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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Fair Rental Value in Unlawful Detainer: Key Lessons from Catungal v. Hao
How Philippine courts determine fair rental value when a lease expires, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Catungal v. Hao.
Parental Authority vs Child's Well-Being: Redefining Attempted Rape Boundaries
Supreme Court clarifies when rape is attempted, not consummated, and splits appellate jurisdiction in father-daughter abuse case.
Rape, Parental Authority, and Moral Ascendancy in Child Abuse Cases
How moral ascendancy and parental authority establish force in rape cases, and why the Supreme Court reduced the death penalty.
Reclaiming a Child Through Habeas Corpus: The Tijing Case on Establishing Maternal Rights
The Supreme Court explains when habeas corpus is the proper remedy for parents to regain custody of a missing child, and how identity and filiation are proven.
When a Child Is Taken: Proving Parentage in Habeas Corpus Cases
The Supreme Court explains how courts determine a child's identity and parentage in habeas corpus custody disputes.
Incestuous Rape: When Parental Authority Cannot Shield a Father's Crime
The Supreme Court affirms a father's rape conviction but rules that unalleged qualifying circumstances bar the death penalty.
Consent and Credibility in Rape Cases: How Philippine Courts Establish Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
In People v. Serrano, the Supreme Court affirmed a rape conviction and explained how courts weigh a victim's testimony, parental authority, and proof of penetration.
Breach of Trust: Upholding Rape Conviction in Cases of Familial Abuse
A father's rape conviction upheld by the Supreme Court, explaining how parental authority substitutes for violence in incest cases.
Rape Consensual or Forced: Evaluating Delayed Reporting and Parental Authority in Incest Cases
Supreme Court ruling on incestuous rape, delayed reporting, and admissibility of a child victim's res gestae statements.
Rape and Parental Authority: When Stepfathers Exploit Familial Trust
The Supreme Court affirms that a father's moral ascendancy over his minor daughter makes rape a betrayal of trust, but requires qualifying circumstances to be alleged for the death penalty.
Incestuous Rape and Parental Authority: When Consent Is Invalid in Familial Sexual Abuse Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on incestuous rape clarifies that a father's moral ascendancy and threats invalidate any claim of consent from a minor daughter.
Rape and Parental Relations: Clarifying Special Qualifying Circumstances in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when rape qualifies for the death penalty and why allegations of relationship must appear in the information.
Parental Authority and the Burden of Proof in Philippine Illegal Recruitment Cases
Explaining the Supreme Court's ruling on large-scale illegal recruitment, the burden of proof, and why parental authority matters in criminal cases.
Self-Defense: When Apparent Danger Justifies Deadly Force in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense justifies deadly force, requiring actual unlawful aggression, not just perceived threats.
Protecting Children: Understanding Qualified Rape and Parental Liability in the Philippines
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a father who raped his daughter, clarifying qualified rape and accomplice liability.
Payment Application and Tenant Rights: Paculdo v. Regalado on Wrongful Ejectment
Learn how the Supreme Court protected a tenant from wrongful ejectment when a landlord misapplied rental payments to other debts.
Olongapo's Market Fees: Balancing Local Autonomy and Equitable Taxation
The Supreme Court affirms that factual disputes over market rental rates require trial, ensuring local taxation remains equitable and just.
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.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Mental Incapacity, Paternal Authority, and Rape Conviction in Philippine Law
In Brondial, the Supreme Court affirmed a father's death sentence for raping his 12-year-old daughter, ruling that parental authority substitutes for force.
Protecting Children: Rape Laws and Parental Accountability in the Philippines
A father convicted of raping his 14-year-old daughter highlights Philippine rape laws, parental accountability, and the need for clear evidence.
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.
Extraordinary Inflation and Philippine Contracts: When Can You Adjust Rental Rates
Philippine law allows rent adjustments for extraordinary inflation, but courts rarely grant them. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court case.
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.
Establishing Minority in Qualified Rape Cases: The Weight of Parental Testimony in Philippine Courts
How Philippine courts treat parental testimony and qualifying circumstances in rape cases, from the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Gabiana.