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.
Court Record Mishaps Upholding Diligence AND Accountability IN Philippine Courts
Supreme Court ruling on 1990 teachers' mass actions: strikes are not protected assembly, and back wages require exoneration.
Holdover Principle Criminal Intent Key Lessons From Lecaroz v Sandiganbayan for Public Officials
The Supreme Court explains holdover doctrine and criminal intent in Lecaroz v Sandiganbayan, a landmark case for Philippine public officials.
Limits of Protest Striking Teachers and the Public Interest in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on teacher strikes, free assembly limits, and public interest in education.
Acceleration Clauses in Philippine Chattel Mortgages: Rights and Limitations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on acceleration clauses in chattel mortgages, good faith, and damages for wrongful foreclosure.
Philippine Franchise TAX Local Governments Power TO TAX Businesses Despite Prior Exemptions
Supreme Court ruling on local government power to impose real property taxes, procedural requirements, and taxpayer remedies under the Local Government Code.
When Self-Defense Fails: The Limits of Justifiable Force in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when self-defense fails and the limits of justifiable force in Philippine criminal law.
Child Testimony in Rape Cases: Supreme Court Upholds Victim-Centric Approach
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction based on a child's credible testimony, clarifying that an intact hymen does not negate rape.
Due Process in Agrarian Reform: The Supreme Court on CLOA Issuance and Rightful Beneficiaries
The Supreme Court affirms that due process is indispensable in CLOA issuance, and explains when exhausting administrative remedies is not required.
Statutory Rape in the Philippines: Consent Is No Defense Under the Revised Penal Code
The Supreme Court explains why consent is irrelevant in statutory rape cases involving victims below 12 years old, citing the Alojado case.
Credibility of Child Testimony in Rape Cases: Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
How Philippine courts assess a minor rape victim's testimony, minor inconsistencies, and absence of injuries in incest cases.
Philippine Energy Disputes: DOE vs ERB Jurisdiction Over Power Connections
The Supreme Court clarifies which agency—DOE or ERB—has jurisdiction over disputes involving direct power supply and disconnection in the Philippines.
Resolving Conflicts Between Reconstituted and Transfer Certificates of Title in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a reconstituted title is void if an existing transfer certificate of title covers the same land.
Credibility Counts: Rape Convictions Upheld Despite Victim's Mental Health Condition
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape convictions based on credible testimony of a mentally disturbed victim, clarifying rules on witness credibility and judge questioning.
Credibility of Child Testimony in Statutory Rape Cases: Philippine Supreme Court Jurisprudence
How Philippine courts assess the credibility of a mentally disturbed minor's sole testimony in multiple statutory rape cases, based on People v. Vaynaco.
Unreliable Eyewitness Testimony: How Philippine Courts Determine Credibility in Criminal Cases
Philippine courts weigh witness credibility, not just testimony quantity. Learn how the Supreme Court evaluates eyewitness accounts in rape cases.
Invalid Tax Assessments: Why Evidence Matters in Philippine Tax Law
When can tax assessments be invalidated? The Supreme Court explains why evidence matters in Philippine tax law.
The 90-Day Rule for Judges: What It Means for Speedy Justice in the Philippines
The 90-day rule requires Philippine judges to decide cases promptly. Learn how it works, what happens on delay, and the lessons from a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Philippine Security of Tenure: Why Fixed-Term Employment Can't Sidestep Regularization
The Supreme Court strikes down a fixed-term contract scheme that blocked an employee's regularization, reaffirming constitutional security of tenure for Philippine workers.
Hulidap Defense in Philippine Drug Cases: Why It Usually Fails
The Supreme Court explains why the "hulidap" defense rarely succeeds in drug cases and what accused persons must prove to overcome it.
When Witnesses Can't See: Proving Robbery With Homicide Through Circumstantial Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how circumstantial evidence can prove robbery with homicide even without eyewitnesses to the killing.
Homicide vs Murder: Understanding the Nuances of Intent in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when a killing is homicide, not murder, and why qualifying circumstances must be proven beyond doubt.
When Accident Doesnt Excuse Murder Understanding Parricide AND Intent IN Philippine LAW
A police officer shoots his wife, claims accident, but the Supreme Court affirms parricide. Learn how intent and evidence work in Philippine criminal law.
Complex Crime vs Separate Offenses: When Multiple Murders Are Not a Single Crime
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when multiple killings form one complex crime or separate offenses, and the effect on penalties.
Time Is of the Essence: Prescription and Laches in Philippine Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how prescription and laches bar property claims filed decades after a sale with pacto de retro.