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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Incestuous Rape: Moral Ascendancy Replaces Force in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on incestuous rape, where a father's moral ascendancy substitutes for force and intimidation in securing conviction.
Rape Conviction Upheld on Victim's Credible Testimony Despite Intact Hymen
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on child victim's credible testimony, clarifies that intact hymen does not negate rape.
Timely Execution: A Sheriff's Duty to Report and the Consequences of Delay
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling reminds sheriffs that writs of execution must be returned and reported on time, and that delay carries administrative liability.
Judicial Accountability and Timely Resolution: Lessons from People v. Servano
The Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Servano clarifies incest rape rules while underscoring the judiciary's duty to resolve cases without delay.
Marcos Ill-Gotten Wealth: The Power of Presumptions in Forfeiture Cases
How the Supreme Court ruled that presumptions and admissions can justify summary judgment in recovering Marcos ill-gotten wealth under RA 1379.
Percentage Tax on Pawnshops: Defining Lending Investors Under Philippine Law
Supreme Court ruling on whether pawnshops are lending investors subject to 5% percentage tax under the NIRC.
Tax Exemptions for Government Corporations: The Philippine Ports Authority Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when government-owned corporations like the PPA must pay local taxes, and when they cannot change legal theories on appeal.
Self-Defense Plea Fails When Ambush Claim Is Uncorroborated in Homicide Case
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense fails and how treachery must be proven in homicide cases.
Breach of Confidence When a Lawyer's Duty Collides With Self-Defense
A lawyer cannot use confidential client information to defend himself in an unrelated case. The Supreme Court explains the limits of attorney-client privilege.
Acquisitive Prescription Good Faith AND Just Title IN Land Ownership Disputes
Learn how good faith and just title affect acquisitive prescription in Philippine land ownership disputes, based on Supreme Court rulings.
Reinstatement After Election Protest: Oath of Office Not Always Required
Supreme Court clarifies when a reinstated local official need not retake the oath to validly reassume office after an election protest.
Timely Justice Reckoning Deadlines In Default Order Motions
Learn how the 90-day period for resolving motions is counted, based on a Supreme Court ruling on default orders.
The Boundaries of Self Defense When Force Becomes Unlawful Aggression in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when self-defense is valid and when force becomes unlawful aggression in criminal cases.
When Constitutional Limits Bar Recovery of Illegally Acquired Property
Philippine Supreme Court explains why an alien who bought land through a Filipino cannot recover the property or his money.
Judicial Accountability: Dismissal of Charges Requires Evidence Beyond Bare Allegations
Administrative complaints against judges must rest on competent evidence, not suspicion. The Supreme Court's ruling in Mijares clarifies when judges may be held liable.
Safeguarding Suffrage: Residency and Congressional Oversight in Overseas Voting
The Supreme Court upholds overseas absentee voting law, clarifying residency rules, COMELEC's proclamation powers, and limits on congressional oversight.
Control Is Key: Determining Employer-Employee Relationships in Outsourcing Arrangements
The Supreme Court clarifies when a principal employer becomes liable for outsourced workers, emphasizing control over contractual labels.
Environmental Clearance and Exhaustion of Remedies: Protecting Fisherfolk Rights in Minolo Cove
Supreme Court ruling on why fisherfolk must exhaust administrative remedies before challenging an Environmental Clearance Certificate in court.
Judicial Overreach Approving Bail Outside Jurisdictional Boundaries 2
Supreme Court clarifies venue, exhaustion of administrative remedies, and limits on injunctions in environmental cases.
Judicial Discretion vs Mandatory Rules: Extending Search Warrant Validity
The Supreme Court clarifies when a judge's erroneous extension of a search warrant's validity is an administrative offense or a protected error of judgment.
Treachery Defined: How Sudden Attacks Qualify as Murder Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains treachery in murder cases—when a sudden, unexpected attack qualifies as a qualifying circumstance under Philippine law.
Forum Shopping in Labor Disputes: Simultaneous Appeals Lead to Dismissal
Filing an appeal with the Supreme Court while a prohibited second motion for reconsideration is pending before the Court of Appeals constitutes forum shopping.
Airline Passenger Rights: When Rerouting Breaches the Contract of Carriage
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when airlines breach carriage contracts by rerouting passengers without consent, and what damages apply.
Upholding Final Judgments The Limits of Annulment Based on Jurisdictional Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on finality of judgments and limits of jurisdictional challenges in annulment cases.