-year-old stepdaughter, clarifying the rules on qualifying circumstances and damages.
Reckless Imprudence in Vehicular Accidents: Negligence and Penalty Rules
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on reckless imprudence in vehicular accidents, explaining negligence standards, proximate cause, and penalty imposition under Article 365.
Protecting Innocence: The Supreme Court's Stance on Child Rape and Child Witness Testimony
A five-year-old rape victim's testimony can convict. The Supreme Court explains child witness credibility and the death penalty for child rape.
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.
Rape Conviction and Death Penalty: The Mendiona Case on Aggravating Circumstances
Philippine Supreme Court affirms death penalty for rape with deadly weapon and aggravating circumstances, clarifying civil indemnity rules under Article 335.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Deadly Weapon and Aggravating Circumstances Justify Death Penalty
Supreme Court affirms death penalty for rape committed with a deadly weapon and two aggravating circumstances, clarifying civil indemnity rules.
Incestuous Rape: When a Father's Betrayal Warrants the Death Penalty
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a father who raped his 12-year-old daughter, underscoring the gravity of incestuous rape under Philippine law.
Falsification of Time Records: When Is Dismissal Too Harsh a Penalty?
Explore when Philippine courts consider dismissal too harsh for falsifying time records, and the rules on proportional justice in labor cases.
Habeas Corpus and Drug Offenses: Ensuring Fair Application of Penalties
A look at how the Supreme Court used habeas corpus to correct an excessive penalty for a minor drug offense.
Splitting Appeals: Why Concurrent Jurisdiction Matters in Philippine Criminal Law
A single decision cannot be split between two courts. Learn why the Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction over mixed-penalty appeals.
Treachery as a Qualifying Circumstance in Murder: Lessons from People v. Pinca
Learn how Philippine courts determine treachery in murder cases and why the death penalty requires proof of qualifying circumstances.
Supreme Court on Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262 and Cybercrime Law
The Supreme Court affirms a conviction for online psychological abuse under RA 9262 and raises the penalty for using social media under RA 10175.
Rape Conviction on Credible Testimony: The Tabion Case and the Requirement of Alleging Minority
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction based on the victim's credible testimony, but reduces the penalty from death to reclusion perpetua because the Information failed to allege the vic
Precision in Criminal Indictments: Why a Missing Detail Can Mean the Difference Between Life and Death in Qual
The Supreme Court explains why a missing allegation of the victim's age in a rape information bars the death penalty, reducing conviction to simple rape.
Proving Evident Premeditation in Murder Cases: What Philippine Law Requires
The Supreme Court explains when evident premeditation qualifies murder and why courts demand clear proof of deliberate planning before imposing the penalty.
Navigating Qualified Rape in the Philippines: Key Protections and Legal Nuances
A look at how Philippine courts treat parent-offender rape cases, and why the death penalty requires specific allegations in the complaint.
Attorney Negligence in the Philippines: A Lawyer's Duty of Diligence and the Consequences of Abandoning a Clie
When can a lawyer abandon a client? The Supreme Court explains the duty of diligence and the penalty for neglect in Aromin v. Boncavil.
Proving Familial Ties in Rape Cases and Their Impact on Penalties in Philippine Law
How Philippine courts prove father-daughter relationships in rape cases and why this qualifies for the death penalty under Article 335.
Retroactive Application of Penal Laws Protecting Accused Rights in the Philippines
Explaining how the 1987 Constitution's abolition of the death penalty retroactively benefits accused persons whose crimes were committed before its ratification.
Philippine Rape Law: Why Complaint Details Matter in Death Penalty Cases
A father convicted of five counts of incestuous rape escaped the death penalty because the complaints failed to allege his relationship with the victim. Learn why details matter in Philippine rape cas