Decision summaries
What each Supreme Court decision decided, in a sentence or two. Open one and use its Summary tab for the facts, issue and ruling in plain language or lawyer mode. These are study aids, not legal advice. Check the decision itself before you rely on it.
- G.R. 264919-21May 2024Gloria Maris Shark'S Fin Restaurant, Inc. v. Pacifico Q. LimA company's co-founder who registers the company's name as his own trademark, knowing the company has used it for years, acts in bad faith and loses the registration.
- G.R. 237638May 2024Bgs Realty, Inc., Represented by Its Attorney-in-Fact Miguel Angelo Sarte Silverio v. Demetrio Aydalla and Heirs of Jose AydallaFarmer-beneficiaries who hold emancipation patents were not stripped of their land, because the agrarian office that ruled against them did not give them a real chance to be heard.
- G.R. 262749May 2024People of the Philippines v. JjjMaking children perform sexual shows online for foreign customers in exchange for money is qualified trafficking in persons, and child pornography is a separate crime from trafficking, although here it could no longer be charged because of double jeopardy.
- G.R. 261459May 2024Xxx,* v. the Court of Appeals, People of the Philippines, and AaaIn a VAWC case, an order to give monthly support to the wife and child can be enforced right away while the appeal is pending, because it works like a protection order.
- G.R. 259862May 2024Social Security System v. Commission on AuditThe Supreme Court upheld the Commission on Audit's disallowance of about PHP 20.7 million in employee incentives that the Social Security System paid without proper legal basis, and ordered the payees and the approving officers to return the money.
- G.R. 249061May 2024Philippine Health Insurance Corporation v. Commission on Audit, Michael G. Aguinaldo, ChairpersonGovernment agencies cannot give allowances and gifts to job order and project-based contractors, but the officers who only certified that funds were available are not made to pay back the money.
- A.C. 13842May 2024(Formerly Cbd Case No. 18-5810) Atty. Wilfredo Garrido, Jr. v. Atty. Lorenzo G. GadonA lawyer who swears that his complaint is based on personal knowledge or authentic records, when it is really based on hearsay, commits gross misconduct, even in an impeachment complaint.
- G.R. 258527May 2024Arthur N. Aguilar, Ma. Theresa T. Defensor, Jeremy Z. Parulan, Fermin S. Lusung, Antonio T. Vilar, Enrique C. Cuejilo, Jr., Guillermo N. Hernandez, Rolando L. Macasaet, and Wilfredo P. Cu v. Commission on AuditDirectors and senior officers of a government-owned company cannot give themselves gratuity pay without the approvals the law requires, and those who approved and received it must return the money.
- A.C. 13368May 2024William S. Uy v. Atty. Elerizza a. Libiran-MeteoroA lawyer who repeatedly gets loans with checks that bounce, and ignores demands to pay, can be disbarred.
- G.R. 261472May 2024National Food Authority, Represented by Atty. Ma. Theresa S. Villafuerte, Cpa, in Her Capacity as Department Manager of Nfa Legal Affairs Department v. City Government of Tagum, City Assessor and City Treasurer of Tagum, Province of Davao del NorteThe National Food Authority is a government instrumentality, not a government-owned corporation, so a city cannot tax its real properties.
- G.R. 262975May 2024Magkakasama Sa Sakahan, Kaunlaran (Magsasaka) Party-List, Represented by Its Secretary General, Atty. General D. Du v. Commission on Elections and Soliman Villamin, JrThe Commission on Elections (COMELEC) cannot force a party-list group to keep a leader that the group itself has validly expelled, so the expelled leader had no power to file the group's election papers.
- G.R. 242473May 2024People of the Philippines v. Adrian Adrales y Jurado a.k.a. "Alicia Bakla,"A person who brings a child to customers for sex is guilty of qualified trafficking in persons, and it does not matter that the child was known for such conduct or agreed to it.
- G.R. 254838May 2024Jessica Lucila G. Reyes v. Director or Whoever Is in Charge of Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig, Metro Manila, and Jcinsp. Wena Fe Dalagan, Warden, Taguig City Jail Female DormitoryThe Supreme Court refused to reverse its order freeing an accused who had been jailed for almost nine years while her plunder trial dragged on, because detention under a valid court order can become oppressive and violate the right to speedy trial.
- G.R. 241649May 2024Ron de Guzman Dimaapi v. People of the PhilippinesA person can be convicted of robbery even without direct proof that he took the goods, if a chain of proven circumstances points only to his guilt.
- G.R. 252347May 2024Rudy T. Ampolitod v. Top Ever Marine Management Phils. Inc., Temm Maritime Co., Ltd., and Capt. Oscar D. OrbetaA seafarer whose illness is not on the official list can still get full disability benefits if his work probably contributed to it and the company doctor never properly gave him a final fitness assessment.
- G.R. 240320May 2024The Philippine American Life and General Insurance Company* and Pablito Bais v. Romeo D. Soriano and Maria Luisa R. SorianoInsurers that deny a valid accident claim and drag out the case can be made to pay interest and exemplary damages, and doubts in an insurance contract are decided in favor of the insured.
- G.R. 262034May 2024Mercuria B. Magsi v. Heirs of Ignacio a. Lopez, Jr., Namely: Delia de Guzman Lopez and Lorraine de Guzman Lopez, and Rodolfo Barnachea, SrIn a forcible entry case, the person who was in physical possession first wins, even against the titled owner, because owners cannot throw out an occupant by force.
- G.R. 263560May 2024People of Philippines v. Ferdinand Cadorna y Decembriano Alias "Maco,"When an adult kills a young child, the Court treats the killing as murder because a child cannot fight back, and the accused can be convicted even without an eyewitness to the killing itself.
- G.R. 267609May 2024People of the Philippines v. Wilfreda Laput Campos a.k.a. "Freda,"A bar owner who offers girls to customers for sex in exchange for money is guilty of qualified trafficking, even if no sex act took place and even if she did not know one of the girls was a minor.
- G.R. 264039May 2024People of the Philippines v. Ceferina Mendez a.k.a. "Soping/sofia"Police may catch someone who sells people for sex by pretending to be a customer, because that is a valid entrapment and not instigation.