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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Age Verification in Rape Cases: Protecting Children and Ensuring Fair Trials
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on age verification in rape cases, balancing child protection with the accused's right to a fair trial.
Illegitimate Children's Rights: Citizenship and Surname Use Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that illegitimate children of Filipino mothers are Filipino citizens at birth and may continue using their father's surname.
Stepfather’s Deceit: Defining Rape and Protecting Children Under Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that slightest penile penetration consummates rape, and digital penetration is sexual assault.
Protecting Children: The Credibility of a Minor's Testimony in Incestuous Rape Cases
How Philippine courts assess a minor's testimony in incestuous rape cases, and why credibility, not corroboration, often decides the outcome.
Parental Authority vs. Abuse: How Philippine Law Protects Children in Rape Cases
In People v. Abellano, the Supreme Court affirmed a father's death sentence for raping his 14-year-old daughter, ruling that parental authority substitutes for force.
Immediate Execution OF Support Judgments Upholding THE Rights OF Children
Protecting Children Statutory Rape AND THE Limits OF Parental Authority IN THE Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that parental authority does not allow a father to commit statutory rape against his own child.
The Unforgiving Reach of the Law: Protecting Children From Familial Abuse
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, holding that a credible victim's testimony alone suffices to convict, even without physical injuries.
Kidnapping for Ransom: The State's Duty to Protect Children and Punish Abductors
In People v. Suriaga, the Supreme Court affirmed a death sentence for kidnapping a two-year-old for ransom, stressing that child victims trigger the harshest penalty.
GSIS Employees Entitlement to Longevity Pay and Children's Allowance Amid Salary Standardization
Supreme Court clarifies when GSIS may increase non-integrated benefits like longevity pay and children's allowance after the Salary Standardization Law.
Statutory Rape in the Philippines: Protecting Children and Upholding Justice
The Supreme Court affirms six convictions for statutory rape, clarifying how Philippine law protects minors and assesses child testimony.
Treachery in Crimes Against Children: Ensuring Justice for Vulnerable Victims
The Supreme Court affirms murder conviction of a man who beat a two-year-old to death, clarifying treachery, mitigating circumstances, and penalties.
Intimidation in Rape Cases: Upholding Victim Testimony and Protecting Children
The Supreme Court affirmed a rape conviction in a 2002 case, ruling that a child victim's testimony and the presence of intimidation can outweigh a bare denial and a sweetheart defense.
The Slightest Touch: Defining Rape and Protecting Children in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies "slightest penetration" in rape cases, distinguishing consummated rape from attempted rape in People v. Quarre.
Custody of Illegitimate Children: The Best Interests of the Child in Tonog v. Court of Appeals
Explaining how Philippine courts decide custody of illegitimate children, with the child's welfare as the paramount consideration.
Protecting Children: The Weight of Testimony in Statutory Rape Cases in the Philippines
How a child victim's credible testimony can convict in statutory rape cases, and why forensic exams must be child-sensitive.
Protecting Children from Parental Rape: When the Death Penalty Applies
A father raped his 13-year-old daughter, yet the Supreme Court reduced his death sentence to reclusion perpetua. Here's why.
Rape Conviction Upheld: The Duty to Protect Children From Abuse Within the Family
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a stepfather who raped his 9-year-old stepdaughter, underscoring the duty to protect children from abuse within the family.
Parental Authority and Child Abuse: Upholding Protection of Children Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms that a father's moral ascendancy cannot excuse acts of lasciviousness against his child under R.A. 7610.
Simulated Sales and Illegitimate Transfers: Protecting Legitimate Heirs' Rights
When a father sells property to illegitimate children to defeat a legitimate heir's share, the sale may be void as simulated.
Extrajudicial Settlements and Adopted Children's Inheritance: Lessons from Pedrosa v. Court of Appeals
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when extrajudicial settlements bind adopted heirs and how prescription periods apply to fraudulent partitions.
Protecting Children: Understanding Qualified Rape and Parental Liability in the Philippines
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a father who raped his daughter, clarifying qualified rape and accomplice liability.
Statutory Rape in the Philippines: Protecting Children and Upholding Justice
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies the elements of statutory rape, the need to prove the victim's age, and the rules on force and damages.
Protecting Children: Rape Laws and Parental Accountability in the Philippines
A father convicted of raping his 14-year-old daughter highlights Philippine rape laws, parental accountability, and the need for clear evidence.