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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Understanding Qualified Statutory Rape When Mental Age Determines the Crime
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling that sexual intercourse with a mental retardate whose mental age is below 12 constitutes qualified statutory rape.
Statutory Rape and Intellectual Disability: The Villena Ruling Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies that rape of an intellectually disabled person with a mental age below 12 constitutes statutory rape under Philippine law.
Understanding Statutory Rape in the Philippines: When Mental Age Matters
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that statutory rape applies when the victim's mental age is below 12, even if the person is physically an adult.
Robbery With Rape Affirming Conviction Based ON Credible Testimony Despite Negative Medical Findings
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on credible testimony and mental age, despite negative medical findings.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Rape Conviction Affirmed for Abuse of Intellectually Disabled Victim
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, ruling that mental age—not chronological age—determines a victim's capacity to consent.
Simple Rape vs Statutory Rape: The Legal Standard for Victims With Mental Retardation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that rape of a mental retardate is simple rape under Article 266-A(1)(b), not statutory rape, regardless of mental age.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Statutory Rape and Mental Capacity to Consent in the Philippines
In People v. Castro, the Supreme Court affirmed that sex with a mental retardate whose mental age is below 12 is statutory rape—consent is legally impossible.
Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Victim's Mental Incapacity: People v. Constantino
The Supreme Court affirmed a rape conviction where the victim had the mental age of a child, clarifying that mental incapacity negates consent under Philippine law.
Mental Capacity and Rape in Philippine Law: The Hamto Case
How Philippine courts treat mentally retarded rape victims' testimony, and why mental age matters in proving rape.
Rape of a Mentally Retarded Person: Consent and Legal Consequences in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that carnal knowledge of a mentally retarded woman whose mental age is below twelve constitutes rape.