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. 268399Jan 2024Francheska Aleen Balaba Buban v. Nilo dela PeñaA company that fails to investigate an employee's sexual harassment complaint is liable together with the harasser for damages, but an employee who keeps working and loses no pay or rank is not entitled to separation pay or backwages.
- G.R. 267265Jan 2024People of the Philippines v. Edwin Cordova y Manalastas, Jayson Taladua y Barbarra, Mary Antonette del Rosario y Tamondong, and Jaime Cordova y Manalastas (Acquitted); Edwin Cordova y Manalastas, and Jayson Taladua y BarbarraIn a drug buy-bust case, police must mark and inventory the seized drugs right away at the place of arrest with the required witnesses, and waiting about 25 minutes for the witnesses to arrive, with no justification, leads to acquittal.
- G.R. 253003Jan 2024Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Mindanao II Geothermal PartnershipA VAT-registered business claiming a refund of input VAT on zero-rated sales does not have to show that the input tax comes from purchases that form part of its finished product or are directly used in production.
- G.R. 261666Jan 2024Rommel Genio y Santos v. People of the PhilippinesThe prosecution cannot rely on a marriage certificate alone to prove a second marriage was valid; if the accused raises reasonable doubt about it, he is not guilty of bigamy, though he can still be convicted of knowingly marrying against the law.
- G.R. 259284Jan 2024People of the Philippines v. E & D Parts Supply, Inc. and Margaret L. UyA taxpayer's acquittal in a tax crime case does not by itself cancel the tax it owes, but a tax assessment is void if the auditor lacked a proper Letter of Authority.
- G.R. 255567Jan 2024People of the Philippines v. Juliana Acuin VillasinBreaking government procurement rules does not by itself make a public official guilty of graft; the prosecution must also prove bad faith, partiality or gross negligence and corrupt intent.
- G.R. 266754Jan 2024People of the Philippines v. Marivic Saldivar y RegatchoA woman who offered a 14-year-old street child to paying men for sex was properly convicted of qualified trafficking in persons, even without an entrapment operation.
- G.R. 258417Jan 2024Rommel Z. Borja v. People of the PhilippinesA man who physically hurt his live-in partner was properly convicted under the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act, and the Court chose actual jail time instead of community service.
- G.R. 246489Jan 2024Spouses Christopher and Carmen Nuñez v. Dr. Henry DazA doctor acquitted of reckless imprudence could not be made to pay damages when nobody proved that he was at fault for a hot water bag that burst during a child's brain surgery.
- DecisionJan 2024G.r. No. 217860* Spouses Leonardo Lontoc and Nancy Lontoc, Petitioners, Vs. Spouses Roselie Tiglao and Tomas Tiglao, Jr., Respondents.A court's judgment that a mortgaged property is foreclosed must state how much the debtor owes and give the debtor 90 to 120 days to pay; without these, the judgment is incomplete and cannot be enforced.
- G.R. 246787Jan 2024Spouses Enrique Llonillo and Marites Llonillo v. People of the PhilippinesA person acquitted of a crime can still be ordered to pay a debt in the same criminal case, if it is related to the same act and the debt is proven by the usual civil standard.
- G.R. 198425Jan 2024Securities and Exchange Commission v. Hon. Rodolfo R. Bonifacio, in His Capacity as the Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 159, Pasig City, Philippine Association of Securities Brokers and Dealers, Inc. (Pasbdi), Ma. Vivian Yuchengco, Ismael G. Cruz, Nestor S. Aguila, and Marita a. Limlingan, Philippine Stock Exchange (Pse) Pse'S 2009 Nominations and Elections Committee (Nomelec) Securities and Exchange Commission Vs. Hon. Rodolfo R. Bonifacio, in His Capacity as the Presiding Judge of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 159, Pasng City, Philippine Association of Securities Brokers and Dealers, Inc. (Pasbdi), Ma. Vivian Yuchengco, Ismael G. Cruz, Nestor S. Aguila, and Marita a. Limlingan, Philippine Stock Exchange (Pse) Pse'S 2009 Nominations and Elections Committee (Nomelec) Securities and Exchange Commission Vs. Philippine Association of Securities Brokers and Dealers, Inc. (Pasbdi), Ma. Vivian Yuchengco, Ismael G. Cruz, Nestor S. Aguila, and Marita a. LimlinganRegular trial courts can hear challenges to rules an agency issues under its rule-making power, and stockbrokers as a group may hold no more than 20% of the Philippine Stock Exchange's voting rights, but each broker may still vote all of his or her own shares within that cap.
- A.M. CA-23-001-PJan 2024Court of Appeals v. Garry U. Caliwan, Messenger, Office of the Division Clerk of Court, Edmundo T. Malit, Records Officer I, Archives Section, Judicial Records Division, and Frederick C. Mauricio, Utility Worker II, Civil Cases Section, Judicial Records Division, All of the Court of Appeals, ManilaCourt of Appeals employees who tested positive for shabu a second time, after already completing rehabilitation, were dismissed or lost their retirement benefits.
- A.M. P-19-3923Jan 2024Office of the Court Administrator v. Nemia Alma y. Almanoche, Court Stenographer III, Branch 10, Regional Trial Court, Malaybalay City, BukidnonA court stenographer who asked a litigant's mother for money, supposedly to pass on to the judge, prosecutor and public attorney, was dismissed for serious dishonesty even though she never received the full amount.
- A.M. P-23-077Jan 2024(Formerly Oca Ipi No. 20-5026-P) Danilo D. Divinagracia v. Michael Vincent L. Ozon, Clerk III, Branch 1, Regional Trial Court, Butuan City, Agusan del NorteA court clerk who demanded money to release certificates of finality and sold a paid shortcut for serving decisions on the Solicitor General was dismissed for gross misconduct.
- G.R. 261107Jan 2024Ana Liza Arriola Peralta v. Commission on Elections, Represented by the Campaign Finance UnitA government body that takes more than six years to finish a simple preliminary investigation, without a good reason, violates a person's right to a speedy disposition of her case, and the complaint must be dismissed.
- A.C. 13955Jan 2024(Formerly Cbd Case No. 19-6114) Adrian M. Kelley v. Atty. Cipriano D. Robielos IIIA lawyer who keeps borrowing money, issues a bouncing check, refuses to pay, and ignores the Bar's orders can be disbarred, especially when he has been punished for the same kind of conduct before.
- A.M. P-23-082Jan 2024(Formerly Oca Ipi No. 19-4991-P) Rodalyn Guinto-Hanif v. Christopher T. Perez, Sheriff IV, Branch 74, Regional Trial Court, Olongapo City, ZambalesA court sheriff who punches a person while enforcing a writ, and who ignores repeated orders to answer the complaint, can be dismissed from the service and fined.
- DecisionJan 2024Bar Matter No. 4720 in Re: Petition to Retain/reacquire the Privilege to Resume the Practice of Law in the Philippines, Regina Stella P. Jacinto, Petitioner.A Filipino lawyer who keeps her Philippine citizenship after becoming a citizen of another country must still ask the Supreme Court to formalize her privilege to practice law.
- G.R. 262600Jan 2024People of the Philippines v. AaaWhen a girl is raped by a man who holds a father-like position over her, such as her mother's live-in partner, his moral power over her takes the place of force, so she need not prove she physically fought back.