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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Rape Conviction and Identification: Understanding the Burden of Proof in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies proof beyond reasonable doubt in rape cases, distinguishing positive identification from mere speculation.
Rape Conviction: Penetration and Credibility of Child Witnesses in Philippine Law
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling that slight penetration suffices for rape and that young victims' testimonies deserve full credence.
Treachery in Philippine Law: When Does an Attack Qualify as Murder
The Supreme Court explains when a killing is treachery-qualified murder and when it remains only homicide, with practical guidance.
Illegal Dismissal: Understanding Backwages and Separation Pay in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine law computes backwages and separation pay for illegally dismissed employees, based on a landmark Supreme Court ruling.
Back Wages vs. Separation Pay: Employee Rights When a Business Closes in the Philippines
Learn when Philippine employees get separation pay but not back wages after business closure, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
Bail in the Philippines: When Is a Hearing Required in Capital Offenses
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that bail in capital offenses requires a hearing, even if the prosecution recommends bail.
When Running for Senator Moots a Presidential Election Protest
The Supreme Court explains when a candidate's election to another office abandons and moots a pending presidential election protest.
Termination of School Administrators: Qualification Standards and Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when schools may terminate administrators for lacking qualifications, and the due process required.
Understanding Substituted Service and Extrinsic Fraud in Philippine Ejectment Cases
Learn how Philippine courts treat substituted service of summons and extrinsic fraud in ejectment cases, based on a 1996 Supreme Court ruling.
When Can the BOI Amend a Company's Registration? A Look at First Lepanto Ceramics
The Supreme Court clarifies the BOI's discretion to amend a registered enterprise's product line, even amid pending violation cases.
Employers Burden of Proof in Justifying Loss of Trust and Confidence in Employee Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that employers must prove just cause for dismissal based on loss of trust and confidence, not merely allege it.
Public Bidding in Government Contracts: The NFA Security Services Case
The Supreme Court nullified NFA's negotiated security contracts, reaffirming that public bidding is the rule in government procurement, not the exception.
When Can a Mortgage on Public Land Be Void: DBP v. Court of Appeals
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when mortgaging land under a free patent application is void and what makes a mortgage valid.
Perjury in the Philippines: False Statements in Legal Documents Explained
Learn how Philippine courts define perjury, what makes a false statement criminal, and why withdrawing a petition does not erase liability.
Incestuous Rape: Fear Explains Delay in Reporting Sexual Abuse
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how fear and terror in incestuous rape justify a victim's delay in reporting sexual abuse to authorities.
When Lack of Resistance Negates a Rape Charge: Understanding Consent in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when a complainant's failure to resist can cast reasonable doubt on a rape charge, and what this means for proving force and intimidation.
Handling Court Funds: Duties and Liabilities of Court Personnel in the Philippines
Supreme Court ruling on a clerk of court's liability for mishandling consignation deposits, fiduciary funds, and JDF collections.
Rape Conviction and the Weight of Credible Testimony: Protecting Victims' Rights in the Philippines
How the Supreme Court affirmed a rape conviction, underscoring the power of a credible victim's testimony and the limits of the alibi defense.
Arrastre Operator Liability: Understanding the Limits of Responsibility for Lost Cargo
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when an arrastre operator is liable for lost cargo and how management contracts limit that liability.
Proof Beyond Reasonable Doubt: The Imperative of Voluntariness in Rape Cases
In People v. Subido, the Supreme Court acquitted a rape accused, emphasizing that the prosecution must prove force and lack of voluntariness beyond reasonable doubt.
When Can Eyewitness Testimony Alone Convict in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence, not just eyewitness testimony, can convict an accused beyond reasonable doubt.
Navigating Administrative LAW Exhaustion OF Remedies AND Cabinet Approval IN THE Philippines
Project Employee vs Regular Employee: What the Supreme Court Says
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish project employees from regular employees, and what the Samson ruling means for workers' security of tenure.
Understanding Res Judicata: How a Previous Case Can Affect Your Legal Rights in the Philippines
Learn how res judicata bars re-litigation of settled cases in the Philippines, its elements, and practical implications.