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.
Qualified Rape Conviction Affirmed: The Weight of a Child Victim's Testimony
Supreme Court affirms qualified rape conviction, explaining why a minor victim's clear testimony outweighs a father's denial and alibi.
Death of Accused Pending Appeal Extinguishes Criminal Liability in Rape Cases
Supreme Court explains how an accused's death before final conviction extinguishes criminal and civil liability ex delicto, citing Article 89 of the Revised Penal Code.
Simple Rape Conviction: Credibility of Victim’s Testimony and Burden of Proof
A look at how Philippine courts weigh a rape victim’s testimony, credibility, and the prosecution’s burden of proof in simple rape cases.
Intact Hymen Does NOT Preclude Rape Conviction: People v. Bay-od
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction despite intact hymen, clarifying that carnal knowledge does not require hymen rupture or full penetration.
Rape Penetration Without Hymenal Rupture: What the Supreme Court Says
The Supreme Court clarifies that full penetration and hymenal rupture are not required for rape conviction under Philippine law.
Statutory Rape Conviction Modified to Simple Rape When Victim's Age Not Proven Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies proof required for statutory rape, modifying conviction to simple rape when victim's age wasn't established beyond reasonable doubt.
How Philippine Courts Assess Credibility and Consent in Rape Cases
A look at how the Supreme Court evaluates witness credibility, consent, and damages in rape convictions, using People v. Bugna.
Credible Testimony Alone Sufficient for Rape Conviction Despite Lack of Physical Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a rape conviction can rest on credible victim testimony alone, even without medical or physical evidence of penetration.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Victim Credibility and Corroborating Testimony in Sexual Assault Cases
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, ruling that a minor victim's credible testimony, corroborated by medical evidence, suffices for conviction.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails: Circumstantial Evidence and the Burden of Proof in Rape Cases
A father's rape conviction was reversed when circumstantial evidence failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt, reaffirming the prosecution's burden in criminal cases.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Rape Conviction Affirmed for Abuse of Intellectually Disabled Victim
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, ruling that mental age—not chronological age—determines a victim's capacity to consent.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Why Victim Testimony and Credibility Matter in Sexual Assault Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, explaining why a child victim's credible testimony outweighs denial, alibi, and inconclusive medical findings.
Protecting the Vulnerable: The Duty of Moral Ascendancy in Familial Rape Cases
How the Supreme Court affirmed a father's rape conviction, explaining why moral ascendancy replaces force in incestuous abuse.
When Forcible Abduction Is Absorbed by Rape: Key Ruling on Complex Crimes
The Supreme Court clarifies when forcible abduction with rape is actually simple rape, and explains the governing rules on victim testimony and damages.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Force and Intimidation Defined in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies force and intimidation in rape cases, affirming a conviction and increasing damages awarded to the victim.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Force, Intimidation, and Moral Ascendancy in Sexual Assault Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a stepfather's rape conviction, explaining how force, intimidation, and moral ascendancy satisfy the elements of rape under Philippine law.
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.
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.
Credibility of a Rape Survivor's Positive Identification and Corroborating Evidence in Sexual Assault Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, explaining how a victim's credible, positive identification and corroborating evidence outweigh defenses of denial and minor inconsistencies.
Child Witness Testimony and Competency in Philippine Rape Cases
How the Supreme Court affirmed a rape conviction based on a four-year-old child's testimony, clarifying competency and hearsay rules.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Victim Testimony and Procedural Compliance in Rape Cases
The Supreme Court affirms the conviction of a father for qualified rape, underscoring the weight of credible victim testimony and the importance of procedural compliance.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Victim Testimony Prevails Over Minor Inconsistencies
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, ruling that minor inconsistencies in victim testimony do not impair credibility when the essential facts are clearly established.
Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Lack of Seclusion: People v. Nuyok
The Supreme Court affirms rape convictions based on circumstantial evidence, ruling that seclusion is not an element of the crime.
Rape Prosecution: No Requirement of Seclusion or Medical Findings
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that rape can occur in public places and medical findings are not indispensable for conviction.