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.
Trust Receipts and Estafa: Why a Payment Agreement Does Not Erase Criminal Liability
The Supreme Court ruled that a new payment schedule cannot erase criminal liability for trust receipt violations, which are malum prohibitum.
Understanding Estafa in Trust Receipt Transactions: Key Lessons from Barlin v. People
Learn how the Supreme Court applied estafa under Article 315(1)(b) to trust receipt violations, and what businesses should know.
Novation in Philippine Estafa Cases: When Settlements Prevent Criminal Liability
Learn when amicable settlements can extinguish criminal liability for estafa under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Sorongon v. People.
Condonation Doctrine in Philippine Administrative Law: What Re-Election Means for Elected Officials
Explaining the condonation doctrine, its prospective abandonment by the Supreme Court, and how re-election can absolve prior administrative misconduct.
Estafa Under Trust Receipt Agreements: The Osental Case and PD 115
Failure to comply with a trust receipt agreement can lead to estafa charges. Learn the rules from the Osental case.
When Death Extinguishes Criminal Liability: The Antido Case
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling that an accused's death before final conviction extinguishes criminal and civil liability ex delicto.
Denial of Child Support as Economic Abuse Under RA 9262: Key Lessons from Melgar v. People
The Supreme Court rules that withholding child support is economic abuse under RA 9262, even without proof of psychological anguish.
Prescription Period for Ordinance Violations: Filing the Complaint vs. the Information
When does prescription run for ordinance violations? The Supreme Court clarifies whether filing a complaint with the prosecutor interrupts the period.
Mootness Doctrine and Acquittal: When Court Rulings Lose Relevance
Explaining when court rulings become moot and academic, and how acquittal affects pending criminal cases in the Philippines.