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.
- A.M. 23-07-26-SCFeb 2024Re: Post of Atty. Erwin Erfe on Social Media Accusing the Court of Judicial TyrannyA lawyer who publicly calls the Supreme Court's action "judicial tyranny" on Facebook is punished, even if he apologizes and deletes the post.
- G.R. 255569Feb 2024Philippine Health Insurance Corporation v. Commission on Audit Philippine Health Insurance Corporation Employees' Association, Through Its Leaders, Lorna Bernas, Susan G. Iduyan, et al.-PhilHealth cannot pay its employees extra bonuses and allowances without a law or presidential approval, and an appeal to the Commission on Audit filed after the 180-day period is too late.
- G.R. 226138Feb 2024Republic of the Philippines, Represented by the Department of Public Works and Highways (Dpwh) v. Espina & Madarang, Co. and Makar Agricultural CorpOwners of land taken for a national highway do not have to file a money claim with the Commission on Audit before being paid just compensation, and they are entitled to interest for the long delay.
- A.M. MTJ-23-019Feb 2024Richard Caringal v. Judge Cornelio a. Sy, Presiding Judge, Municipal Trial Court, San Jose, Occidental MindoroA judge was cleared of misconduct for accepting full payment through the winning party's lawyer, and the Court said that disciplinary complaints are not a substitute for ordinary court remedies.
- A.M. 15-05-50-MCTCFeb 2024In Re: Incorrect Entries in the Daily Time Record of Ms. Lorna M. Martin, Court Stenographer I, Municipal Circuit Trial Court (Mctc), Sta. Ignacia-Mayantoc-San Clemente-San Jose, TarlacA court employee who falsifies her daily time record and defies her judge's lawful order commits serious dishonesty, gross misconduct and gross insubordination, and the Court raised the penalty the OCA recommended.
- G.R. 262579Feb 2024People of the Philippines v. Rossano Samson y TiongcoA man was convicted of murdering an 11-year-old girl based on a chain of circumstances and a lawyer-assisted written confession, but his penalty and damages were lowered to match the Court's standard amounts.
- G.R. 249540Feb 2024Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Arturo E. Villanueva, JrThe tax bureau cannot use the longer 10-year period to assess a taxpayer just because a return is wrong; it must prove the return was false on purpose to evade tax, and it must also prove the taxpayer actually received the assessment notices.
- G.R. 206985Feb 2024Jose Leni Z. Solidum v. Smart Communications, Inc., Napoleon L. Nazareno and Ricardo P. IslaWhen a labor arbiter orders a dismissed employee reinstated and the employer refuses, the employer must pay the wages that built up during the appeal, even if it later wins, and the employee does not have to give them back.
- G.R. 228980Jan 2024Marvin Villanueva y Irodistan v. People of the PhilippinesLifting a 15-year-old girl's skirt and touching her buttocks is lascivious conduct against a child, and the Court upheld the conviction while asking the President to consider reducing the heavy penalty.
- G.R. 253448Jan 2024Mark Franklin a. Lim II v. Field Investigation Bureau, Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for the Military and Other Law Enforcement OfficesA government officer who skipped the required approval for buying supplies without public bidding is guilty only of simple misconduct, not dishonesty or grave misconduct, unless corruption or a clear intent to break the rules is proven.
- G.R. 253450Jan 2024Lani Nayve-Pua v. Union Bank of the PhilippinesA property bought with one partner's own money before marriage stays that partner's alone after the wedding, unless the other partner proves she contributed to buying it.
- G.R. 266921Jan 2024National Transmission Corporation v. Spouses Louis Marco S. Manalo and Rowena Marie T. Manalo, Represented by Freddie M. Arguelles, and Nonylon D. Pedraja and Nonna D. Pedraja, Represented by Julianito B. MoncayoWhen landowners file an inverse condemnation case after Republic Act No. 10752 took effect, the government must deposit 100% of the current BIR zonal value as provisional compensation, even if the power lines were built decades earlier.
- G.R. 242353Jan 2024& 253530 Cecilia Que Yabut, Eumir Carlo Que Camara, and Ma. Corazon Que Garcia v. Carolina Que Villongco, Ana Maria Que Tan, Angelica Que Gonzales (Now Deceased and Substituted by Her Heir Rosa Maria Que Gonzales), Elaine Victoria Que Tan, and Edison Williams Que TanIn a family corporation fight, quorum for a stockholders' meeting is counted from all outstanding shares, including shares under dispute, and the cases were sent back to the trial court because its earlier orders did not explain themselves.
- G.R. 258182Jan 2024And 259950 People of the Philippines v. Romeo Chan RealesWhen the charge depends on proving that government workers never worked, the prosecution must prove it, and signing payroll papers without that proof is not enough to convict an official of graft or malversation.
- G.R. 214741Jan 2024Privatization and Management Office v. Firestone Ceramic, Inc.,•A lease that can be renewed only on terms both sides agree to ends when they cannot agree on the rent, and the lessor can evict the tenant in an ejectment case even if the tenant files another case to block it.
- G.R. 266552Jan 2024Rico B. Escauriaga, Cristine dela Cruz, Rene B. Severino, Ralph Errol Mercado, and Geraldine Guevarra v. Fitness First, Phil., Inc., and Liberty CruzGym trainers who were labelled freelancers but were controlled by the company, paid by commission, and tied to it exclusively were really regular employees.
- A.M. P-23-111Jan 2024Dr. Stella Marie P. Mabanag v. Marvin a. Ramos, Sheriff IV, Branch 34, Regional Trial Court, Balaoan, La UnionA court sheriff who took money from litigants for safekeeping without court approval, and then spent it, was fined and permanently barred from government work even though he had resigned and the complainant dropped the case.
- G.R. 260708Jan 2024People of the Philippines v. Abc260708When a father rapes his young child, the crime should be called qualified rape of a minor, not 'qualified statutory rape', because the child's young age is already absorbed by the special circumstances that raise the crime.
- G.R. 257685Jan 2024Commission on Human Rights, Rep. by Commissioner Karen S. Gomez-Dumpit v. Office of the Ombudsman, Psupt Robert C. Domingo, Po2 Dylan Verdan, Po2 Jonathan Ubarre, Po1 Berly Apolonio, and Other John DoesThe Court refused to order criminal charges against police officers over an alleged secret detention cell because the Commission on Human Rights' evidence did not show probable cause, but it told the police to provide clean and decent custodial facilities.
- G.R. 246434Jan 2024Hernald Bermillo y de Vera v. People of the PhilippinesA man caught with a tiny sachet of shabu was acquitted because the prosecution could not show how the drug was handled after the forensic chemist examined it.