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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Breach of Trust: Parental Rape and Child Protection Laws in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court affirms death penalty for father who raped his 12-year-old daughter, clarifying parental authority and rape laws.
Sheriffs Duty in Judgment Execution: Avoiding Excessive Levy and Misconduct
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on sheriffs' duty to avoid excessive levy in judgment execution and the consequences of misconduct.
Promissory Notes vs Loan Agreements: Legitimacy in Philippine Investment Transactions
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when loan documents are legitimate investments, using a disbarment case to explain forgery, consent, and moral character.
Vested Rights in Adoption: Why Filing Date Matters Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that adoption rights vest at filing, not decree. Learn the filing date rule and its practical impact.
Robbery With Homicide: When Theft Leads to Killing, Philippine Law Clarifies the Charge
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when separate robbery and murder charges should be a single special complex crime of robbery with homicide.
Conspiracy and Homicide in the Philippines: When Being Present Makes You a Principal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conspiracy in homicide: when presence and participation make you a principal, explained in plain language.
Finality of Judgment: When an Annulled Decision Can Be Reinstated
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a set-aside judgment may be reinstated and why final and executory rulings cannot be resurrected.
Conspiracy in Philippine Criminal Law: How Group Actions Can Lead to Equal Liability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conspiracy, group liability, and when co-accused share equal criminal responsibility.
Pilot Error or Master's Fault: Understanding Liability in Compulsory Pilotage Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on who bears liability when a vessel grounds on a compulsory pilotage channel.
Vague Dates in Rape Informations: When Approximate Time Is Enough
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether vague dates in rape informations violate the accused's right to be informed, and why approximate time suffices.
Eyewitness Testimony vs Alibi: Key Principles in Philippine Murder Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on eyewitness identification, alibi, and treachery in murder and frustrated murder cases.
Donation Inter Vivos vs Mortis Causa: Philippine Law on Property Transfers
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how to distinguish donation inter vivos from mortis causa, and when donations become irrevocable.
Maintaining Workplace Decorum: Lessons on Grave Misconduct from the Philippine Supreme Court
A Supreme Court ruling on a belligerent employee shows why workplace decorum is non-negotiable in the Philippine public service.
Extraordinary Inflation and Lease Rentals: What Singson v. Caltex Means for Contracts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when extraordinary inflation justifies adjusting contract rentals under Article 1250 of the Civil Code.
Philippine Supreme Court Disciplines Court Employee for Disrespectful Conduct in Workplace
The Supreme Court fined a court employee P5,000 for shouting at and humiliating a co-worker during office hours, reaffirming strict standards of decorum in the judiciary.
Loan Restructuring and Surety Release: Key Protections for Guarantors in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when loan restructuring releases a surety from liability, and what guarantors must know about their rights.
Forged Documents in Property Deals: How Due Diligence Can Protect You
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on forged special power of attorney in property mortgage—what buyers and lenders must know about due diligence.
Parol Evidence Rule: When Prior Agreements Can Modify a Contract
Philippine Supreme Court explains when prior negotiations can alter a written contract under the parol evidence rule.
Eyewitness Testimony vs Alibi: Why Positive Identification Convicts in Philippine Murder Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains why positive eyewitness identification outweighs alibi in murder cases, and when treachery qualifies the crime.
Conspiracy in Robbery With Homicide: Understanding Collective Liability in Philippine Law
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how conspiracy makes every participant liable for robbery with homicide, even if only one stabbed the victim.
Credibility in Rape Cases: Why Minor Inconsistencies Don't Always Matter in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court explains why minor inconsistencies in a rape victim's testimony do not destroy credibility, especially in incestuous rape cases.
Justice Delayed IS Justice Denied: Judicial Delay and Accountability in the Philippines
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling on judicial delay shows why judges must decide cases promptly—and the consequences when they don't.
Proving Work-Related Illness Claims: Substantial Evidence Standard in Philippine Employee Compensation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies substantial evidence standard for work-related illness compensation claims under P.D. 626, as amended.
Entrapment vs Instigation: How Philippine Courts Test the Validity of Drug Busts
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between valid entrapment and invalid instigation in drug cases, using a marijuana buy-bust case as guide.