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.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Ensuring Justice for Victims of Sudden Attacks
How Philippine courts apply treachery to qualify killings as murder, explained through a Supreme Court ruling on a sudden stabbing.
Finality of Comelec Decisions and Grave Abuse of Discretion in Election Cases
When are Comelec rulings on barangay election contests truly final? The Supreme Court explains the narrow exception for grave abuse of discretion.
Overcoming Alibi and Positive Identification in Philippine Criminal Cases
How the Supreme Court treats alibi versus positive identification, using a rape case where a stepfather's defense failed.
Land Retention Rights Prevail Landowners Choice Overrides Prior Land Transfer Certificates
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how a landowner's retention right under PD 27 can override a previously issued Certificate of Land Transfer.
Gun Fights and Legal Rights: Unpacking Self-Defense Claims in Homicide Cases
A Navy captain kills in a road rage scuffle. When does self-defense apply, and when does it fail? The Supreme Court explains.
The Lone Testimony Upholding Rape Conviction Despite Delayed Reporting
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on the victim's credible lone testimony, despite a six-month delay in reporting the crime.
Preliminary Investigation Protecting Individual Rights Before Trial
Learn how preliminary investigation safeguards individual rights before trial, as explained in a Philippine Supreme Court decision.
Rape Conviction Requires Proof of Specific Dates Alleged in Information
Supreme Court ruling on proving specific dates in rape and acts of lasciviousness cases under Philippine law.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Credibility of the Accuser and the Role of Physical Evidence
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, ruling that a credible victim's testimony suffices even without physical evidence and despite delayed reporting.
Incestuous Rape and Parental Authority: When Consent Is Invalid in Familial Sexual Abuse Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on incestuous rape clarifies that a father's moral ascendancy and threats invalidate any claim of consent from a minor daughter.
Intent Matters Distinguishing Robbery With Rape From Separate Crimes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a sexual assault followed by taking property is one complex crime or separate offenses.
Security of Tenure vs Abandonment: Reinstatement Rights in the Philippine National Police
The Supreme Court clarifies when accepting another government post during a case does not waive a dismissed officer's right to reinstatement.
Marital Discord Establishing Parricide Beyond Reasonable Doubt Through Circumstantial Evidence
How circumstantial evidence—marital fights, a chase, autopsy findings—proved parricide beyond reasonable doubt in People v. Velasco.
Unwavering Testimony: How Philippine Courts Uphold Victim Credibility in Rape Cases
Learn how Philippine courts assess witness credibility in criminal cases, using the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Navarro as a guide.
Arbitration Clauses and Third Parties: When Courts Refuse to Stay Proceedings
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when arbitration clauses bind only signatories and why courts may deny suspension of proceedings for non-parties.
Probate Court Approval of Estate Property Sales: Heirs of Sandejas v. Lina
When a deceased person contracted to sell property before death, the probate court can authorize its conveyance—here's what the Sandejas ruling means for heirs and buyers.
Buyer Beware: Understanding Delivery Delays and Liabilities in Philippine Sales Contracts
Learn how Philippine courts treat conditional sales, court approval requirements, and seller liability when property sales face delays.
Retroactive Application of Procedural Rules: Timely Filing of Certiorari Petitions in Labor Disputes
Learn how the Supreme Court applied A.M. No. 00-2-03-SC retroactively, allowing a late certiorari petition in a labor case to proceed.
Upholding Property Rights: Reconveyance and Damages for Unlawful Possession
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void reconstitution of title, laches, and property recovery explained in plain language.
Incestuous Rape: Why Alleging Minority in the Information Matters
A father's rape conviction was reduced from death to reclusion perpetua because the Information failed to properly allege the victim's minority.
Conspiracy and Liability in Philippine Murder Cases: The Uriarte Doctrine
A look at how Philippine courts handle conspiracy, witness credibility, and conflicting medical evidence in homicide cases.
Check Fraud and Bank Liability: Lessons from Ford Philippines vs. Citibank and PCIBank
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on bank liability for fraudulently negotiated checks, crossing, due diligence, and comparative negligence.
Civil Liability After Acquittal When Reasonable Doubt Doesnt Erase Responsibility
When acquittal rests on reasonable doubt, civil liability may still stand. Learn how Philippine courts separate criminal from civil responsibility.
Civil Liability After Acquittal: When Acquittal Does Not Erase Damages in Reckless Imprudence Cases
Acquittal on reasonable doubt does not extinguish civil liability. Learn the rules from Manantan v. Court of Appeals.