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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Demurrer to Evidence and Conspiracy in Anti-Graft Cases: Singian Jr. v. Sandiganbayan
Explaining when a demurrer to evidence may be denied in anti-graft cases, and how conspiracy can be inferred from circumstantial evidence.
Demurrer to Evidence Denials and the Limits of Certiorari in Anti-Graft Cases
When can a denied demurrer to evidence be overturned? The Supreme Court clarifies the high bar of grave abuse of discretion.
Prescription in Anti-Graft Cases: When Does the Clock Start Ticking?
The Supreme Court clarifies when the prescriptive period for anti-graft cases begins, using a landmark Marcos-era case.
Breach of Public Trust: Mayor Held Liable for Unwarranted Benefits in BOT Contract
A mayor's conviction for violating the Anti-Graft Law in awarding a P240M BOT project to an unqualified contractor, explained in plain language.
Conspiracy and Corruption: How Private Contractors Can Be Held Liable Under the Anti-Graft Law in the Philippi
The Supreme Court clarifies how public officers and private individuals can be held liable for graft under RA 3019, using the landmark Respicio case as a guide.
Breach of Public Trust When Falsification and Deportation Orders Lead to Anti-Graft Convictions
A BID commissioner's conviction for graft and falsification shows how knowingly allowing accused aliens to self-deport breaches public trust.
Administrative Jurisdiction in the Philippines: Ombudsman, PAGC, and the CSC Appeal Route
A 2011 Supreme Court ruling clarifies concurrent jurisdiction among anti-graft bodies and why appeals must go to the CSC first.
Prescription in Anti-Graft Cases: When the Clock Starts Ticking
The Supreme Court clarifies when the prescriptive period for anti-graft offenses begins, applying the doctrine to behest loans.
Jurisdictional Error: Appealing to the Wrong Court in Anti-Graft Cases
Learn how filing a COA appeal to the wrong court can be fatal, using a recent Supreme Court ruling on quantum meruit.
When Final Judgments Clash: Upholding the Anti-Graft Law and Defining Usurpation of Judicial Functions in the
A provincial adjudicator ignored a final Court of Appeals ruling, leading to a landmark conviction under the Anti-Graft Law and a clarifying ruling on usurpation of judicial functions.
When Courts Defer to Ombudsman Discretion in Anti-Graft Investigations
Sandiganbayan need not order a new preliminary investigation when a re-filed anti-graft information merely changes the mode of committing the same offense.
Public Officials Held Accountable: Strict Compliance With Procurement Laws
Mayor convicted for violating procurement rules and anti-graft law; personal canvass exceptions demand strict compliance.
Private Contractors Can Be Held Liable Under the Anti-Graft Law for Conspiring With Public Officers
The Supreme Court affirms that private individuals who conspire with public officers in graft cases can be held liable under Section 3(e) of RA 3019.
Defining Public Officer When Private Sector Representatives Face Graft Charges
Supreme Court ruling on when private sector board members are public officers under the Anti-Graft Law and Sandiganbayan jurisdiction.
Falsification of Public Documents and Suspension Pendente Lite Under Anti-Graft Law
Explains when public officers may be suspended pendente lite for falsification of public documents involving fraud upon government funds.
Liability on Roads When Foresight Falls Short
When a bank manager treated a personal check as cash in the vault, the Supreme Court clarified liability under the Anti-Graft Law.
Graft and Corruption: Demanding Grease Money for Government Contracts
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on demanding grease money for government contracts under the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act.
Dismissal Before Prosecution Rests: Double Jeopardy and Due Process in Anti-Graft Cases
Supreme Court clarifies when a premature dismissal of an anti-graft case bars refiling, and why due process matters more than double jeopardy.
Ombudsman's Discretion in Establishing Undue Injury in Anti-Graft Cases
Supreme Court explains when delay in resolving a complaint constitutes
Reopening a Preliminary Investigation Does Not Prove Prosecutorial Partiality
Supreme Court clarifies that reopening a preliminary investigation is not proof of bias under the Anti-Graft law, absent evidence of bad faith.
Water Districts Are Government-Owned: Anti-Graft Law Applies to Their Officers
Supreme Court rules local water districts are government-owned corporations, so their managers face Anti-Graft Law prosecution for corrupt practices.
Sheriffs and Clerks of Court: When Overstepping Duties Becomes Misconduct Under Anti-Graft Law
A clerk of court issued a commitment order—a judicial act. The Court ruled this was simple misconduct, not graft.
Demurrer to Evidence: Insufficient Proof in Customs and Anti-Graft Cases Leads to Dismissal
When prosecution evidence fails to establish a prima facie case, a demurrer to evidence may lead to dismissal. The Supreme Court explains.
Good Faith Defense in Anti-Graft Cases for Withholding Employee Benefits
When does withholding salaries become graft? The Supreme Court explains good faith and undue injury under RA 3019.