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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Due Process Prevails: Joint vs Solidary Liability and the Fallo Rule
Learn how the Supreme Court protected a debtor from over-execution by applying the rule that the dispositive portion of a judgment prevails.
Police Authority vs. Individual Rights: Illegal Drug Sales and the Integrity of Evidence
A 2001 Supreme Court ruling on a buy-bust operation in Binondo shows how courts weigh police credibility, evidence integrity, and the presumption of innocence.
Rape Shield Protecting Child Victims AND Upholding Justice
The Supreme Court affirms rape convictions based on the credible testimony of a victim, explaining key evidentiary rules in Philippine rape cases.
Positive Identification Over Alibi: When Witness Testimony Prevails in Murder Cases
The Supreme Court explains why positive identification by eyewitnesses outweighs alibi and denial in murder cases, affirming a conviction for treachery.
Parental Authority and Rape: Why Minority Must Be Alleged in Qualified Rape Cases
A Supreme Court ruling explains why a father's conviction for raping his daughter was reduced from death to reclusion perpetua when her minority was not alleged.
Strict Rules on Appeal Briefs: Why Technical Defects Can Cost a Case
The Supreme Court explains why a defective appellant's brief can lead to dismissal of an appeal, even if the case has merit.
Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Lack of Physical Evidence: Credible Testimony Suffices
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape conviction based on credible testimony, not physical evidence, and the importance of proper allegation of qualifying circumstances.
Credibility in Rape Cases: Supreme Court on Uncorroborated Testimony and Victim Behavior
SC explains why a rape victim's testimony can stand alone, and why the death penalty needed the relationship alleged in the information.
Conviction Upheld on Circumstantial Evidence in Carnapping-Murder Case
The Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence suffices for conviction and why unproven aggravating circumstances mean reclusion perpetua, not death.
Judicial Ethics: Upholding Moral Standards and Avoiding Impropriety in the Judiciary
The Supreme Court fined a judge P40,000 for immorality and conduct unbecoming after he facilitated the employment of three minors as guest relations officers.
Credibility of Rape Victim's Testimony: Supreme Court on Conflicting Evidence and Behavioral Expectations
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction, explaining why a victim's testimony prevails over alibi and why resistance is not always required.
Navigating Force Majeure When Strikes Excuse Contractual Delays in Philippine Law
When do strikes excuse delayed delivery? The Supreme Court explains force majeure, good faith, and damages in government bidding.
Repealed Law Cannot Govern Licensure Exams: Lessons from Bordallo v. PRC
When a new law repeals an old one, examiners cannot apply the old passing rate. The Supreme Court explains why in Bordallo v. PRC.
Why Qualifying Circumstances Must Be Alleged in Rape Informations
The Supreme Court explains why failure to allege minority and use of a deadly weapon in a rape information downgrades the crime to simple rape.
Qualifying Circumstances in Rape: Why Specific Allegation in the Information Matters
The Supreme Court clarifies that qualifying circumstances like minority and use of a deadly weapon must be alleged in the information to justify the death penalty.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails: Acquittal in Forcible Abduction and Rape Case Based on Inconsistent Testimony
Supreme Court acquits accused in forcible abduction with rape case, ruling that inconsistent testimony and lack of resistance failed to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Dying Declarations and Witness Credibility: Reevaluating Guilt in Homicide Cases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies rape conviction standards, intact hymen evidence, and proper death penalty application in People v. Dayna.
On Duty or Off Target: Defining Course of Employment in Police Compensation Claims
The Supreme Court clarifies when a police officer's death is compensable under employees' compensation law, applying the 24-hour duty doctrine.
Double Sale of Land: Why Prior Registration Alone Does Not Win Ownership
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that in double sales of land, prior registration only prevails if the second buyer acted in good faith throughout.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Penetration, Not Hymen Damage, Is the Key
An intact hymen does not negate rape. The Supreme Court clarifies that slight penetration suffices for conviction.
Intact Hymen Does Not Negate Rape: SC Upholds Conviction But Reduces Death Penalty
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction despite intact hymen, but reduces death penalty to reclusion perpetua for lack of qualifying circumstances.
The Boundaries of Consent: Statutory Rape and the Exploitation of Minors in the Philippines
The Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Jalosjos clarifies that statutory rape applies regardless of consent, especially when minors are exploited.
Safeguarding Due Process: The Right to a Complete Preliminary Investigation
When an incomplete preliminary investigation leads to a warrant of arrest, the Supreme Court steps in to protect the accused's right to due process.
Judicial Responsibility in Ensuring Timely Justice and Efficient Court Management
When a judge blames lost court records for a two-year delay, the Supreme Court clarifies that efficient case management is a judicial duty.