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.
Ransom Receipt as Proof of Conspiracy in Kidnapping for Ransom Cases
Supreme Court affirms that receiving ransom money during an ongoing kidnapping establishes conspiracy and liability as a principal.
Robbery With Homicide Conviction Upheld Despite Claims of Illegal Arrest and Lack of Counsel
The Supreme Court affirms a robbery with homicide conviction, ruling that illegal arrest claims are waived if not raised before plea, and that police line-ups are not part of custodial investigation.
Kidnapping for Ransom with Homicide: Accountability and Admissibility of Confessions
Supreme Court affirms conviction for kidnapping for ransom with homicide, clarifying conspiracy liability and rules on extra-judicial confessions.
Treachery in Robbery With Homicide: Supreme Court Clarifies Aggravating Circumstances
The Supreme Court clarifies that treachery can aggravate robbery with homicide when the victim is killed treacherously, affecting penalty imposition.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Upholding the Death Penalty for Rape of a Child Under Seven
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for the rape of a six-year-old child, clarifying rules on child testimony and proof of age.
Right to Information: Accused Cannot Be Convicted of a Crime Not Clearly Charged
The Supreme Court reinstates a rape case, ruling an information need only state the essential elements, not every detail.
Rape Conviction Upheld Categorical Identification AND THE Absence OF Consent
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, explaining categorical victim identification and how resistance, not consent, defines the crime.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi in Forcible Abduction Case
Supreme Court affirms rape and forcible abduction conviction, ruling positive identification outweighs alibi and denial in criminal cases.
Positive Identification Overrules Alibi in Vergara Robbery Case
Supreme Court affirms robbery conviction, holding that a victim's positive identification prevails over an accused's alibi and bare denial.
Kidnapping for Ransom: Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on kidnapping for ransom, positive identification, alibi, conspiracy, and damages under Article 267.
Robbery With Homicide Conviction Upheld: Positive Identification Beats Alibi
Supreme Court affirms robbery with homicide conviction, ruling positive eyewitness identification prevails over alibi and denial defenses.
Treachery and Conspiracy in Group Violence: Robbery With Homicide Liability
How Philippine courts establish liability for robbery with homicide in group attacks, explained through a landmark Supreme Court case.
Positive Identification in Philippine Courts: Why Eyewitness Testimony Matters in Criminal Convictions
The Supreme Court explains why positive identification by a credible witness outweighs alibi and denial in Philippine criminal cases.
Forcible Abduction With Rape: Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, ruling that the victim's positive identification outweighs the accused's alibi and denial.
Unreliable Testimony? How Philippine Courts Determine Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt in Murder Cases
A 1999 Supreme Court ruling explains how a single credible eyewitness can prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt in murder cases.
Philippine Supreme Court Clarifies Treachery and Witness Credibility in Murder Conviction
A look at People v. Mallari, where the Supreme Court affirmed a murder conviction based on a lone eyewitness and clarified the rules on treachery.
Proving Guilt Beyond Doubt: How Circumstantial Evidence Leads to Murder Convictions in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling shows how circumstantial evidence and credible witness testimony can prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt in Philippine criminal cases.
Credible Witness or Coached Testimony: Why Doubt Can Acquit in Philippine Theft Cases
Explore how the Supreme Court acquitted a Meralco employee of qualified theft, emphasizing that uncorroborated and improbable witness testimony cannot prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
In-Court Identification in Rape Cases: People v. Pacistol (G.R. 119074-75)
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how a victim's credible in-court identification can secure a rape conviction despite flawed police line-up procedures.
Shared Guilt Establishing Conspiracy in Robbery With Homicide Under Philippine Law
When does a getaway accomplice become liable for murder? Philippine law on conspiracy in robbery with homicide explained through a Supreme Court ruling.
Self-Defense and Treachery: Understanding Criminal Liability in Philippine Law
A look at how Philippine courts weigh self-defense claims against treachery in murder cases, using the Lapura ruling.