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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Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: A Broken Link Leads to Acquittal
When police skip the required on-site inventory without justification, the chain of custody breaks and drug convictions may be overturned.
Chain of Custody Breach Warrants Acquittal in Drug Sale Case
Supreme Court acquits drug suspects where inventory was done at PDEA office, not arrest site, without justification.
Self-Defense and Treachery in Philippine Law: Proving Unlawful Aggression for Justification
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails and treachery qualifies killing as murder under Philippine criminal law.
Illegal Dismissal: Proving Termination and the Employer's Burden of Justification
Learn how Philippine courts decide illegal dismissal cases, who bears the burden of proof, and what employers must show to justify termination.
Sheriff Misconduct and Religious Bias: A Landmark Philippine Administrative Case
A sheriff's excessive force and Islamophobic justification lead to a one-year suspension and a strong rebuke from the Supreme Court.
Upholding Employer Rights Teleperformances Justification FOR Dismissal Based ON Performance Standards
Explore how consistent failure to meet reasonable performance metrics can justify dismissal under Philippine labor law.
Chain of Custody Breach in Drug Buy-Bust Leads to Acquittal
When police deviate from Section 21's chain of custody rule without justification, the accused may be acquitted.
Self-Defense Claims and the Limits of Justification: The Panerio Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails and why multiple wounds negate it, reducing murder to homicide.
Self-Defense vs. Retaliation: When Justification Turns to Murder in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a plea of self-defense fails and becomes retaliation, leading to murder convictions.
Judicial Accountability: Neglect of Duty and the Limits of Medical Justification
The Supreme Court holds that a judge's poor health cannot excuse gross neglect of duty, imposing fines on a retired judge for delays.
Arbitrary Penalty Imposition Justification Required FOR Maximum Sentences
Trial courts must justify imposing the maximum penalty within a period; otherwise, the lowest penalty applies, as ruled in Ladines v. People.
Treble Costs Under Rule 65: When Courts May Penalize Frivolous Petitions
The Supreme Court clarifies that treble costs under Rule 65 are discretionary, requiring clear justification, not automatic penalties.
When Attorney's Fees Are Not Automatic: The Rule of Article 2208
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may award attorney's fees under Article 2208 of the Civil Code, requiring clear factual and legal justification.
Attorney’s Fees in the Philippines: When Courts Can Award Them
Philippine courts cannot award attorney's fees without clear justification. Learn the rules under Article 2208 of the Civil Code.
Redundancy Dismissal: Employers Must Prove Justification, Not Just Declare It
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that employers cannot simply declare redundancy—they must present substantial proof to justify dismissal.
Self-Defense and Intent to Kill: The Boundaries of Justification in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails and intent to kill prevails in frustrated homicide cases under Philippine law.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: Proving Unlawful Aggression for Justification
Learn how Philippine courts test self-defense claims, focusing on the indispensable element of unlawful aggression, from People v. Aburque.
Self-Defense and Parricide: Proving Justification in Spousal Homicide
When a husband kills his wife, self-defense is hard to prove. This case explains the legal requirements and penalties.
Self Defense IN Philippine LAW Establishing Unlawful Aggression FOR Justification 3
Self Defense Under Scrutiny Proving Justification IN Philippine LAW
Attorney's Fees Need Explicit Justification in Philippine Courts
Philippine courts cannot award attorney's fees without stating factual and legal basis in the decision's text, as clarified by the Supreme Court.
Self Defense Claims IN Homicide Justification VS Criminal Liability IN THE Philippines
Self-Defense in Homicide Cases: Proving Justification in the Philippines
When claiming self-defense in Philippine homicide cases, the accused bears the burden of proving all elements by clear and convincing evidence. Learn the rules.
Self-Defense in Philippine Law: Proving Unlawful Aggression for Justification
Learn what Philippine courts require to prove unlawful aggression in self-defense, and why mere threats or insults do not justify killing.