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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Certification Election Findings on Employment Not Binding in Dismissal Cases
A Supreme Court ruling explains why a certification election finding on employer-employee relationship cannot bar a later illegal dismissal case.
Voluntariness and Comprehension in Guilty Pleas: Protecting the Accused in Capital Offenses
The Supreme Court clarifies what a "searching inquiry" requires when an accused pleads guilty to a capital offense, using a rape case as the backdrop.
PAGCOR v. Rilloraza: When Is an Employee Dismissal for Misconduct Valid?
Supreme Court explains when workplace misconduct justifies dismissal and when it is only simple neglect of duty, with security of tenure protected.
Upholding Contractual Obligations: Lease Agreements and Grounds for Ejectment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lease contract validity, ejectment grounds, and the duty to pay rent despite disputes.
Notice to Counsel Counts for Appeal Deadlines in NLRC Cases
Supreme Court rules that receipt of NLRC resolution by counsel, not the party, starts the 60-day period for filing certiorari with the Court of Appeals.
Traffic Altercation Turns Deadly: When a Single Gunshot Is Homicide, Not Murder
A road-rage shooting kills a pregnant woman. The Supreme Court explains why the killing was homicide, not murder, absent treachery.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Alibi Fails Against Positive Identification
Learn how the Supreme Court rejected alibi and upheld a rape conviction, explaining key rules on credibility, medical evidence, and damages.
Murder to Homicide: Proving Evident Premeditation and Treachery in Philippine Law
When the prosecution fails to prove evident premeditation or treachery, a murder conviction falls to homicide. Learn the rules from People v. Aytalin.
Eminent Domain vs Urban Development: Balancing Public Need and Property Rights in Manila
The Supreme Court clarifies when local governments may expropriate private land for socialized housing under R.A. 7279.
Protecting the Vulnerable: The Supreme Court's Stance on Rape of a Child with Epilepsy
The Supreme Court affirms the conviction of a man for four counts of statutory rape against a 10-year-old girl with epilepsy, clarifying rules on delay in reporting, alibi, and damages.
Court Stenographer Dismissed for Habitual Absenteeism and AWOL: A Lesson in Public Accountability
Explore the Supreme Court's dismissal of a court stenographer for habitual absenteeism and AWOL, and the standards of conduct expected of court personnel.
Public Officials and Due Diligence in Government Land Transactions
A Supreme Court ruling shows why possession of public land does not equal ownership, and why only the State can sue to recover public land wrongly titled.
Dismissal for AWOL: Upholding Accountability in Public Service
Supreme Court affirms dismissal of court stenographer for habitual absenteeism and AWOL, reinforcing strict standards of public accountability.
Time Is of the Essence: Prescription in Breach of Warranty Claims Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on the six-month prescriptive period for breach of warranty claims and when courts may dismiss time-barred actions.
Expropriation and Urban Development: When Can a City Take Private Land for Socialized Housing?
The Supreme Court clarifies the two-stage process of expropriation and when compliance with RA 7279's acquisition priorities must be shown.
Rape and Relationship: When “Stepfather” Is Not Enough for the Death Penalty
The Supreme Court clarifies that a common-law spouse is not a “stepfather” for death penalty purposes, reducing rape sentences to reclusion perpetua.
When Courts Can Extend a Lease: Limits of Article 1687 in Ejectment Cases
Supreme Court clarifies that courts cannot extend a month-to-month lease under Article 1687 when a definite period exists.
Verbal Lease with Definite Period: When Courts Cannot Extend the Term
The Supreme Court clarifies that Article 1687 of the Civil Code does not allow courts to extend a verbal month-to-month lease, which has a definite period.
Breach of Trust: The Supreme Court's Stance on Incestuous Rape and Parental Authority
A stepfather's rape conviction upheld, but death penalty reduced to reclusion perpetua for failure to prove minority and relationship.
How the Prosecution Proves Intent to Gain in Robbery With Homicide
The Supreme Court explains how intent to gain is proven in robbery with homicide cases, using People v. Del Rosario as a guide.
When a Child's Testimony Alone Can Convict: Lessons from People v. Degala
In People v. Degala, the Supreme Court convicted a father of raping his minor daughter based largely on her lone testimony, clarifying rules on credibility and damages.
Judicial Accountability: The Price of Delayed Justice in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling reminds judges that personal hardships cannot excuse a five-year delay in deciding a case.
Reasonable Doubt and Witness Credibility: Protecting the Accused's Rights in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when a conviction stands, how self-defense is proven, and why treachery must be established beyond reasonable doubt.
Premature Entry of Judgment and Due Process in Bail Proceedings
The Supreme Court explains when premature entry of judgment violates due process and why certiorari cannot correct bail rulings.