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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Conspiracy Requires Overt Acts: Acquittal Stands in Maguindanao Massacre Case
Supreme Court affirms acquittal in Maguindanao massacre case, ruling mere approval of a criminal plot without overt acts cannot establish conspiracy.
Conspiracy and Overt Acts in Group Offenses: What Philippine Law Requires
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that mere presence at a crime scene does not establish conspiracy; an overt act is required for criminal liability.
Defining the Boundaries of Attempted Rape: Intent vs. Action in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when lewd acts cross the line from acts of lasciviousness to attempted rape, examining intent and overt acts.
Overt Acts and Attempted Rape: Delineating Intent and Execution
The Supreme Court clarifies when an accused's overt acts amount to attempted rape, not a lesser offense, in Rait v. People.
Conspiracy in Estafa: How Courts Prove Joint Criminal Design
The Supreme Court explains how conspiracy in estafa is proven through overt acts, not direct evidence, in Aquino v. Paiste.
Conspiracy in Estafa: Shared Criminal Intent for Fraud Conviction
How Philippine courts infer conspiracy in estafa cases, using overt acts before, during, and after the crime to prove shared criminal intent.
Overt Acts and Intent: Understanding Attempted Rape Convictions in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when acts amount to attempted rape and when they only constitute light coercion.
Conspiracy and Overt Acts in Bouncing Check Cases: Ladonga v. People
When can a non-signatory spouse be liable for bouncing checks? The Supreme Court clarifies conspiracy rules under B.P. 22.
Conspiracy by Actions Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt in Murder and Frustrated Murder Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how overt acts can prove conspiracy, treachery, and guilt in murder and attempted murder cases.
Parricide vs. Accident: When a Fatal Shooting Is Not an Exempting Circumstance
The Supreme Court explains why the defense of accident fails when intent to kill is shown by overt acts, affirming a parricide conviction.
Conspiracy in Kidnapping Cases: Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conspiracy requires overt acts, not mere presence, to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt in criminal cases.
Unmasking Conspiracy in Kidnapping: How Shared Intent Leads to Shared Guilt Under Philippine Law
Explaining conspiracy in kidnapping through People v. Sala—how overt acts before, during, and after a crime prove shared guilt.
Attempted Rape in the Philippines: Elements, Intent, and Legal Consequences
Learn the legal distinction between consummated and attempted rape in the Philippines, including the elements of intent, overt acts, and interruption.