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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Right to Counsel in Criminal Cases: Conviction Void When "Lawyer" Is Not a Bar Member
When a criminal defendant is represented by someone who is not a lawyer, the conviction violates due process and must be set aside.
Right to Counsel in Criminal Cases: When a Fake Lawyer Means Denial of Due Process
The Supreme Court ruled that conviction is void when an accused is represented by a non-lawyer, as it violates the constitutional right to counsel.
Illegal Recruitment and Estafa: Liability for Promising Overseas Work
The Supreme Court affirmed convictions for illegal recruitment in large scale and estafa where accused spouses promised overseas jobs without a POEA license.
When a Father's Duty Becomes a Crime: The Law on Incestuous Rape in the Philippines
The Supreme Court affirms the conviction of a father for raping his 12-year-old daughter, clarifying the rules on qualified rape, sexual assault, and damages.
Treachery and Witness Credibility in Philippine Murder Convictions
Supreme Court affirms murder conviction, explaining treachery, witness credibility, and damages in Philippine criminal law.
Upholding Conviction Despite Procedural Lapses: Chain of Custody Preserves Drug Evidence
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction despite Section 21 lapses, ruling that an unbroken chain of custody preserves the integrity of seized evidence.
Upholding Drug Conviction: Chain of Custody and Witness Credibility in Buy-Bust Operations
Supreme Court affirms drug sale and possession conviction, explaining when lapses in Section 21 chain of custody rules are not fatal.
When Police Slip-Ups Void Drug Convictions: The Chain of Custody Rule in Philippine Law
A look at how the Supreme Court acquitted a drug suspect due to broken chain of custody, and what this means for police procedure.
Challenging Drug Convictions: The Importance of Chain of Custody in Illegal Drug Cases
A buy-bust conviction reversed because police failed to prove the chain of custody of seized shabu. Learn the rules.
Affidavit of Desistance in Rape Cases: Supreme Court Scrutiny and Victim Credibility
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction despite affidavit of desistance, ruling recanted affidavits are unreliable and victim testimony credible.
The Weight of Testimony: Conviction on Credible Witness Accounts in Rape Cases
How the Supreme Court affirmed a rape conviction based on the victim's credible testimony, rejecting alibi and denial defenses.
Death of Accused Pending Appeal Extinguishes Criminal Liability: People v. Layag
The Supreme Court explains how an accused's death before final conviction extinguishes criminal liability and what happens to civil claims.
Drug Possession, Custody, and the Indeterminate Sentence Law: Key Lessons from a Shabu Conviction
A conviction for possessing shabu is upheld, but the Supreme Court corrects the penalty to an indeterminate sentence without subsidiary imprisonment.
Conspiracy in Robbery With Homicide: How Planning and Presence Establish Guilt
The Supreme Court affirms a conviction for robbery with homicide based on conspiracy, explaining how planning, presence, and post-crime acts prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Contextual Testimony Enough to Prove Carnal Knowledge
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, holding that a victim's contextual testimony can sufficiently establish carnal knowledge even without explicit anatomical detail.
Protecting Children Upholding Stiffer Penalties for Child Abuse Under R.A. 7610
The Supreme Court affirms a conviction for child abuse under R.A. 7610, clarifying that physical abuse of a child is penalized more heavily than ordinary physical injuries.
Breach of Trust in Employment: Upholding Termination for Misconduct
The Supreme Court explains when loss of trust and confidence justifies dismissing an employee, even without a criminal conviction.
When Testimony Fails the Test: Acquittal in Forcible Abduction with Rape
The Supreme Court acquits a man of forcible abduction with rape, showing how inconsistent victim testimony and the equipoise rule shape criminal convictions.
Upholding Buy-Bust Operations: Validating Drug Convictions Despite Procedural Lapses
Supreme Court affirms drug conviction despite Section 21 lapses, ruling substantial compliance with chain of custody rules suffices when evidence integrity is preserved.
Unlawful Arrest Invalidates Drug Possession Conviction Protecting Constitutional Rights
Explore how the Supreme Court acquitted an accused due to an unlawful arrest and broken chain of custody in drug cases.
Treachery and Witness Credibility in Murder Cases Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms a murder conviction based on treachery and credible eyewitness testimony, explaining key rules on witness credibility and damages.
Upholding Drug Sale Conviction: Integrity of Evidence and Section 21 Compliance
Supreme Court affirms drug sale conviction, ruling that substantial compliance with Section 21, RA 9165 suffices when evidence integrity is preserved.
Moral Turpitude and Attorney Disbarment: The Necessity of Final Conviction
Disbarment for moral turpitude requires a final conviction, not just pending criminal charges, as this case clarifies.
Treachery Defined: How Eyewitness Testimony Secures Murder Convictions in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains how treachery qualifies killing as murder and why a consistent eyewitness account outweighs an alibi defense.