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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Self-Defense vs. Extralegal Killing: Probable Cause in Murder Cases
When police claim self-defense after a killing, what must prosecutors weigh? The Supreme Court clarifies probable cause in Aguilar v. DOJ.
Self-Defense or Murder? The Limits of Justifiable Force in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when self-defense fails and a killing becomes murder, explaining unlawful aggression, treachery, and reasonable force.
Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi in Murder Conviction
Supreme Court rules positive identification by credible eyewitnesses outweighs denial and alibi defenses in murder cases.
Eyewitness Testimony and the Defense of Alibi: Assessing Credibility in Murder Cases
A Supreme Court ruling on how courts weigh eyewitness testimony against denial and alibi in murder prosecutions, with practical guidance.
Self-Defense Claims and the Degree of Injury: When Assault Becomes Attempted Murder
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies self-defense burdens, treachery, and why a non-fatal wound means attempted, not frustrated, murder.
When Kin Turn Killers: Conspiracy and Defense of Relatives in Philippine Murder Law
The Supreme Court affirms murder convictions of three relatives, clarifying conspiracy and the defense of relatives under Article 11 of the Revised Penal Code.
THE Weight OF A Witness Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt IN Philippine Murder Cases
When a Single Witness Suffices: Murder Conviction Upheld on Credible Testimony
Supreme Court affirms murder conviction based on a lone eyewitness's credible testimony, clarifying rules on treachery and damages.
Treachery and Intent: How Grenade Attacks Establish Criminal Liability
The Supreme Court explains how treachery and criminal intent are established when a grenade is thrown into a crowd, affirming a murder conviction.
Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi in Criminal Prosecution
Supreme Court affirms conviction based on credible eyewitness identification, rejecting alibi and denial defenses in murder case.
Accountability in Conspiracy: Shared Criminal Intent Under Philippine Law
How Philippine courts infer conspiracy from concerted acts, making each participant equally liable for murder even without direct evidence of a prior agreement.
Treachery in Criminal Law: Ensuring Justice for Unexpected Attacks
The Supreme Court explains treachery as a qualifying circumstance in murder, using a 2013 case to clarify sudden, unprovoked attacks.
Treachery in Criminal Law: The Element of Surprise in Murder Convictions
How sudden, unexpected attacks qualify killings as murder under Article 248 of the Revised Penal Code, explained through a 2013 Supreme Court ruling.
Dying Declarations and Eyewitness Testimony Proving Murder Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how eyewitness testimony and dying declarations establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt in murder cases.
Probable Cause and Judicial Discretion: Safeguarding Against Unjust Prosecution
The Supreme Court affirms a trial judge's dismissal of murder cases for lack of probable cause, clarifying judicial discretion in warrant issuance.
Self-Defense and Proximate Cause: When a Killing Is Homicide, Not Murder
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies self-defense requirements and treachery in homicide cases, reducing murder conviction to homicide.
Treachery and Self-Defense: Understanding Criminal Liability in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling explains when self-defense fails and treachery qualifies a killing as murder under Philippine law.
Conspiracy and Abuse of Superior Strength in Murder: People v. Nazareno
Explaining how conspiracy and abuse of superior strength are proven in murder cases, and why the Supreme Court affirmed Nazareno's conviction.
How Conspiracy and Abuse of Superior Strength Shape Murder Liability in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling explains how conspiracy and abuse of superior strength are proven in murder cases, and why each participant bears equal liability.
Civilian Courts Prevail Over Military Tribunals for Non-Service-Connected Crimes
Supreme Court clarifies that military personnel accused of murder face trial in civilian courts, not court-martial, under R.A. 7055.
Treachery Defined When A Defenseless Victim Becomes THE Target IN Murder Cases
When a victim is down and defenseless, the attack is treacherous. This case explains how Philippine courts define treachery in murder.
When Multiple Shots Mean Separate Crimes: Murder and Attempted Murder in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a single ambush produces separate crimes of murder, frustrated murder, and attempted murder.
Hotels' Duty of Care: Guest Safety and Foreseeable Harm Under Philippine Law
When is a hotel liable for a guest's murder? The Supreme Court clarifies the duty of care hotels owe their guests under Philippine law.
Treachery's Shadow: Murder and Eyewitness Identification in the Anis Massacre
The Supreme Court affirms murder and attempted murder convictions from the 1999 Anis massacre, ruling on treachery and eyewitness identification.