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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Private vs Common Carriers: Who Bears Liability for Damaged Cargo?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a trucking company is a private carrier and how liability for damaged cargo is determined.
Statutory Rape and Parental Authority: Why the Supreme Court Upheld a Father's Conviction
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction, explaining how parental moral ascendancy substitutes for force and why proof of age matters for the death penalty.
Breach of Postal Integrity: Balancing Intent and Accountability in Public Service
A postmaster opened a widow's mail to settle debts—was it grave misconduct or good faith? The Supreme Court weighs intent.
Rape and Intimidation: When a Father's Moral Ascendancy Substitutes for Force
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on incestuous rape, moral ascendancy, and why the death penalty was reduced to reclusion perpetua.
Defining Qualified Rape: The Critical Elements for Imposing the Death Penalty
The Supreme Court clarifies when rape with homicide warrants the death penalty, requiring proof of both crimes beyond reasonable doubt.
Speedy Disposition of Cases: Balancing Rights and Reasonableness in Preliminary Investigations
When does delay in preliminary investigation violate the right to speedy disposition? The Supreme Court explains the balancing test in Guiani v. Sandiganbayan.
Deceptive Promises: Illegal Recruitment and Estafa in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains when deceptive job promises abroad constitute both illegal recruitment and estafa, and how conspirators share liability.
Rape Conviction Upheld: The Victim's Testimony and a Minor's Inability to Consent
In People v. Serado, the Supreme Court affirmed a rape conviction, ruling that a child under twelve is legally incapable of consenting to sexual acts.
Limits of Employer Discipline: Union Office Rules and Employee Rights
Supreme Court ruling on when an employee's violation of company rules may still not justify dismissal, balancing management authority and union rights.
Confession and Criminal Liability: Disentangling Rape and Homicide in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when a confession proves homicide but not rape, and how Philippine courts distinguish the two crimes.
Balancing Corporate Discretion and Regulatory Oversight: The BCDA Compensation Case
The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of a government corporation's power to grant employee benefits beyond Central Bank standards.
Due Process in Attorney Disciplinary Cases: The Mandatory Formal Investigation
The Supreme Court reminds the IBP that a formal investigation is mandatory in lawyer disciplinary cases, remanding a dismissed complaint for further proceedings.
Simple vs Qualified Rape: Why Allegations in the Information Matter
The Supreme Court explains why the death penalty for qualified rape requires both minority and relationship to be alleged in the information.
Perfecting Appeals and Court Jurisdiction: What Rape Convictions Teach About Proper Allegations
Learn how the Supreme Court reduced a death sentence to reclusion perpetua because the information failed to allege the victim's minority.
Back Wages and Illegal Dismissal: What Salas v. PAGCOR Means for Employees
The Supreme Court clarifies that illegally dismissed employees are entitled to back wages even if later found guilty of separate administrative charges.
Accidental Shooting Police Officers Duty AND Criminal Liability IN THE Philippines
When a police officer's gun discharges during an arrest, is it an accident or a crime? The Supreme Court explains the rules on accidental shooting and criminal liability.
Prescription in Insurance Claims: When Does the Clock Really Start Ticking
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when the prescriptive period for insurance claims begins, protecting policyholders from delayed denial.
Rape Conviction Upheld: The Unreliability of Recantations in Rape Cases
Philippine Supreme Court affirms death penalty for incestuous rape, explaining why delayed reporting and retractions do not destroy a victim's credible testimony.
Defining Jurisdiction When Specific Performance Claims Outweigh Monetary Demands In Contract Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies RTC jurisdiction over breach of contract cases where specific performance is the main action, not the monetary claim.
Citizenship and Residency: Defining Electoral Eligibility in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies how citizenship and residency requirements apply to candidates for local elective office in the Philippines.
Defining Agricultural Tenancy: Personal Cultivation and Harvest Sharing in Land Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when a civil lease becomes agricultural tenancy, requiring personal cultivation and harvest sharing.
Electoral Justice Imperiled When Judges Overstep In Voter Inclusion Cases
When a judge grants voter inclusion petitions without hearing, the integrity of elections and judiciary suffers. A Supreme Court ruling explains why.
Fleeing Justice: How Absence Can Imply Guilt in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains when flight from arrest signals guilt, and why absence alone cannot prove conspiracy or treachery.
Probationary Employment: Defining the Boundaries of Employer Discretion in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies probationary employment rules, six-month period computation, and abandonment of work in CALS Poultry v. Roco.