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.
Credibility Counts: How Philippine Courts Decide Self-Defense Claims in Murder Cases
Philippine courts weigh credibility heavily when accused persons invoke self-defense in murder cases. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Bail Denied When Evidence of Guilt Is Strong in Philippine Capital Offenses
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when bail must be denied in capital offenses and why trial judges must summarize prosecution evidence.
Delayed Reporting in Rape Cases: Why Fear and Trauma Don't Discredit a Victim
Philippine Supreme Court ruling affirms that delayed reporting of rape doesn't automatically discredit a victim's testimony.
Positive Identification in Philippine Criminal Law: Why Alibis Often Fail
A 1998 Supreme Court ruling shows why positive identification trumps weak defenses like alibi and denial in Philippine criminal cases.
Credibility of Victim Testimony in Rape Cases: Lessons from People v. Ferrer
Philippine courts rely heavily on victim credibility in rape cases. People v. Ferrer shows why trial court findings on witness demeanor are rarely overturned.
Use It or Lose It: Understanding Abandonment of Mining Claims in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court defines abandonment of mining claims, including annual work obligations, tax payments, and the consequences of non-compliance.
When Courts Review Mining Disputes: The Pearson Doctrine on Abandoned Claims
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling in Pearson on abandoned mining claims, administrative adjudication, and when courts may review interlocutory orders.
Final Judgment Is Final: Understanding Annulment of Judgment in the Philippines
When can a final criminal judgment be annulled? The Supreme Court explains the limits of annulment of judgment and due process.
Unshaken Testimony: How Philippine Courts Uphold Witness Credibility Despite Minor Inconsistencies
Philippine courts weigh witness credibility over minor inconsistencies. Learn how the Supreme Court ruled in People v. Crisostomo.
Eyewitness Testimony in Philippine Courts: Why Credibility Is Key in Murder Convictions
The Supreme Court affirms a murder conviction based on eyewitness testimony, explaining how credibility, alibi, and evident premeditation are evaluated.
Minor Inconsistencies and Witness Credibility in Philippine Rape Cases
How Philippine courts treat minor inconsistencies in rape victim testimony, and why small discrepancies can strengthen rather than destroy credibility.
Fair Trial or Biased Judge: When a Trial Judge's Questions Are Proper in Philippine Courts
The Supreme Court clarifies when a judge's clarificatory questions during trial are proper and do not prove judicial bias.
Tuition Fee Hikes and Wage Increases: Employee Rights in Philippine Schools
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on how tuition fee increases relate to mandatory wage hikes for school employees under Philippine law.
Shipping Delays: When the 1-Year COGSA Limit Does Not Apply in the Philippines
Philippine law distinguishes physical cargo damage from pure economic loss due to delay. Learn when the 10-year Civil Code prescriptive period applies instead of COGSA's 1-year rule.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: When a Public Facebook Post Becomes a Crime
The Supreme Court clarifies when public social media posts constitute psychological abuse under RA 9262 and how ICT use raises penalties.
Admissibility of Confessions in Philippine Criminal Law: A Case Analysis
Learn how Philippine courts assess eyewitness credibility, delay in reporting crimes, and damages in murder cases through this case analysis.
Illegal Firearm Possession: Understanding the Nuances of Philippine Law
Learn how Philippine courts decide illegal firearm possession cases, from warrantless searches to penalties under RA 8294.
Consent and Credibility in Rape Cases: Lessons from Philippine Jurisprudence
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling on rape underscores how victim credibility and positive identification shape convictions, offering key lessons for criminal law.
Graft and Corruption: Understanding Undue Injury Under Philippine Law
Explaining undue injury in Anti-Graft law through Amper v. Sandiganbayan, where a city engineer used a government backhoe for treasure hunting.
Judicial Accountability: Independent Assessment of Justice Secretary's Resolutions in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on trial courts' duty to independently assess Justice Secretary's resolutions in withdrawal of criminal informations.
The Weight of Words: Child Witness Testimony in Philippine Parricide Cases
How the Supreme Court upheld a parricide conviction based on an 8-year-old eyewitness's testimony, and what this means for child witnesses in Philippine courts.
Unintended Consequences: Criminal Liability for Foreseeable Outcomes in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on criminal liability, dying declarations, and witness credibility in murder cases under Philippine law.
Employee Transfers: Management Prerogative vs. Unfair Labor Practice in the Philippines
When can employers transfer workers without committing unfair labor practice? The Supreme Court explains the limits of management prerogative.
Bail After Conviction When Guilt Imports Denial in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape conviction, credibility of mentally weak victim, denial defense, and bail implications after conviction.