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.
Moral Ascendancy in Rape Cases: Why Silence Can Prove the Crime
Philippine law recognizes moral ascendancy as a substitute for force in rape cases. Learn what this means for victims and legal strategy.
Intellectual Disability in Rape Cases: What the Supreme Court Requires
The Supreme Court clarifies when intellectual disability must be proven by clinical evidence in rape prosecutions, and why it matters.
Understanding the Insanity Defense: Key Insights from a Recent Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A look at how Philippine courts assess insanity as a defense, based on a 2020 Supreme Court ruling that clarified the test for legal insanity.
Insanity Plea and Arson: When Killing Is Homicide, Not Murder, in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains the limits of the insanity defense, the proof needed for murder, and when arson is a separate crime.
Insanity Plea in Parricide: Burden of Proof and the Limits of Jealous Rage
The Supreme Court clarifies when insanity exempts an accused from criminal liability, and why jealous rage falls short.
The Sanity Presumption Determining Criminal Liability in the Philippines
Philippine law presumes every person sane. This case explains when insanity can exempt an accused from criminal liability.
Positive Identification and Witness Competency in Rape with Homicide Cases
How the Supreme Court affirmed that a witness with hearing and intellectual impairments can provide credible testimony in rape with homicide prosecutions.
Mental Incapacity as a Ground for Dismissal: The Alagaban Case and Due Process in Philippine Labor Law
Philippine law allows dismissal for mental incapacity, but only with strict due process. The Alagaban case shows how courts balance employee rights and workplace efficiency.