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. 231546Mar 2023Land Bank of the Philippines v. Margarito E. Tayko, Jorge E. Tayko, Mauro E. Tayko, Jr., Jesus E. Tayko, Dr. Manuel E.tayko, Felipe E. Tayko, Jovencio E. Tayko, Jose E. Tayko, Teopisto T. Guingona, Jr., Manuel T. Guingona, Benjamin T. Guingona, Brigida Tankeh Guingona, Bartolome T. Guingona, Bernardino T. Guingona, Bianca Marie T. Guingona, Jose T. Guingona, Luis T. Guingona, and Josefa Tayko GuingonaWhen the government takes land under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program, its price must be computed with the factors in R.A. No. 6657 and the DAR formula, using data from the time the land was taken.
- G.R. 255387Mar 2023People of the Philippines v. XyzA man living with the victim's aunt as a live-in partner is not her legal guardian, so his rape of a minor is simple rape, not qualified rape.
- G.R. 244214-15Mar 2023Republic of the Philippines, Represented by the Department of Public Works and Highways v. Sergio C. Pascual, Doing Business Under the Name and Style of Scp ConstructionA contractor on a government road project could take his payment claim to the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission, because a 14-day deadline buried in the bidding documents is too short to be valid.
- G.R. 251233Mar 2023Rosita U. Alberto v. Heirs of Juan a. Panti, Represented by Juancho B. PantiA person who says she bought land and has long possessed it cannot protect that claim by annotating an adverse claim on the owner's title, because the law gives other ways to record such claims and registered land cannot be acquired by long possession.
- G.R. 249684Mar 2023Spouses Eloisa Clarito Abayon and Rommil Regenio Abayon v. Bank of the Philippine IslandsA trial court cannot simply ignore a pending motion for reconsideration and move on, but defendants who take part in the case without objection are treated as having submitted to the court even if the summons was served badly.
- G.R. 236924Mar 2023Diversified Plastic Film System, Inc. v. Philippine Investment One (Spv-Amc), IncA company that appears in court only to object that it was not properly served with summons does not submit to the court's authority, and a lender who received a loan through an invalid transfer cannot be made trustee.
- G.R. 250565Mar 2023Republic of the Philippines v. Bienvenido R. Tantoco, Jr., Dominador R. Santiago, Ferdinand E. Marcos, Substituted by His Heirs, Namely Imelda R. Marcos, Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., Imee Marcos, and Irene Marcos-Araneta,** Imelda R. Marcos, Bienvenido R. Tantoco, Sr., Gliceria R. Tantoco, Substituted by Dominador R. Santiago,*** and Maria Lourdes Tantoco-PinedaThe government's long-running ill-gotten wealth case against the Tantocos, Santiago and the Marcoses failed because most of its documents were excluded for being hidden during discovery or not proper originals, and what remained did not prove its claims.
- G.R. 171746-48Mar 2023May Catherine C. Ciriaco, Erlinda O. del Rosario, Ma. Luz C. Generoso, Aurora E.l. Ortega, and Antonette L. Fernandez v. Lilia S. Marquez, Edgar B. Solilapsi, and Horacio T. Templo Office of the Ombudsman Vs. Lilia S. Marquez, Edgar B. Solilapsi, and the Honorable Court of Appeals Marissu G. Bugante Vs. Horacio T. Templo, Leopoldo S. Veroy, Edgar B. Solilapsi, Amador M. Monteiro, Lilia S. Marquez, Carlos a. Arellano, Rafael G. Estrada, Miguel B. Varela, Marianita O. Mendoza, Juan C. Tan, Cecilio T. Seno, Bienvenido Laguesma, and Aurora ArnaezThree SSS officials who quickly approved a P7.5 Billion purchase of PCIB bank shares were cleared, because they acted as prudent investors would, and private complainants cannot appeal an exoneration in an administrative case.
- G.R. 235099Mar 2023Salvador M. Solis for Himself and on Behalf of the Estate of the Spouses Ramon M. Solis, Sr. and Marta M. Solis v. Marivic Solis-Laynes, and/or the Oic, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office, Odiongan, Romblon and/or Provincial Assessor, Romblon, Romblon and/or Register of Deeds of RomblonIf a defendant abroad was not properly served with summons, her later filing in court can cure that defect, but she still has the right to be heard, so the case must be retried with her taking part.
- G.R. 222957Mar 2023Atty. Rogelio B. de Guzman v. Spouses Bartolome and Susan SantosWhen both sides to a contract to sell a house acted in bad faith, the Court left them where it found them, so the buyers could not get back their down payment.
- G.R. 260639Mar 2023People of the Philippines v. XxxA man who offered four girls for paid sex was convicted of qualified trafficking in persons because he acted in large scale, even though the prosecution failed to prove the girls were minors.
- G.R. 255085Mar 2023Commissioner of Internal Revenue v. Vestas Services Philippines, IncThe Supreme Court upheld a partial VAT refund of PHP 4,390,198.45 to a wind-turbine services company, ruling that the Court of Tax Appeals properly admitted late evidence showing the company filed its court claim on time.
- G.R. 248710Mar 2023People of the Philippines v. Nicasio M. Peña and Camacho L. Chiong G.r. No. 250685 People of the Philippines Vs. Eugenio L. FamorGiving a government job to someone who lacks the required degree is an administrative matter, not graft, unless the prosecution proves bad faith and real undue harm to the government.
- G.R. 225204-05Mar 2023F/dir. Rogelio F. Asignado (Ret.), F/dir. Jose E. Collado (Ret.), and Cinsp. Ernesto S. Pagdanganan v. Office of the Ombudsman Represented by Conchita Carpio Morales and F/csupt. Carlito S. Romero (Ret.)The Supreme Court will not overturn the Ombudsman's dismissal of graft and coercion charges unless the Ombudsman acted with grave abuse of discretion, and here there was no proof of bad faith, undue injury or threats by the fire official who held back payroll remittances.
- G.R. 255877Mar 2023Xxx v. People of the PhilippinesA husband who simply stops sending support to his wife is not criminally liable under the anti-violence law unless it is proven that he willfully withheld support in order to cause her mental or emotional anguish.
- G.R. 191278Mar 2023Municipality of Sta. Maria, Bulacan, Mayor Bartolome Ramos and Members of the Sangguniang Bayan of Sta. Maria, Bulacan v. Carlos a. BuenaventuraWhen a local government builds a road on private land based on a forged deed of donation, and the road cannot be removed, it must pay the owner just compensation plus damages instead of tearing the road down.
- G.R. 220903Mar 2023Citibank Savings, Inc., Kevin Lynch, Floryppee v. Abrigo,* and Elliebeth Endaya Vs. Brenda L. RoganA bank officer who repeatedly lets irregular transactions pass can be validly dismissed for breach of trust and confidence even if the bank lost nothing, but because her lapses were relatively minor she still gets separation pay as financial assistance.
- G.R. 247646Mar 2023The Commoner Lending Corporation v. Rafael BalandraA mortgage signed by one spouse alone on conjugal property is void under the Family Code, but it becomes binding if the other spouse accepts it, for example by promising to pay the loan and making partial payments.
- G.R. 254194Mar 2023Rosita v. Zamora Vs. Ramon Bagatsing, Jr., Rosarity L. Bagatsing, Reynaldo L. Bagatsing, and Marilyn Bagatsing-topacioA land title that comes from a forged deed is worthless, so the true owner can still challenge it even after many years.
- G.R. 244681Mar 2023Vicente C. Go v. Court of Appeals, Sheriff Andrew B. Alviar, the Register of Deeds of Quezon City and Spouses Rafael M. Colet and Rosario a.z. ColetSummons by publication is valid when the sheriff tried several times to serve it at the address the defendant himself gave, and an earlier unregistered buyer of land beats a later registered levy if the debtor had already sold the property.