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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Eyewitness Testimony When Doubt Leads To Acquittal IN Philippine Courts
When does a lone eyewitness's testimony fail the test of moral certainty? The Supreme Court explains in People v. Perez.
Self-Defense and Conspiracy in Homicide Cases: Key Legal Principles from People v. Gerolaga
Supreme Court clarifies self-defense, conspiracy, and the qualifying circumstance of reward in homicide cases.
Seafarer's Rights: Illegal Dismissal and Due Process in Maritime Employment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on seafarer illegal dismissal, due process requirements, and evidentiary standards in maritime employment cases.
Sheriffs Authority: Understanding the Limits of Property Attachment in the Philippines
Learn the limits of a sheriff's authority in property attachment in the Philippines, based on a landmark Supreme Court administrative case.
Temporary Business Suspension: When Is It Bad Faith in the Philippines?
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a temporary business suspension is bad faith, and the employer's burden to prove bona fide closure.
When Does a Local Union Have the Right to Bargain? A Look at San Miguel Foods v. Laguesma
A local union need not secure its own registration certificate to be legitimate. Learn the rules from San Miguel Foods v. Laguesma.
Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Sudden Attacks and Intent
The Supreme Court explains when a sudden, unexpected attack qualifies as treachery, aggravating a killing to murder under Philippine law.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Can You Justifiably Use Force?
Philippine law allows force in self-defense, but the Supreme Court explains strict limits. Learn the rules from a murder case.
When Reinstatement Becomes Impossible: Separation Pay in Lieu of Reinstatement
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a final judgment ordering reinstatement may be set aside and separation pay granted instead.
Conditional Contracts of Sale: When Does Ownership Transfer in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the key difference between a contract to sell and a conditional contract of sale, and when ownership transfers.
Reinstatement vs Separation Pay: Employee Rights After Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines
When can separation pay replace reinstatement after illegal dismissal? The Supreme Court explains in Zarate v. Olegario.
Drug Possession Penalties: How Quantity Matters Under the Dangerous Drugs Act
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how drug quantity determines penalties, reducing life imprisonment for small amounts of shabu.
Alibi vs Eyewitness Testimony: Credibility Rules in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court explains why positive eyewitness identification prevails over alibi and why recanted testimony is viewed with suspicion.
Retraction of Witness Testimony: When Does It Affect a Criminal Conviction in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when witness retraction affects convictions, the weight of positive identification, and the limits of alibi as a defense.
Intra-Corporate Disputes: Navigating Jurisdiction Between the NLRC and SEC
When a corporate officer is dismissed, is it a labor case or an intra-corporate dispute? The Supreme Court clarifies jurisdiction rules.
Can a Final Labor Judgment Be Offset by a Separate Debt? Jurisdiction and Due Process
A final labor arbiter award cannot be defeated by an employer's set-off claim for a separate debt, explains the Supreme Court in Pondoc v. NLRC.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Consent, Intimidation, and Delay in Reporting Explained
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, clarifying how intimidation works, why delayed reporting is not fatal, and how consent is judged.
Navigating Drug Possession Penalties When A Gram Makes ALL THE Difference
Gross Ignorance of the Law: When Judges Fail to Follow Basic Legal Procedures
A judge who issued a warrant of arrest in a summary procedure case was fined for gross ignorance of the law. Learn the rules.
Rape Conviction Affirmed: Lessons on Credibility and Damages in Philippine Law
A father's rape conviction upheld; the Supreme Court clarifies credibility rules, alibi, and damages awards in incestuous rape cases.
Judicial Accountability: Understanding Culpable Negligence in Philippine Courts
A Supreme Court ruling explains when a judge's error becomes culpable negligence, and why good faith matters in administrative cases.
Rape and Incest in the Philippines: Legal Consequences and Victim Rights
A father's repeated rape of his daughter yields three reclusion perpetua terms and P225,000 in damages, clarifying Philippine incest-rape law.
Protecting Minors: Understanding Statutory Rape Laws in the Philippines
A look at statutory rape under Philippine law through the case of a 7-year-old victim, explaining the rules on consent, penetration, and evidence.
Treachery (Alevosia) in Philippine Murder Cases: The Apawan Ruling Explained
Learn how treachery (alevosia) qualifies a killing as murder under Philippine law, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in People vs. Apawan.