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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Fleeing Justice: How Absence Can Imply Guilt in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains when flight from arrest signals guilt, and why absence alone cannot prove conspiracy or treachery.
When Rape Precedes Robbery: Distinguishing Theft from Robbery with Rape
The Supreme Court clarifies when taking property after rape constitutes theft, not robbery with rape, in People v. Tamayo.
Timeliness Matters: A Judge's Duty to Promptly Resolve Cases Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court affirms a rape conviction while reminding judges of their duty to decide cases promptly, exploring the importance of timely justice.
Electoral Justice Imperiled When Judges Overstep In Voter Inclusion Cases
When a judge grants voter inclusion petitions without hearing, the integrity of elections and judiciary suffers. A Supreme Court ruling explains why.
Confessions and Constitutional Rights: Safeguarding Justice in Custodial Investigations
The Supreme Court acquits an accused in a rape-homicide case, ruling that confessions obtained without counsel and circumstantial evidence are insufficient for conviction.
Defining Agricultural Tenancy: Personal Cultivation and Harvest Sharing in Land Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when a civil lease becomes agricultural tenancy, requiring personal cultivation and harvest sharing.
Probationary Employment: Defining the Boundaries of Employer Discretion in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies probationary employment rules, six-month period computation, and abandonment of work in CALS Poultry v. Roco.
Seafarers Are Contractual Employees: The Millares Ruling on Fixed-Term Overseas Work
The Supreme Court clarifies that Filipino seafarers are contractual, not regular, employees under Philippine law, and explains the limits of Article 280.
Seafarers' Employment Status: Contractual, Not Regular, Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that seafarers are contractual employees, not regular employees under Article 280 of the Labor Code.
Limits to Free Speech: Protecting Judicial Independence From Public Pressure
The Supreme Court held that statements pressuring justices to rule a certain way are not protected free speech but indirect contempt of court.
Preemptive Rights in Philippine Corporations: Making Your Right of First Refusal Valid
Learn how Philippine law treats preemptive rights and right of first refusal in corporations, and how to make these rights valid and enforceable.
The Perils of Buy-Busts: Establishing Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt in Drug Cases
An analysis of Morales v. People on the strict evidentiary standard for buy-bust operations in Philippine drug prosecutions.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails: Acquittal in Rape Case Due to Inconsistent Testimony
When a rape complainant's testimony is inconsistent and coached, the prosecution fails moral certainty, and acquittal follows.
Incestuous Rape: Proving the Victim's Age and the Limits of Amending the Information
A father's rape conviction was reduced from death to reclusion perpetua because the prosecution failed to prove the victim's minority with competent evidence.
Standing Firm Against Abuse: The Supreme Court's Stance on Rape and Incest
A father's rape of his 9-year-old daughter tests the limits of Philippine law on evidence, procedure, and the death penalty.
Debt Default by Public Servants: Upholding Ethical Standards in Government Employment
Court rules on public servants' willful failure to pay just debts, clarifying administrative liability under civil service rules.
Incestuous Rape and Proving the Victim's Minority in Capital Cases
In People v. Canon, the Supreme Court affirmed a death sentence for a father who raped his nine-year-old daughter, ruling on how minority and relationship are proven.
Judicial Ethics Under Scrutiny: Dismissal for Immorality and Misconduct
Supreme Court dismisses judge for illicit affair and courtroom drinking, reinforcing strict judicial ethics standards in the Philippines.
Father's Conviction for Raping Minor Daughter Upheld; Death Penalty Affirmed
The Supreme Court affirms the death sentence of a father convicted of qualified rape of his 14-year-old daughter, clarifying rules on victim credibility and damages.
Accomplice Liability in Kidnapping: Intent and the Scope of Criminal Participation
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a person becomes an accomplice, not a conspirator, in kidnapping for ransom cases.
When SEC Actions Overstep Legal Boundaries: Injunctions and Prejudgment Remedies
A look at when courts can issue injunctions against SEC actions and the limits of prejudgment remedies in Philippine securities regulation.
Independent Counsel Requirement in Custodial Investigation: The Velarde Case
A mayor acting as counsel during custodial investigation is not independent, making confessions inadmissible and leading to acquittal.
Solidary Liability of Co-Principals in Agency: Agent May Collect Full Commission From Any Principal
When co-owners appoint an agent for a common transaction, they are solidarily liable. The agent can collect the full commission from any one of them.
Rape Conviction: Why Qualifying Circumstances Must Be Proved Beyond Reasonable Doubt
The Supreme Court explains when rape is qualified or simple, and why the prosecution must prove every aggravating circumstance beyond reasonable doubt.