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 and Conspiracy Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt in Murder Cases
When treachery is not proven by clear evidence, a murder conviction may be reduced to homicide. This case explains why.
From Murder to Homicide: Proving Treachery and Superior Strength in Criminal Cases
The Supreme Court explains when treachery and abuse of superior strength qualify killing as murder, and when they don't.
Arson and Homicide: How the Primary Motive Determines Criminal Liability
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a death during a fire is absorbed by arson or punished separately, based on the offender's main objective.
Libel and Damages: Balancing Free Speech and Reputation in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court's Guy v. Tulfo ruling clarifies when journalists may be liable for libel and how courts compute damages for reputational harm.
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.
Accomplice Liability: Proving the Degree of Participation in Homicide Cases
When is a person an accomplice rather than a principal in a killing? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on participation and liability.
Treachery Unveiled: When Sudden Attack Does Not Mean Murder
Supreme Court clarifies that sudden attack alone does not prove treachery, reducing a murder conviction to homicide.
The High Cost of Homicide: Establishing Liability in Robbery With Homicide Cases
A look at how Philippine courts convict in robbery with homicide, from proving intent to the price of damages.
Reassessing Criminal Liability From Murder to Homicide Based on Evidence of Intent and Treachery
The Supreme Court clarifies when a killing is murder or homicide, requiring proof of treachery and intent beyond reasonable doubt.
Self-Defense vs. Treachery: The Boundaries of Justifiable Homicide in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails and treachery qualifies a killing as murder under Philippine law.
Treachery Unveiled: Distinguishing Homicide From Murder in Sudden Attacks
The Supreme Court clarifies when sudden attacks amount to treachery, distinguishing murder from homicide in People v. Abina.
Defense of Relatives and Unlawful Aggression in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when defense of relatives justifies a killing and why unlawful aggression is its indispensable requirement.
Accountability Prevails: Principals Liable for Homicide During Robbery Regardless of Direct Participation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that all participants in a robbery are liable for robbery with homicide even if they did not personally kill.
Supreme Court on Self-Defense and Treachery in Homicide Cases
The High Court clarifies when self-defense fails and why treachery cannot be presumed in killings.
Self-Defense Claims and the Limits of Justification: The Panerio Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails and why multiple wounds negate it, reducing murder to homicide.
Insanity Plea Under Scrutiny: The Fine Line Between Confusion and Criminal Responsibility
The Supreme Court clarifies when confusion amounts to insanity exempting an accused from criminal liability, and when it does not.
Eyewitness Reliability and Positive Identification in Murder Cases
Learn how Philippine courts assess eyewitness reliability and positive identification in murder cases, and when an accused's death extinguishes criminal liability.
Accidental Shooting or Intentional Harm: Distinguishing Homicide From Murder in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains when a fatal shooting is homicide, not murder, and why the information must allege treachery as a fact.
Dying Declarations as Evidence: When a Wife's Statement Leads to a Parricide Conviction
The Supreme Court explains when a dying declaration is admissible evidence and how it can support a parricide conviction.
When a Sudden Stabbing Is Homicide, Not Murder: Lessons from People v. Macaspac
The Supreme Court explains when a sudden attack lacks treachery and evident premeditation, reducing murder to homicide.
Homicide vs Murder: When Treachery and Evident Premeditation Fail in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains when a killing is homicide, not murder, because treachery and evident premeditation were not proven.
Eyewitness Identification and Treachery: Understanding Criminal Liability in Philippine Homicide Cases
A Supreme Court ruling explains when eyewitness identification suffices and why treachery must be proven, not presumed, in Philippine criminal cases.
Burden of Proof in Firearm-Related Murder: Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on proving unlicensed firearm use in murder cases and the prosecution's burden of proof.
Eyewitness Testimony and Treachery: Conviction for Murder Upheld by Supreme Court
A look at how positive eyewitness identification and treachery established guilt beyond reasonable doubt in a murder case.