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.
Invalidation of BOI Manual of Operations Incentives for Registered Enterprises
Supreme Court voids BOI's unpublished manual that reduced tax credit incentives for registered export producers.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: High Court Sets Rules on Social Media Evidence
Supreme Court clarifies how to prove authorship of abusive Facebook posts and raises penalties when ICT is used in VAWC cases.
Good Faith and Emergency Purchases: When Public Officials Escape Graft Liability
Explore how the Supreme Court protected a public official from graft charges, citing good faith and emergency procurement during a blood shortage crisis.
Due Process in Disbarment: Why Hearings Are Indispensable in Attorney Discipline Cases
The Supreme Court reminds the IBP that formal hearings are mandatory in disbarment cases, safeguarding due process for respondent lawyers.
Personal Liability in Corporate Obligations When Signing Blurs the Line
When do corporate officers become personally liable for company debts? A Supreme Court ruling on trust receipts and letters of credit provides clear guidance.
Spousal Liability in Estafa: Why Marriage Alone Does Not Prove Guilt
Supreme Court ruling: a husband's mere presence when his wife issued a bouncing check does not prove conspiracy in estafa.
Redemption Rights: Upholding Mortgagor's Five-Year Redemption Agreement
Supreme Court affirms five-year redemption period for mortgagor, voiding subsequent sales that cut short the agreed term.
Minors Can File Acts of Lasciviousness Cases Independently: Key SC Ruling
A minor may file acts of lasciviousness complaints without parental assistance. The Supreme Court explains why judges must respect this right.
Double Jeopardy and Modification of Criminal Penalties: Protecting the Accused
The Supreme Court rules that courts cannot increase a convicted person's penalty on the prosecution's motion, citing double jeopardy protections.
Corporate Name Confusion: Protecting Business Identity in the Philippines
When can the SEC compel a corporation to change its name? A Supreme Court ruling on confusingly similar corporate names and public protection.
Presumption of Innocence Prevails: Analyzing Evidence in Incestuous Rape Cases
How the Supreme Court weighs a child victim's testimony against alibi in incestuous rape, and why the presumption of innocence demands rigorous proof.
Rape and Incest: Protecting Minors in Familial Abuse Cases
A father convicted of raping his 15-year-old daughter twice; the Supreme Court affirms conviction but reduces death penalty to reclusion perpetua.
Rape and Parental Authority: Why Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt Still Matters in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court acquits father in incestuous rape case, ruling that parental authority and relationship alone cannot substitute for proof beyond reasonable doubt.
Statutory Rape by an Uncle: Supreme Court Upholds Conviction and Death Penalty
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for an uncle who raped his seven-year-old niece, clarifying rules on statutory rape, alibi, and damages.
Security of Tenure vs Management Prerogatives: Employee Transfers in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employee transfers, security of tenure, and management prerogatives explained in plain language.
Abuse of Right Doctrine: Terminating a Contract Without Cause Can Still Trigger Damages
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how terminating a contract without cause can still lead to damages liability under the abuse of right doctrine.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Rape of a Person Deprived of Reason and the Boundaries of Consent
The Supreme Court affirms that a mentally retarded rape victim cannot consent to sexual acts, clarifying the law on persons deprived of reason.
Upholding Land Rights Resolving Title Disputes AND Granting Intervention IN Land Ownership Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on void land titles, fraudulent transfers, and late intervention in property disputes.
Upholding Contractual Obligations: The Imperative of Timely Performance in Compromise Agreements
A Supreme Court ruling on continuing suretyship, assignment of credit, and trust receipts—clarifying that debtors cannot escape liability through technical defenses.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: The Weight of a Victim's Testimony and Corroborating Medical Evidence
A look at how the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction, relying on the victim's credible testimony and medical findings.
Custody Beyond Conversion: Best Interests of the Child Prevail in Custody Disputes
When a mother's faith changes, does her fitness as custodian change too? The Supreme Court says the child's welfare governs.
Hold Departure Orders: Why Only Regional Trial Courts Can Issue Them
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that only Regional Trial Courts may issue hold-departure orders, protecting the constitutional right to travel.
Premature Appeals and Waived Objections: Lessons from Abuyen v. People
Learn how the Supreme Court in Abuyen v. People upheld a direct assault conviction, emphasizing timely remedies and the weight given to trial court credibility findings.
Rape Convictions Hinge on Credible Victim Testimony: People v. Villaflores
A rape conviction requires clear, consistent victim testimony. The Supreme Court explains why in People v. Villaflores.