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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When Silence Speaks Volumes: Eyewitness Testimony and Credibility in Philippine Murder Cases
The Supreme Court affirms murder convictions based on a lone eyewitness's testimony, explaining why silence during a crime does not destroy credibility.
Recanted Testimony and Conflicting Medical Reports: When Can a Rape Conviction Be Overturned
Philippine Supreme Court explains when recanted testimony and conflicting medical reports can justify a new trial in rape convictions.
Conditional Sales and Agrarian Reform: Protecting Contractual Obligations
DBP v. Carpio clarifies that agrarian reform laws cannot impair prior contractual obligations under conditional sales.
Search Warrants in IP Cases: Probable Cause and Specificity Rules
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies probable cause and specificity requirements for search warrants in intellectual property infringement cases.
Unlawful Arrest and Illegal Firearm Possession: Know Your Rights
The Supreme Court acquits a man of illegal firearm possession, ruling that police must prove lack of license and that stop-and-frisk has limits.
CBA Duration and Bargaining Unit Scope After Corporate Restructuring
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on CBA renegotiation terms and bargaining unit coverage after a corporate spin-off.
Unlawful Detainer and Ownership: When Courts Can Decide Title
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that MTCs can decide ownership in unlawful detainer cases, but only to resolve possession.
Navigating Buy-Bust Operations: Ensuring Due Process and Avoiding Wrongful Convictions
Learn how Philippine courts scrutinize buy-bust operations to protect the accused's rights and prevent wrongful convictions in drug cases.
Preliminary Injunctions and Diplomatic Immunity: The ADB Case Explained
Learn how the Supreme Court protected the Asian Development Bank's diplomatic immunity from labor suits and what this means for legal remedies.
Diplomatic Immunity in the Philippines: Protecting International Organizations From Legal Suits
The Supreme Court explains how diplomatic immunity shields international organizations like the Asian Development Bank from local lawsuits, and why courts must respect it.
Positive Identification vs Alibi: Lessons from a Philippine Murder Conviction
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness identification against alibi, explained through a 1996 Supreme Court murder ruling.
The Alibi Defense: Why It Often Fails in Philippine Courts
Philippine courts demand more than just being elsewhere—an alibi must prove physical impossibility of presence at the crime scene.
Rape and Intimidation: When Silence Does Not Mean Consent in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a rape victim's silence or lack of struggle does not negate force or intimidation, especially when threats and weapons are involved.
Proving Employer-Employee Relationship: Key Factors and Evidence in Philippine Labor Law
Learn how Philippine courts determine employer-employee relationships and what evidence matters, based on a Supreme Court ruling on seafarer death claims.
Employer Liability for Seafarers' Death: Navigating Repatriation Risks
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer liability when a seafarer dies during repatriation, clarifying the standard of care and compensation obligations.
Circumstantial Evidence and Reasonable Doubt Protecting the Accused in Philippine Law
How Philippine courts weigh circumstantial evidence and reasonable doubt to protect the accused, explained through a landmark rape case.
Custodial Investigation in the Philippines: Rights and the Admissibility of Confessions
An extrajudicial confession is worthless without proof of effective counsel, but the Supreme Court still affirmed a murder conviction on eyewitness evidence.
The Importance of Positive Identification in Kidnapping Cases Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on positive identification in kidnapping cases, explaining why eyewitness testimony prevails over alibi.
Taxing Government Entities: Local Government Power and Exemptions Under the LGC
The Supreme Court clarifies when local governments may tax government-owned corporations, balancing local autonomy with national exemptions.
When Judges Overstep: The Fine Line Between Debt Collection and Criminal Estafa
A Supreme Court ruling on judicial accountability shows why simple non-payment of debt can never be treated as criminal estafa.
The Credibility of Child Witnesses: Upholding Justice Beyond Tender Years
How the Supreme Court affirmed a murder conviction based on the positive identification of a ten-year-old eyewitness, and the rules on child testimony, treachery, and alibi.
Mining Rights vs Land Ownership: What the Supreme Court Decided
A 1996 Supreme Court ruling clarifies that mining claims under the Philippine Bill of 1902 grant possessory rights, not absolute ownership over land.
Project Employee vs Regular Employee: Termination Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains the difference between project and regular employees, and the rules on termination rights under the Labor Code.
Project vs. Regular Employees: Burden of Proof in Illegal Dismissal Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when workers are project or regular employees and who bears the burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases.