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.
Attempted Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Retraction and Blotter Gaps
Supreme Court affirms attempted rape conviction, explaining why recantations and police blotter entries carry little weight in Philippine criminal cases.
Circumstantial Evidence and Murder Convictions: The People vs. Diaz Case
Learn how the Supreme Court upheld a murder conviction based solely on circumstantial evidence in People vs. Diaz, and what this means for Philippine criminal law.
Right to Information: Accused Cannot Be Convicted of a Crime Not Clearly Charged
The Supreme Court reinstates a rape case, ruling an information need only state the essential elements, not every detail.
Flight as Evidence of Guilt in Philippine Criminal Cases: People v. Lobrigas
When does running away or escaping detention prove guilt? The Supreme Court explains the legal weight of flight in criminal cases.
How Barangay Conciliation Affects Prescription Periods in Philippine Criminal Cases
Learn how filing a complaint with the barangay interrupts prescription periods for criminal offenses, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
Admission vs Confession: Key Distinctions in Philippine Criminal Evidence
Learn the legal difference between an admission and a confession in Philippine criminal cases, and why it matters for evidence and conviction.
Treachery Unveiled: The Standard for Qualifying Circumstances in Criminal Law
The Supreme Court clarifies that treachery must be proven with equal certainty as the crime itself, not presumed from the killing.
Treachery and Positive Identification: Conviction Upheld in Murder Case
The Supreme Court affirms a murder conviction based on positive identification by two eyewitnesses and treachery, despite the accused's alibi and denial.
Positive Identification Over Alibi: Credibility in Murder Conviction
How the Supreme Court upheld a murder conviction based on eyewitness positive identification, rejecting alibi and affirming treachery in People v. Estrada.
Independent Civil Actions: Enforcing Contract Obligations Separate From Criminal Liability
The Supreme Court clarifies when a civil collection case can proceed independently of dismissed criminal estafa cases, and why res judicata does not bar it.
Certiorari Dismissed: Grave Abuse of Discretion and Hierarchy of Courts in IP Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies that certiorari cannot correct errors of judgment, and direct resort to the Court violates the hierarchy of courts.
When Silence Speaks: Delayed Reporting, Statutory Rape, and the Pursuit of Justice
Exploring how delayed reporting affects statutory rape cases, the credibility of victims, and the pursuit of justice under Philippine law.
Retraction Rejection Affirming Conviction Despite Witness Recantation In Murder Case
Philippine Supreme Court ruling that a witness's retraction does not automatically overturn a murder conviction when other credible evidence supports guilt.
Intoxication Defense in Parricide: Understanding Mitigating Circumstances in Philippine Law
Explore how Philippine courts treat intoxication as a mitigating circumstance in criminal cases, and why it failed in this parricide appeal.
Court Employees' Private Misconduct: When Personal Dealings Undermine Public Trust
A Supreme Court ruling reminds court employees that honesty and integrity are required even in their personal and private dealings.
Voluntary Surrender as a Mitigating Circumstance: When Murder Is Reduced to Homicide
The Supreme Court explains when voluntary surrender mitigates a killing and why a heated argument negates treachery, reducing murder to homicide.
Homicide or Murder: Proving Intent and the Weight of Dying Declarations
The Supreme Court clarifies when a killing is homicide, not murder, and how dying declarations identify an assailant.
Double Jeopardy Shield: Why the Prosecution Can't Appeal for Harsher Penalties
Learn how the double jeopardy rule protects accused persons from repeated prosecutions and why the prosecution cannot appeal to increase penalties.
Ensuring Proper Summons: Why Defective Service Can Dismiss Your Case in the Philippines
Learn how defective summons service can void court proceedings and why proper service is crucial in Philippine civil and criminal cases.
How the Supreme Court Sanctions Judicial Delay and Prosecutorial Nonfeasance in Criminal Cases
The Supreme Court annulled an acquittal tainted by prosecutorial nonfeasance and judicial delay, reaffirming due process for offended parties.
Judicial Discretion in Determining Probable Cause for Arrest Warrants
Explaining the judge's exclusive duty to personally determine probable cause for arrest warrants and the limits of judicial discretion.
Eyewitness Testimony and Criminal Conviction: Credibility Rules in Philippine Courts
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness testimony in criminal cases, explained through the 2002 Jakosalem murder decision.
Dying Declarations and Circumstantial Evidence: People v. Norrudin Explained
The Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Norrudin shows how dying declarations and circumstantial evidence can prove murder beyond reasonable doubt.
Speedy Trial Rights: Motion for Reinvestigation and Waiver of Timeliness Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether filing a motion for reinvestigation waives the right to claim speedy disposition of cases.