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. 265434Mar 2025People of the Philippines v. Edgardo Bernardino y Tamayo a.k.a. "Totong,"A person caught selling marijuana in a proper buy-bust operation can be convicted of both selling and using illegal drugs when a drug test after the arrest also shows he used marijuana.
- G.R. 255602Mar 2025Joy M. Villarico v. D.m. Consunji, Inc. and Madeline B. GacutanAn employer who fires a worker for a good reason but skips the required two notices must still pay nominal damages, and money claims like 13th month pay can only go back three years, though unpaid leave pay can be claimed for the whole employment.
- G.R. 222448Mar 2025United Coconut Planters Bank, Substituted by Land Bank of the Philippines,* v. Editha F. Ang and Violeta M. FernandezA bank cannot validly foreclose a mortgage when the interest rates it charged were void because the bank alone set them, since the borrowers never had a fair chance to pay the correct amount.
- G.R. 268109Mar 2025Jaaziel M. Salva-Roldan v. Lory O. Roldan and Republic of the PhilippinesA marriage can be annulled when one spouse hid his homosexuality from the other before the wedding, if the spouse who was deceived proves it with enough evidence.
- G.R. 236548Mar 2025Ruben Comamo y Jimeno v. People of the PhilippinesPolice carrying out a valid search warrant may seize other illegal items they come across by chance, even if the warrant did not list them, and those items can be used as evidence.
- A.C. 11993Mar 2025Dr. Joyce T. Hidalgo v. Atty. Berteni Cataluña CausingA lawyer who repeats an unverified bribery rumor about a judge in an unrelated complaint is guilty of misconduct, and if he is already disbarred, the new penalty is recorded for use if he ever asks to be reinstated.
- G.R. 256709Mar 2025Philippine Guarantee Corporation, Formerly Trade and Investment Development Corporation of the Philippines v. Commission on Audit, Chairperson Michael G. Aguinaldo, Commissioner Jose a. Fabia and Commissioner Roland C. PondocA government official who sits on a corporation's board only because of his main job cannot receive extra pay for it, and must return any such pay even if he acted in good faith.
- UDK 17895Mar 2025Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (Pcso), Remeliza Jovita M. Gabuyo, Estrella P. Abasolo, Edna M. Teoxon, Rowena E. Villespin, Eric D. Basit, Ela C. Peña, All Pcso Employees Assigned at Camarines Norte Provincial District Office, Represented by Irma S. Guemo v. Michael G. Aguinaldo, Commission on Audit (COA) Chairperson, Mario G. Lipana, and Roland C. Pondoc, Commissioners, COAThe Commission on Audit was right to disallow the extra allowances and bonuses PCSO paid its Camarines Norte employees, but only the officers who approved or certified them can be made to pay back, not the ordinary employees who just received them.
- A.M. MTJ-25-035Mar 2025Anonymous v. Hon. Julieto N. Bajan, Presiding Judge, Branch 2, Municipal Trial Court in Cities, Surigao City, Surigao del NorteA retired judge who came late to hearings, smoked in court, slept during trial, heard cases from other courts and ignored orders to comment on the complaints against him was fined a total of PHP 550,000.00.
- G.R. 257910Mar 2025Alfonso Patotoy y Centeno @ "Nonoy," v. People of the PhilippinesPolice may lawfully arrest and search a person caught violating an ordinance that carries a jail term, so a gun found on him is admissible, unlike when the offense is punishable by a fine only.
- G.R. 257827Mar 2025The Heirs of Lieutenant General Jacinto C. Ligot , Erlinda y. Ligot, Paulo y. Ligot, Riza y. Ligot, and Miguel y. Ligot v. Republic of the Philippines the Heirs of Lieutenant General Jacinto C. Ligot , Erlinda y. Ligot, Paulo y. Ligot, Riza y. Ligot, and Miguel y. Ligot, Edgardo T. Yambao, and Gilda y. Alfonso-Velasquez Vs. Republic of the Philippines Edgardo T. Yambao Vs. Republic of the Philippines the Heirs of Miguela Ligot-Paragas Vs. Republic of the PhilippinesA government official's unexplained wealth can be forfeited to the State even if the properties and bank accounts are in the names of relatives or other people, as long as the real owner can be traced to the official.
- G.R. 234512Mar 2025People of the Philippines v. Xxx234512A mother who took her two young daughters to a hotel and sold them to a foreigner for sexual abuse is guilty of trafficking, but without proof of the girls' ages and of her relationship to them, the heavier child-prostitution and qualified trafficking charges could not stand.
- G.R. 255564Mar 2025Spouses Feliciana and Angel Cesa, Substituted by Their Heirs, Represented by Angelica Cesa Jorge, With Business Names Postema Realty Corporation and Tanza Regal Farm v. Spouses Elisa Montano Brucelas and David Brucelas, Spouses Raymundo a. del Rosario and Nelia del Rosario, and the Heirs of Andres Montano—lido Quini-Quini, Daniel M. Quini-Quini, and Cristina M. Quini-Quini, and Their SpousesWhen the same land is sold twice, the buyer who first took possession and paid for it wins over a second buyer who registered the title but ignored obvious signs that someone else was already occupying the land.
- G.R. 252101Mar 2025Guagua National Colleges v. Guagua National Colleges Faculty Labor Union, and Guagua National Colleges Non-Teaching and Maintenance Labor UnionThe NLRC may enforce a collective bargaining agreement it imposed on an employer that bargained in bad faith, but only for the period that agreement covers and without any signing bonus.
- G.R. 251333-34Mar 2025Coral Bay Nickel Corporation v. Commissioner of Internal RevenueA company registered in an economic zone is not exempt from VAT on everything it buys; purchases of goods and services used outside the zone carry 12% VAT, and the company can claim a refund of that input VAT tied to its export sales.
- G.R. 232323Feb 2025Jessica Lucila G. Reyes v. the Honorable Sandiganbayan Third Division and the People of the Philippines Jessica Lucila G. Reyes Vs. the Honorable Sandiganbayan Third Division and the People of the PhilippinesOnce the Sandiganbayan acquitted Jessica Lucila G. Reyes of plunder, the Supreme Court could no longer rule on her earlier petitions, because an acquittal is final and she cannot be tried again for the same crime.
- G.R. 248583Feb 2025Robert Plan y Beloncio and Mark Oliver D. Enolva v. People of the PhilippinesTwo men accused of illegal gambling were acquitted because the police could not give the details of the bets they claimed to have seen, so there was reasonable doubt.
- G.R. 264724Feb 2025Jhopet Toralde y Hernandez,* v. People of the PhilippinesA 14-year-old girl who gave in to an older boyfriend's threat to spread a video of them kissing did not consent to sex, so he is guilty of rape even though they were sweethearts.
- G.R. 265758Feb 2025People of the Philippines v. Ybo LastimosaA photocopy of a document, such as a death certificate, can now be used in court like the original unless someone raises a real doubt about the original or shows that using the copy would be unfair.
- G.R. 266016Feb 2025The Subic Bay Freeport Chamber of Commerce, Inc. and Benjamin E. Antonio, III v. Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, Bureau of Internal Revenue, Revenue District Office No. 19 of Subic Bay Freeport Zone, and Subic Bay Metropolitan AuthorityRules and BIR circulars cannot take away from freeport businesses a VAT zero-rating on local purchases that the CREATE Act gives to all registered business enterprises, not just exporters.