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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Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies: Funeral Homes and Zoning Regulations
Supreme Court ruling on exhaustion of administrative remedies in zoning disputes involving funeral homes and the HLURB's appellate jurisdiction.
Privity of Contract in Sales: When a Buyer Is Not Liable to the Seller
Supreme Court explains privity of contract in sales—when a buyer who paid a middleman is not liable to the original seller.
Bumping Passengers Airline Liability for Overbooking and Bad Faith
When airlines overbook and bump confirmed passengers, they face liability for damages. The Supreme Court explains the rules.
Forged Signatures and Land Titles: Upholding Property Rights Against Fraud
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on forged special powers of attorney, nullifying land transfers and protecting property rights against fraud.
Friar Lands Ownership and Due Process in Land Disputes: Alonso v. Cebu Country Club
The Supreme Court rules on friar lands ownership, due process, and reconstituted titles in a decades-long dispute over Cebu property.
Breach of Public Trust: Dismissal for Misappropriation of Court Funds
Supreme Court dismisses two clerks of court for misappropriating judiciary funds, affirming that public trust breach warrants the ultimate penalty.
Kidnapping Conviction Stands Even If Victim's Body Is Never Found
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: a kidnapper cannot escape liability simply because the victim's remains are never discovered.
Erroneous Identification Leads to Acquittal Safeguarding Due Process in Criminal Proceedings
The Supreme Court acquits a murder convict when a suggestive police showup and unreliable eyewitness identification violate due process.
Warrantless Arrests and Searches Incident Thereto: Balancing Rights and Law Enforcement in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains when warrantless arrests and incidental searches are valid under Philippine law, using a marijuana transport case.
Absence of Prior Appraisal Does Not Void Onerous Donation by Local Government
Supreme Court rules that a local government's onerous donation without prior appraisal is valid, applying contract law over procedural requirements.
Rape by Intimidation: The Supreme Court's Stance on Fear and Consent
How the Supreme Court ruled that fear of death can vitiate consent in rape cases involving kidnapping and illegal detention.
Kidnapping and Illegal Detention: Why Rape Must Be Pleaded as an Aggravating Circumstance
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on kidnapping with serious illegal detention, and why unpleaded rape cannot justify the death penalty.
When Self Defense Claims Fall Short: The Burden of Proof in Homicide Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies that conspiracy in robbery with homicide requires proof beyond reasonable doubt, but concerted acts establish liability.
Due Process in Election Canvass: The Right to Notice and Fair Hearing
How the Supreme Court upheld COMELEC's power to correct manifest election errors while respecting due process rights.
When Self-Defense Fails: Treachery and Conspiracy in Philippine Murder Cases
A Supreme Court ruling explains when self-defense fails, how conspiracy is proven, and why treachery qualifies murder under Philippine law.
Correcting Manifest Errors in Election Canvass: Dela Llana v. COMELEC
A clerical error in a statement of votes cost a candidate 37 votes. The Supreme Court ruled that COMELEC may correct manifest errors to reflect the true will of the electorate.
Conspiracy and Treachery: How the Supreme Court Weighed Guilt in the Murder of Juliano Mampo
In People v. Berdin, the Supreme Court explains how conspiracy and treachery are proved in a killing, and why the penalty was reduced from death to reclusion perpetua.
Court Employee Misconduct: When Drunkenness at Work Means Simple Misconduct
A court aide who showed up drunk at the Palace of Justice was fined P5,000 for simple misconduct. Learn the rules on decorum for judiciary employees.
Lenient Application of Procedural Rules Upholds Justice in Agrarian Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court rules courts may relax procedural rules to serve substantial justice, citing a 2003 agrarian case.
When Rape Conviction Stands But Attempted Rape Fails: Lessons from People v. Pancho
The Supreme Court clarifies when a stepfather's acts constitute rape versus attempted rape, and the evidentiary rules that govern each.
Credibility of Testimony Can Overcome Medical Findings in Philippine Rape Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains why a rape conviction can rest on credible victim testimony even when medical findings show no hymenal laceration.
Voice Recognition as Evidence Identifying the Accused in Rape Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on voice recognition evidence in rape cases, admissibility standards, and the importance of credible victim testimony.
Staggered Payment of Docket Fees: Balancing Access to Justice and Procedural Rules
The Supreme Court clarifies when trial courts may allow staggered payment of docket fees and why such discretion deserves respect on appeal.
Mitigating Circumstances and Juvenile Justice in Philippine Murder Cases
How the Supreme Court balanced mercy and accountability for a minor convicted of murder, crediting minority and a guilty plea to reduce the penalty.