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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Expert Testimony Admissibility and the Courts' Discretion in Evidence
When can courts disqualify an expert witness? The Supreme Court clarifies that only specific grounds under the Rules of Court justify exclusion.
Chains Unbroken Safeguarding Drug Evidence Integrity in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms drug convictions in People v. Mendoza, clarifying buy-bust operations, warrantless arrests, and evidence integrity under RA 9165.
Buy-Bust Operations, Warrantless Arrests, and Preserving Drug Evidence in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court upholds a shabu conviction, clarifying rules on buy-bust operations, warrantless arrests, and the chain of custody of seized drugs.
Circumstantial Evidence in Rape with Homicide Cases: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
How the Supreme Court upheld a rape-with-homicide conviction based solely on circumstantial evidence, and what this means for Philippine criminal prosecutions.
Circumstantial Evidence Can Sustain a Rape with Homicide Conviction — People v. De la Cruz
Philippine courts can convict of rape with homicide based on circumstantial evidence alone when the circumstances form an unbroken chain pointing to the accused.
Circumstantial Evidence in Rape with Homicide Cases: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt
When no eyewitness exists, circumstantial evidence can convict. Learn how the Supreme Court applied this rule in People v. De la Cruz.
A Chain of Circumstances: Proving Robbery with Homicide Beyond Reasonable Doubt
The Supreme Court upheld a robbery with homicide conviction built on circumstantial evidence after rejecting a flawed line-up and a coerced confession.
Chain OF Custody Safeguarding Drug Evidence IN Philippine LAW 7
Preserving Integrity Ensuring Drug Evidence Validity Despite Procedural Lapses IN Drug Cases
The Supreme Court acquits a drug possession accused because police failed to follow Section 21 procedures, casting doubt on evidence integrity.
The Testimony of a Minor as Sufficient Proof in Statutory Rape Cases
The Supreme Court affirms that a minor's credible testimony alone can prove statutory rape, even without medical evidence of injury.
Expropriation and Conflicting Ownership Claims: When the Government May Challenge a Torrens Title
The Supreme Court clarifies that in expropriation cases, the government may present evidence on ownership disputes solely to determine who receives just compensation.
Ballots vs Election Returns: Authenticity Prevails in Electoral Protests
When physical ballots are tampered, election returns become the best evidence of voter intent. Learn the rule from the Vinzons-Chato case.
Unraveling Oral Contracts: Dantis v. Maghinang, Jr. on Land Ownership
The Supreme Court clarifies when oral contracts for land sale fail, hearsay and photocopy evidence are inadmissible, and Torrens titles prevail.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Why Evidence Integrity Determines Guilt or Acquittal
The Supreme Court explains why strict compliance with the chain of custody rule in drug cases is essential to protect the accused from wrongful conviction.
Digital Ballots As Primary Evidence Protecting Electoral Integrity In The Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that digital ballot images from PCOS machines are functional equivalents of physical ballots, protecting elections from tampering.
Upholding the Chain of Custody: Ensuring Integrity in Drug Possession Cases
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect due to a broken chain of custody, emphasizing the need for unbroken evidence integrity.
Chain OF Custody Ensuring Integrity IN Drug Evidence
Accountability in Conspiracy: Shared Criminal Intent Under Philippine Law
How Philippine courts infer conspiracy from concerted acts, making each participant equally liable for murder even without direct evidence of a prior agreement.
Protecting Land Ownership: The Limits of Good Faith in Real Estate Transactions
The Supreme Court clarifies when a property owner's claim of fraud in a real estate mortgage fails for lack of evidence.
Anonymous Complaints Against Judges: Evidence Rules and Due Process in Administrative Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when anonymous complaints against judges may prosper and how due process protects judges in administrative proceedings.
Protecting Seafarers: Upholding Disability Claims Despite Company Doctor's Assessment
Supreme Court rules seafarers can dispute company-designated physician's fitness assessment with independent medical evidence, protecting their disability claims.
Finality of Judgment vs Newly Discovered Evidence in Homicide Cases
When a conviction becomes final, can newly discovered evidence reopen the case? The Supreme Court explains the limits.
Circumstantial Evidence and Conspiracy in Robbery with Homicide: People v. Lamsen
How the Supreme Court upheld convictions for robbery with homicide based on eyewitness testimony, circumstantial evidence, and conspiracy.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Preserving Evidence Integrity for Conviction
Learn how Philippine courts apply the chain of custody rule in drug cases, using a 2013 Supreme Court ruling on airport searches.