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.
Unlicensed Firearm Use: From Separate Offense to Aggravating Circumstance in Homicide Cases
Philippine Supreme Court explains how R.A. 8294 changed unlicensed firearm use from a separate crime to an aggravating circumstance in homicide.
Intent Matters Distinguishing Robbery With Rape From Separate Crimes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a sexual assault followed by taking property is one complex crime or separate offenses.
Marital Discord Establishing Parricide Beyond Reasonable Doubt Through Circumstantial Evidence
How circumstantial evidence—marital fights, a chase, autopsy findings—proved parricide beyond reasonable doubt in People v. Velasco.
Unwavering Testimony: How Philippine Courts Uphold Victim Credibility in Rape Cases
Learn how Philippine courts assess witness credibility in criminal cases, using the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Navarro as a guide.
Accountability in Group Crime: Conspiracy and Individual Liability in Violent Attacks
When a group attacks, Philippine courts can hold each member liable for the acts of all through conspiracy. This case explains how.
Circumstantial Evidence and Treachery in Murder Convictions Without Direct Witnesses
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conviction for murder based on eyewitness identification, treachery, and the weakness of alibi defense.
Self-Defense Unproven: The Limits of Justification in Homicide Cases
When alibi and self-defense fail: how Philippine courts weigh positive identification, treachery, and degrees of homicide.
Incestuous Rape: Why Alleging Minority in the Information Matters
A father's rape conviction was reduced from death to reclusion perpetua because the Information failed to properly allege the victim's minority.
Conspiracy and Liability in Philippine Murder Cases: The Uriarte Doctrine
A look at how Philippine courts handle conspiracy, witness credibility, and conflicting medical evidence in homicide cases.
Civil Liability After Acquittal When Reasonable Doubt Doesnt Erase Responsibility
When acquittal rests on reasonable doubt, civil liability may still stand. Learn how Philippine courts separate criminal from civil responsibility.
When Flight Equals Guilt Examining Evidence AND Treachery IN Philippine Murder Cases
The Supreme Court affirms murder convictions, clarifying flight, treachery, and evidence rules in criminal cases.
Guilt by Association: The Limits of Conspiracy in Philippine Criminal Law
The Supreme Court clarifies that mere presence at a crime scene does not prove conspiracy, acquitting an accused while affirming a co-accused's murder conviction.
Rape and Consent: Examining the Boundaries of Force and Intimidation in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies that rape is defined by lack of consent, not by the timing of physical force. A knife held during the act proves intimidation, and the death penalty was reduced to reclusio
Acquittal Based on Reasonable Doubt Extends to Co-Accused Despite Withdrawn Appeal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how an acquittal based on reasonable doubt affects co-accused and withdrawn appeals in criminal cases.
Conspiracy in Check Fraud: When Signing Another's Check Is Not Estafa
The Supreme Court explains when signing checks from another person's account does not prove conspiracy in estafa cases.
Reexamining Eyewitness Testimony and Guilt in Philippine Rape-Homicide Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a rape-homicide conviction, explaining how minor inconsistencies in eyewitness testimony and alibi defenses are weighed.
Conspiracy and Treachery in Murder Cases: Lessons from People v. Pablo
The Supreme Court explains how conspiracy and treachery define murder in the Philippines, using the 2001 People v. Pablo ruling.
Reasonable Doubt in Rape Cases: When Discrepancies Do Not Destroy Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that minor inconsistencies in rape testimony do not create reasonable doubt when material facts are credible and consistent.
The Weight of Testimony: Understanding Witness Credibility in Philippine Murder Cases
How Philippine courts assess witness credibility in murder cases, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Alo.
Rape of a Mentally Disabled Victim: How Courts Assess Force and Intimidation
The Supreme Court explains how force and intimidation in rape are measured when the victim is mentally disabled, citing the Dumanon case.
Protecting Children: Understanding Qualified Rape and Parental Liability in the Philippines
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a father who raped his daughter, clarifying qualified rape and accomplice liability.
Airport Security Checks and Your Rights: The Johnson Case Explained
Understand your rights during airport security frisks in the Philippines, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Johnson.
Invalid Promulgation of Judgment: When Philippine Courts Fail to Follow Procedure
Philippine Supreme Court explains what makes a valid promulgation in absentia and when the accused's right to appeal accrues.
The Weight of Witness Testimony: Understanding Credibility in Philippine Rape Cases
How Philippine courts weigh a rape victim's testimony, and why proving the victim's age matters for the death penalty.