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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Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Can You Legally Use Force?
Philippine law allows force only when unlawful aggression is real. Learn the three elements of self-defense and why claims often fail.
Rape by a Parent: Moral Ascendancy as Substitute for Violence
Philippine Supreme Court ruling that a father's moral ascendancy over his daughter substitutes for force in rape, affirming death penalty.
Police Use of Force: When Does Protection Become Illegal Search and Seizure
The Supreme Court clarifies when police stops and frisks cross the line into unconstitutional searches, using a grenade possession case as the example.
Statutory Rape in the Philippines: Protecting Children Under Twelve
The Supreme Court explains the two elements of statutory rape and why force, hymenal integrity, and spermatozoa are irrelevant.
Automatic Contract Cancellation: What Buyers Must Know in Philippine Real Estate
The Supreme Court explains when automatic cancellation clauses in contracts to sell are valid and enforceable in Philippine real estate.
Right of First Refusal in Lease Agreements: A Philippine Law Analysis
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a right of first refusal in a lease binds the lessor, and why sublessees generally cannot enforce it.
Compromise Agreements and Judicial Enforcement: When Courts Can Compel Compliance
Learn when Philippine courts can compel compliance with compromise agreements, using the 1997 De Leon case as a guide.
Rape THE Nuances OF Force AND Consent IN Philippine LAW
Compromise Agreements in Estate Settlements: Validity and Enforceability
Learn when compromise agreements partitioning inherited property are valid without court approval, and why probate courts cannot finally rule on ownership.
Rape by an Uncle: Moral Ascendancy and Abuse of Trust in Family Dynamics
A Supreme Court ruling on uncle-niece rape clarifies how moral ascendancy and intimidation satisfy the element of force in Philippine rape law.
Execution Pending Appeal: When Can a Judgment Be Enforced Early in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the "good reasons" standard for execution pending appeal, using PBCom v. Court of Appeals.
Finality of Judgment in Disbarment Cases: Lessons from Bihag v. Era
The Supreme Court enforces final disbarment orders strictly, citing a lawyer in contempt for defying a restitution order.
Defining Piracy Under Philippine Law: Protecting Vessels and Ensuring Maritime Security
The Supreme Court clarifies what constitutes piracy under PD 532, ruling that seizing a fishing boat by force is piracy, not mere grave coercion.
Revival of Judgment: How Long Can You Wait to Enforce a Court Order in the Philippines
Learn the rules on reviving a dormant judgment in the Philippines, including prescriptive periods and key Supreme Court rulings.
Rape and Consent: Force, Intimidation, and Victim Testimony in Philippine Law
How Philippine courts assess force, intimidation, and victim testimony in rape cases, explained through a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Self-Defense and Homicide: Understanding the Limits of Justifiable Force in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense applies in Philippine homicide cases, using the 1997 Maalat ruling as a guide.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Force, Penetration, and Damages Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies what proves rape in the Philippines, when aggravating circumstances apply, and the proper awards for damages.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Can You Justifiably Use Force?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies self-defense requirements and when force is justified. Learn from the Moreno case.
Rape and Consent: How Philippine Law Treats Force, Intimidation, and a Victim's Testimony
In People v. Rabosa, the Supreme Court affirmed a father's rape conviction and explained why physical resistance, healed lacerations, and calm behavior do not defeat a victim's testimony.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Can You Justifiably Use Force?
Philippine law allows force only against unlawful aggression. Learn the limits of self-defense and why alibi rarely works.
Finality of Judgment and Lawyer Accountability: Bihag v. Era
The Supreme Court enforces a disbarred lawyer's final judgment, citing contempt and execution to uphold the rule of law.
Sheriffs Authority Avoiding Abuse IN Writ OF Execution Enforcement
Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Can You Justifiably Use Force?
The Supreme Court explains the three elements of self-defense in the Philippines and why a Palawan man's claim failed in a murder conviction.
Incestuous Rape in the Philippines: Legal Implications and Victims' Rights
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling on incestuous rape clarifies force, intimidation, and victim credibility in Philippine law.