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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Consent and Coercion: Rape and Sexual Abuse Nuances in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies the line between rape and sexual abuse, acquitting on rape but convicting on child abuse.
Diminished Capacity and Consent in Rape and Child Abuse Cases: Key Lessons from People v. Vañas
The Supreme Court clarifies when mental incapacity negates consent in rape and why defective Informations can void child abuse charges.
Distinguishing Child Abuse From Physical Injuries: Intent Matters
The Supreme Court clarifies that not every injury to a minor is child abuse; specific intent to debase or demean must be proven.
Protecting Children: Lascivious Conduct and the Boundaries of Child Abuse Laws in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the line between simple rape and sexual abuse under RA 7610, and the rules on proving a victim's minority.
Child Abuse Intent Not Always Required Under Special Protection Laws
Supreme Court clarifies that intent to debase a child is not always required for conviction under RA 7610's child abuse provisions.
Protecting Children: Upholding Convictions for Child Abuse Under Republic Act No. 7610
The Supreme Court affirms a stepmother's conviction for child abuse under RA 7610, clarifying how courts assess child victims' testimonies.
Child Abuse Conviction Upheld: Physical Violence Against Minors Under RA 7610
The Supreme Court affirms a stepmother's conviction for child abuse under RA 7610, clarifying what constitutes physical abuse and the weight given to children's testimonies.
Child Abuse Conviction for Lascivious Acts Against a Minor Under RA 7610
The Supreme Court clarifies when lascivious acts against a child constitute child abuse under RA 7610, not just acts of lasciviousness.
Rape Conviction Hinges on Proof of Force: Victim Testimony and Rights in Child Abuse Cases
A Supreme Court ruling on rape conviction clarifies victim testimony standards, force requirements, and damages in child abuse cases.
Acts of Lasciviousness Under RA 7610: Scope of Child Sexual Abuse Defined
The Supreme Court clarifies when acts of lasciviousness fall under RA 7610's child abuse provisions, not just the Revised Penal Code.
Corporal Punishment vs Child Abuse: Where Philippine Law Draws the Line
The Supreme Court clarifies when disciplining a child crosses into child abuse under RA 7610, using a whipping case as the benchmark.
Upholding Child Protection: Parental Discipline vs. Child Abuse Under R.A. 7610
The Supreme Court clarifies the line between parental discipline and child abuse under R.A. 7610 in a case involving a guardian who burned a child with a flat iron.
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.
Protecting Children: Defining Child Abuse and Criminal Intent Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when a physical assault on a child is child abuse under R.A. 7610, and how criminal intent is established.
Protecting Minors Conviction Upheld IN Child Abuse AND Qualified Rape Case
Child Abuse vs Slight Physical Injuries: The Intent Requirement in Philippine Law
When does a slap on a child become child abuse under RA 7610, and when is it only slight physical injuries? The Supreme Court clarifies the role of intent.
Protecting Children: Corroborated Testimony and the Crime of Statutory Rape
In People v. Sato, the Supreme Court affirmed a statutory rape conviction based on a child's candid testimony, showing how Philippine courts weigh evidence in child abuse cases.
Child Abuse vs Physical Injury: Delineating Intent in Acts Against Minors
When does hitting a child become child abuse under RA 7610? The Supreme Court clarifies the crucial role of intent in Bongalon v. People.
Protecting Children Upholding Justice IN Child Abuse AND Rape Cases Under Philippine LAW
A look at how Philippine courts decide rape cases, the weight given to credible victim testimony, and the rules on force, intimidation, and delay in reporting.
Credibility of Child Witnesses in Rape Cases: Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
The Supreme Court reinstates a rape conviction, clarifying when child abuse under RA 7610 applies instead of rape.
When Sexual Abuse of a Minor Is Rape, Not Just Child Abuse: People v. Dahilig
The Supreme Court clarifies when sexual abuse of a minor is rape under the Revised Penal Code, not merely child abuse under RA 7610.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Convicting Child Abusers Beyond Reasonable Doubt
In Rimando v. People, the Supreme Court upheld a father's rape conviction, showing how circumstantial evidence and a child's testimony can prove guilt beyond doubt.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails Safeguarding Against Child Abuse Accusations
Explore how the Supreme Court acquitted a barangay tanod of child abuse, emphasizing that proof beyond reasonable doubt must anchor convictions.
Protecting Children: Defining and Punishing Child Abuse Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when sexual abuse of a minor falls under RA 7610 and how courts determine the true nature of the crime charged.