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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Evidence Rules in Illegal Firearm Cases: Why Conviction Requires Proof of No License
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on illegal possession of firearms explains why prosecutors must prove lack of license beyond reasonable doubt.
Government Procurement: Upholding Transparency and Reasonableness in Public Spending
The Supreme Court reminds COA that audit findings must respect due process, transparency, and the reasonableness of agency decisions in public procurement.
PCGG Sequestration and Voting Rights: Director Qualifications in Quo Warranto Cases
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on PCGG's voting of sequestered shares and director qualifications in quo warranto cases.
Continuing Security in Mortgages: When Future Loans Are Covered
Philippine Supreme Court explains when real estate mortgages secure future loans beyond stated amounts, and the limits of injunctions against foreclosure.
Understanding the Scope of Appeals in Philippine Labor Law: A Case on 13th Month Pay
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that the NLRC can only review issues raised on appeal, using a 13th month pay case as an example.
Eyewitness Testimony in Philippine Courts: When Doubt Leads to Acquittal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on eyewitness identification, hearsay confessions, and reasonable doubt in robbery-homicide cases.
Parricide in the Philippines: Proving Marriage and the Effect of an Affidavit of Desistance
The Supreme Court explains how to prove marriage in parricide cases and why an affidavit of desistance does not erase criminal liability.
Municipal Boundaries in the Philippines: Validating Creation and Resolving Disputes
The Supreme Court explains when a municipality's creation is valid, how boundary disputes are settled, and why a 1950 agreement could not override an executive order.
Rape Conviction Based on Credible Testimony: Force, Intimidation, and Victim Behavior
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape: credible victim testimony, force and intimidation standards, and post-incident conduct as proof.
The Weight of Circumstantial Evidence in Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on parricide explains how direct testimony, not just circumstantial evidence, can prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Retrenchment vs Redundancy: Navigating Employee Layoffs in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the difference between retrenchment and redundancy as valid grounds for employee layoffs under Philippine labor law.
Why a Victim’s Testimony Can Be Enough to Convict in Rape Cases
The Supreme Court explains when a rape victim’s sole testimony suffices for conviction and why resistance is not always required.
Credibility of Mentally Retarded Rape Victims: Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on credible testimony of a mentally retarded victim, clarifying competency rules.
Navigating Telecommunications Franchises: Competition vs. Public Interest
A 1996 Supreme Court ruling on government telephone operations clarifies that franchises are not exclusive and competition serves the public interest.
Extrajudicial Foreclosure: When Notice and Publication Are Valid
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies what counts as proper notice and publication in extrajudicial foreclosures, protecting buyers and lenders.
Commission-Based Workers Are Regular Employees Entitled to Separation Pay
Supreme Court rules commission-based drivers are regular employees entitled to separation pay; sliding incomes not serious business losses.
Eyewitness Testimony in the Philippines: When Is It Enough to Convict?
The Supreme Court explains when eyewitness testimony is enough to convict—and when it isn't—in People v. Abellanosa.
Attorney Discipline When Misconduct As A Government Official Leads To Disbarment IN THE Philippines
When can a lawyer be disciplined for misconduct committed as a government official? The Supreme Court explains in Dinsay v. Cioco.
Qualified Trafficking in Persons: When Recruitment Alone Suffices for Conviction
The Supreme Court affirms a qualified trafficking conviction, ruling that recruitment for sexual exploitation is enough even if the victim initially declined.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Credibility, Delay in Reporting, and Minor Inconsistencies
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction despite minor testimony inconsistencies and delayed reporting; explains credibility rules for victims.
Right of First Refusal and Ownership Proof in Philippine Real Estate Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how courts resolve property ownership disputes and partition actions, emphasizing evidence rules and prescription periods.
Conspiracy and Credibility: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, explaining how trial court credibility findings and circumstantial evidence establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Quieting Title vs Boundary Disputes: What Property Owners Should Know
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when quieting of title applies and why boundary disputes need different legal remedies.
Alibi vs Eyewitness Testimony: How Philippine Courts Decide Criminal Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when alibi fails against positive eyewitness identification, and how minority affects sentencing in murder cases.