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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Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: High Court Clarifies Social Media Evidence and Penalties
Supreme Court affirms conviction for online psychological abuse under RA 9262, sets guidelines on proving social media authorship, and raises penalty for ICT use.
Attempted vs. Consummated Rape in the Philippines: The Penetration Rule in People v. Miranda
Philippine law once required penile penetration for consummated rape. People v. Miranda shows why digital penetration meant attempted rape—and a lesser penalty.
Dismissal vs Proportionality: Employee Rights in Philippine Labor Law
When is dismissal too harsh a penalty for employee misconduct? The Supreme Court explains the rule of proportionality in labor cases.
Automatic Review of Death Penalty Cases Cannot Be Waived by Appeal Abandonment
The Supreme Court rules the Court of Appeals erred in dismissing an automatic death penalty review due to the accused's failure to file a brief.
Automatic Review of Death Penalty Cases Cannot Be Waived: People v. Flores
The Supreme Court rules that appellate courts cannot dismiss death penalty appeals for failure to file briefs, as review is mandatory.
Supreme Court: No Waiver of Automatic Review in Death Penalty Cases
The High Court clarifies that death penalty cases undergo mandatory review, and the Court of Appeals cannot dismiss appeals for failure to file briefs.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: When Facebook Posts Become a Crime
The Supreme Court affirms that public Facebook posts can constitute psychological abuse under RA 9262, and using social media raises the penalty.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: Higher Penalty for ICT Use
Supreme Court rules Facebook posts can prove psychological abuse under RA 9262, with higher penalties when committed through ICT.
Judicial Accountability: A Judge's Duty to Decide Cases on Time and the Penalty for Delay
Philippine Supreme Court ruling shows judges must decide cases within 90 days or face administrative sanctions, as illustrated by a 2005 case.
Rape and Intimidation: How Threats Establish Guilt and Determine Penalty
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, explaining how threats of posting nude photos constitute intimidation and warrant reclusion perpetua.
Online Abuse Conviction Upheld: SC Rules on VAWC and Social Media Evidence
The Supreme Court affirms a VAWC conviction for a public Facebook post, ruling that social media use raises the penalty by one degree.
Online Psychological Abuse Under RA 9262: High Court Affirms Conviction and Raises Penalty for ICT Use
Supreme Court affirms conviction for online psychological abuse under RA 9262, raising the penalty because the offense was committed through Facebook.
Parental Rights VS Child Safety When Kidnapping FOR Ransom Leads TO Death Penalty
Modifying Penalties When Retirement Alters Judicial Discipline
When a judge retires before serving a suspension, the Supreme Court may convert the penalty to a fine. Learn how this works.
Breach of Trust or Harsh Penalty: Separation Pay for Dismissed Acting Employees
Philippine law allows separation pay even for valid dismissal, except for serious misconduct or moral character issues. Learn the rules.
Rape by a Parent: When Sexual Abuse Severs the Bonds of Trust
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a father who raped his 11-year-old daughter, ruling on qualified rape and guilty pleas.
Judicial Accountability: The Duty to Decide Cases on Time and the Cost of Delay
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on judges' duty to decide cases within 90 days, and the administrative penalty for unjustified delay.
Minority as Privileged Mitigating Circumstance in Murder Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies that minority is a privileged mitigating circumstance under Article 68, reducing the penalty for murder by one degree.
Default Judgment and Bank Liquidation: Interest and Penalty Liabilities Explained
A defaulting party cannot raise new defenses on appeal. Learn the limits of relief from default judgments in bank liquidation cases.
Judicial Misconduct When Personal Interest Undermines Impartiality
When a judge becomes a party to cases before his own court, dismissal from service is the fitting penalty.
Age and Relationship as Essential Proofs for Qualified Rape Conviction in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains why minority and relationship must be both alleged and proven before the death penalty for qualified rape can be imposed.
Rape and the Shadow of a Bolo: Establishing Intimidation as Qualified Rape
The Supreme Court explains when a bolo turns rape into a qualified offense, and why the death penalty was reduced to reclusion perpetua.
Incestuous Rape: Proving Minority and Relationship for the Proper Penalty
A stepfather's rape conviction reduced from death to reclusion perpetua because minority and relationship were not alleged and proved.
Confessions and the Death Penalty: Ensuring Voluntariness in Rape-Homicide Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a death sentence for rape-homicide, explaining the required "searching inquiry" into guilty pleas and the weight of voluntary confessions.