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 Implicates: Understanding Conspiracy in Philippine Murder Cases
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how mere presence and inaction during a crime can establish conspiracy and criminal liability.
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.
Unsubstantiated Accusations in Employee Dismissal: Philippine Labor Law and Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on regular employment, seasonal work, and the burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases.
Missed Deadlines: Why Proof of Notice Is Crucial in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer notice requirements, closure of business, and separation pay under Article 283 of the Labor Code.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Parent Companies Face Liability for Subsidiary Labor Claims
Philippine Supreme Court explains when courts may disregard corporate fiction and hold related companies liable for labor violations.
Injunction Bonds and Due Process: What Philippine Sureties Must Know
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when injunction bond sureties are liable and what due process requires before damages are awarded against them.
Statutory Rape vs Qualified Rape in the Philippines: Why Proper Legal Charges Matter
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between statutory rape and qualified rape, emphasizing the critical importance of proper legal charges.
Navigating Res Judicata in Property Disputes: When Prior Judgments Bind Future Claims
Learn how res judicata bars relitigation of property disputes, with insights from a Philippine Supreme Court ruling on jurisdiction.
Judicial Accountability in the Philippines: When Can a Judge Be Sanctioned for Incompetence
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when judges face sanctions for incompetence versus mere judicial error, citing De Vera v. Judge Dames II.
Burden of Proof in Conspiracy: When Family Ties Aren't Enough for a Homicide Conviction in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conspiracy, family ties, and the burden of proof in homicide cases—what the prosecution must establish.
Forum Shopping in the Philippines: Why Dismissing One Case Doesn't Always Mean Dismissing All
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies forum shopping requires two pending cases; a dismissed appeal doesn't automatically trigger the rule.
Project Employee vs Regular Employee: Fixed-Term Contracts and Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when project employees become regular, and why fixed-term contracts do not permit illegal dismissal.
Credibility of Rape Victim Testimony: Supreme Court Upholds Conviction Despite Delay in Reporting
Philippine Supreme Court affirms incestuous rape conviction, ruling that delay in reporting and lack of resistance do not undermine victim credibility.
When Judges Are Held Liable for Gross Ignorance of the Law in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court holds judges administratively liable for gross ignorance of the law, setting standards for judicial competence and accountability.
Burden of Proof in Philippine Robbery With Homicide Cases: The Insanity Defense
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the burden of proof for the insanity defense in robbery with homicide cases, requiring complete deprivation of reason.
Reconstitution of Land Titles: Why Jurisdictional Compliance Matters
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Republic v. Estrada explains why strict compliance with RA 26 publication and notice requirements is mandatory in land title reconstitution cases.
Supreme Court Clarifies Penalty for Shabu Sale: Death Sentence Reduced to Reclusion Perpetua
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on drug sale penalties, conspiracy, buy-bust operations, and when death penalty is not automatic.
When Negligence Isnt Gross Understanding Illegal Dismissal IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employee negligence is not "gross" enough to justify dismissal under the Labor Code.
Reasonable Doubt and Insanity Defense: When Inconsistent Testimony Leads to Acquittal in Philippine Murder Cas
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies insanity defense and treachery in murder cases, reducing death penalty to reclusion perpetua.
No Back Wages for Teachers in Illegal Strikes: Understanding Justifiable Suspensions in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on back wages for teachers in illegal strikes, explaining when suspensions are justifiable and what exoneration means.
Beyond Occupational Disease: How Philippine Law Compensates Death Benefits for Heart Ailments Alongside Cancer
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on compensable heart disease and death benefits under PD 626, even when cancer is non-occupational.
Protecting Your Land Title From Fraudulent Claims: Lessons From a Philippine Supreme Court Case
Learn how the Supreme Court protected landowners from fraudulent registration and what it means for your property rights.
The Power of Testimony in Rape Cases: Philippine Supreme Court Upholds Victim Credibility
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape conviction based on credible victim testimony, and the importance of properly alleging qualifying circumstances.
When Is Force and Intimidation Proven in Rape Cases? Philippine Supreme Court Clarifies Standards
The Supreme Court explains how force and intimidation are proven in rape cases, and why the death penalty requires specific allegations in the information.