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.
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.
Hired Guns and Silent Inducements: Criminal Liability in Contract Killings Under Philippine Law
A look at how Philippine courts treat hired killers and those who induce them, based on a landmark 2001 murder case.
Rape With Deadly Weapon: Victim's Testimony Stands Despite Lack of Physical Evidence
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction with scythe, holding victim's credible testimony sufficient despite absence of weapon or physical evidence.
When Silence Isn't Golden: Criminal Conspiracy and the Duty to Disclose Knowledge of a Crime
The Supreme Court clarifies when silence about a crime becomes criminal conspiracy, and the limits of the duty to report.
Presence vs Participation: When Mere Presence Creates Criminal Liability in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when mere presence at a crime scene constitutes conspiracy versus innocent observation, using a rape case as example.
When Domestic Disputes Turn Deadly: Understanding Parricide in Philippine Law
A look at parricide under Philippine law through the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Cabug, explaining the crime, penalties, and evidentiary rules.
Conviction for Incestuous Rape: When Multiple Counts Arise from One Information
A father's conviction for six counts of incestuous rape shows how credible victim testimony and proof of minority determine the penalty.
Retraction of Testimony in Rape Cases: Credibility and the Quest for Justice
How Philippine courts weigh a rape victim's credibility and a guilty plea, and why proof of age matters for the death penalty.
Court Funds in Personal Accounts: A Lesson in Public Fiduciary Duty
Court employee fined for depositing court-entrusted funds in personal account. A lesson on public trust and ethics.
Statutory Rape Consenting Does NOT Matter When THE Victim IS Underage
Explaining why consent is irrelevant in statutory rape, and how Philippine courts distinguish attempted from consummated rape.
Judicial Ethics Under Scrutiny: Accountability for Misconduct Outside the Courtroom
A look at how the Supreme Court treats judicial misconduct committed outside court, and what it means for public trust in the judiciary.
Safeguarding Confessions: The Right to Competent Counsel in Custodial Investigations
A suspect's confession is inadmissible without effective, independent counsel during custodial investigation. The Supreme Court explains why in People v. Patungan.
Adultery and Its Consequences: Honor, Outrage, and the Limits of Justifiable Homicide in the Philippines
When a spouse kills a cheating partner caught in flagrante, Philippine law may spare them from prison—but only under strict conditions.
Boastful Rapist's Conviction Upheld: Delay in Reporting Rape Explained by Threats
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction despite a five-year delay in reporting, ruling that credible threats explain the delay.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Ensuring Justice for Victims of Sudden Attacks
How Philippine courts apply treachery to qualify killings as murder, explained through a Supreme Court ruling on a sudden stabbing.
Overcoming Alibi and Positive Identification in Philippine Criminal Cases
How the Supreme Court treats alibi versus positive identification, using a rape case where a stepfather's defense failed.
Gun Fights and Legal Rights: Unpacking Self-Defense Claims in Homicide Cases
A Navy captain kills in a road rage scuffle. When does self-defense apply, and when does it fail? The Supreme Court explains.
Deceptive Recruitment Establishing Guilt In Large Scale Illegal Recruitment Cases
Learn how deceptive recruitment schemes establish guilt in large-scale illegal recruitment cases under Philippine law.
Rape Conviction Requires Proof of Specific Dates Alleged in Information
Supreme Court ruling on proving specific dates in rape and acts of lasciviousness cases under Philippine law.
When Business Disputes Turn Deadly Examining Criminal Liability IN Contractual Conflicts
A sheriff's excessive levy and irregular auction in a rice dispute shows how execution of judgments can cross into misconduct.
Incestuous Rape and Parental Authority: When Consent Is Invalid in Familial Sexual Abuse Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on incestuous rape clarifies that a father's moral ascendancy and threats invalidate any claim of consent from a minor daughter.
Delayed Reporting and Sleep as Defense: When Rape Becomes Acts of Lasciviousness
A father's conviction for rape was reduced to acts of lasciviousness because the victim slept through the alleged assault. Explore the ruling.
Intent Matters Distinguishing Robbery With Rape From Separate Crimes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a sexual assault followed by taking property is one complex crime or separate offenses.
Accountability in Group Crime: Conspiracy and Individual Liability in Violent Attacks
When a group attacks, Philippine courts can hold each member liable for the acts of all through conspiracy. This case explains how.