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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Accountability for All: Conspiracy in Carnapping with Homicide
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conspiracy in carnapping with homicide, explaining how circumstantial evidence can prove joint criminal liability.
Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies and SEC Jurisdiction Over Listed Banks
Supreme Court clarifies that listed banks must comply with SEC disclosure rules despite BSP supervision, explaining agency jurisdiction and administrative remedies.
License to Possess: When Technicalities Cannot Overshadow Substantive Rights in Firearm Cases
Supreme Court acquits firearm owner whose license was valid but expired, ruling technical defects cannot override substantive rights.
Voting Rights and Corporate Disputes: PCGG Authority Over Sequestered SMC Shares
The Supreme Court clarifies when the PCGG may vote sequestered shares and how litis pendentia applies in corporate election disputes.
Ombudsman’s Probable Cause Finding in Anti-Graft Cases: When Courts Will Not Interfere
The Supreme Court affirms the Ombudsman’s broad discretion in determining probable cause for anti-graft charges, limiting judicial review.
Premature Deposition: Balancing Due Process and Discovery in Civil Litigation
When can a party take a deposition before all defendants answer? The Supreme Court explains the rule on premature depositions.
Reasonable Doubt Acquittal Based on Insufficient Evidence of Conspiracy in Murder Case
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: mere presence at a crime scene does not prove conspiracy; accused acquitted on reasonable doubt.
Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Intact Hymen: The Role of Corroborating Testimony
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction even with intact hymen, explaining why full penetration is not required for consummation.
Upholding Timeliness and Proper Verification in Labor Disputes: The Pfizer Case
The Supreme Court clarifies the 60-day rule for certiorari petitions and the standards for verification in labor cases.
Hired Guns and Silent Inducements: Criminal Liability in Contract Killings Under Philippine Law
A look at how Philippine courts treat hired killers and those who induce them, based on a landmark 2001 murder case.
Rape Conviction Upheld: The Duty to Protect Children From Abuse Within the Family
The Supreme Court affirms the death penalty for a stepfather who raped his 9-year-old stepdaughter, underscoring the duty to protect children from abuse within the family.
Conspiracy and Murder by Hired Killers: When One Co-Accused's Acquittal Does Not Free Another
A look at how the Supreme Court upheld murder convictions based on conspiracy, positive identification, and circumstantial evidence in a hired killing.
Rape With Deadly Weapon: Victim's Testimony Stands Despite Lack of Physical Evidence
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction with scythe, holding victim's credible testimony sufficient despite absence of weapon or physical evidence.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Upholding the Testimony of Child Rape Victims in Philippine Courts
How the Supreme Court affirmed a death sentence for raping a four-year-old, reinforcing rules on child testimony and credibility.
Co-Terminous Employment and Security of Tenure in Government Contractual Positions
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling that co-terminous government employees serve at the pleasure of the appointing authority and may be terminated before project completion.
Accomplice Liability: Distinguishing Principals From Accessories in Criminal Conspiracy
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on conspiracy, accomplice liability, and how co-conspirators are treated as principals in murder cases.
Conspiracy and Individual Acts in Group Crime: The Dumayan Case
When is a person liable for a group crime? The Supreme Court explains conspiracy and individual liability in People v. Dumayan.
When Can a Lawyer Withdraw Services? Ethical Boundaries Explained
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when lawyers may withdraw from a case and when withdrawal becomes unethical misconduct warranting discipline.
Laches and Land Ownership: When Delay Extinguishes Rights in Philippine Law
Explore how the Supreme Court applied laches to bar a 45-year-old land claim in City Government of Davao v. Monteverde-Consunji.
When Contractual Disputes Dont Constitute Estafa Reconciling Civil Obligations AND Criminal Liability
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when breach of contract becomes estafa, distinguishing civil liability from criminal fraud.
When Double Sale of Land Tests Good Faith and Judicial Impartiality
A priest bought land twice sold; the Supreme Court clarifies good faith in double sales and the limits of judicial discretion.
Quasi-Delict and Vehicular Accidents: When Overtaking Leads to Liability in Philippine Courts
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies negligence, proximate cause, and vicarious liability in a vehicular accident quasi-delict case.
Gross Immorality of Judges: Dismissal and Three-Year Suspension in Aranas
The Supreme Court dismissed a judge for gross immorality over an extramarital affair, suspending him from law practice for three years.
Judicial Efficiency: The Imperative of Timely Case Resolution and Accountability for Delays
A Supreme Court ruling reminds judges that missing the three-month deadline to decide cases is gross inefficiency, even if transcripts are delayed or parties ask for more time.