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. 254881Oct 2023People of the Philippines v. Rafael Rey Malate @ "Ar-Ar"A single, continuous attack cannot be split into stages to say it was treacherous, so a killing that began in the heat of an argument is homicide, not murder, unless treachery was present at the start.
- G.R. 244724Oct 2023Roque T. Tabaosares v. Barko International, Inc., and/or Azalea U.t. Corp., and/or Captain Fernando J. AlanoA seafarer who skips a scheduled re-evaluation by the company doctor before the 240-day treatment period ends cannot claim total and permanent disability benefits.
- G.R. 244737Oct 2023Andre Charles Nagel v. the Board of Commissioners, Bureau of ImmigrationA foreigner ordered deported as an undesirable alien must first exhaust the available administrative remedies before going to the Court of Appeals, unless he proves a recognized exception.
- G.R. 262122Oct 2023Rowena B. Plasan v. People of the PhilippinesPublicly saying humiliating things about a 16-year-old girl's body and virginity can be punished as child abuse under Republic Act No. 7610 as psychological abuse, even if the acts could also fall under the Revised Penal Code.
- G.R. 253993Oct 2023Rahnill Buhian Zamora v. Lourdes Magsalay-Zamora and the Republic of the PhilippinesA court cannot throw out a petition to annul a marriage for psychological incapacity just because the psychologist's written report was not formally offered, since the case is decided on all the evidence.
- G.R. 254646Oct 2023Aiko Yokogawa-Tan v. Jonnell Tan and the Republic of the PhilippinesA spouse's cheating can be a ground for legal separation and, at the same time, a sign of psychological incapacity that makes a marriage void.
- G.R. 258557Oct 2023Pedro de Belen and Bejan* Mora Semilla v. Virginia Gebe FuchsA jeepney owner who rides in his own vehicle is answerable together with his driver for a crash caused by the driver's negligence, unless he proves he could not have prevented it even with due diligence.
- G.R. 253940Oct 2023Belinda D.r. Dolera v. Social Security SystemA widow cannot be denied her late husband's disability survivorship pension just because they married after he became disabled, because that rule is unconstitutional.
- G.R. 269249Oct 2023In the Matter of the Issuance of the Writ of Amparo and Habeas Data for Jonila F. Castro and Jhed Reiyana C. Tamano and Their Families, Jonila F. Castro and Jhed Reiyana C. Tamano v. Lieutenant Colonel Ronnel B. dela Cruz and Members of the 70th Infantry Battalion of the Philippine Army, Police Captain Carlito Buco and Members of the Philippine National Police, Bataan, National Security Council Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya, National Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (Ntf Elcac), and All Others Acting Under Their Direction, Instructions, and OrdersThe Supreme Court issued the writs of amparo and habeas data to two environmental activists who said soldiers abducted them, and ordered protection for them right away.
- G.R. 258054Oct 2023People of the Philippines v. Xxx258054A child abuse victim's out-of-court statements can convict her abuser even when she cannot testify because she was kept away from court, as long as other evidence backs them up.
- G.R. 268176Oct 2023Invictus Food Products Corporation, Romulo H. Espiritu, Ma. Rowena E. Manaloto, Jayson Romell M. Espiritu, and Shara Lee R. Espiritu v. Sandpiper Spices & Condiments CorpA court order granting summary judgment that declares who is liable is a final judgment that must be appealed, and it is proper when the losing side offers only general denials instead of real evidence.
- G.R. 260361Oct 2023Pedro Viernes, Substituted by His Surviving Widow and Co- Josephine B. Viernes, and His Surviving Children, Namely, Darlina v. Pangan, Divina v. Bueno, and Donald B. Viernes Vs. Pines Commercial Corporation, Represented by Its Administrator Atty. Marissa Madrid-DacayananA court decision that only dismisses a case because the plaintiff had no authority to sue does not decide who owns the land, so it cannot be enforced by a writ placing the registered title holders in possession.
- A.C. 13674Aug 2023Monette Manauis-Taggueg v. Atty. Vincenzo Nonato M. TagguegA married lawyer who abandoned his wife and child, lived with another woman and displayed the relationship publicly on social media was disbarred for gross immorality.
- A.C. 11863Aug 2023Evelyn M. Bratschi v. Atty. Robert y. PeneyraA lawyer who repeatedly skipped hearings in his client's criminal and civil cases, leading to her conviction and the loss of her land title, was disbarred.
- A.C. 8367Aug 2023Estrella Peralta-Diasen v. Atty. Oscar P. PaguintoA lawyer who let his client's two cases be dismissed, kept her in the dark, and had two earlier suspensions was disbarred.
- G.R. 256851Aug 2023Spouses Marino Dagode and Julita Duero Dagode v. Elesito D. Tapao, Substituted by His Children Namely: Edsel L. Tapao, Emelyn* T. Simpeon, Elixer L. Tapao and Engelbert L. Tapao, Purita T. Anin, Marina T. Cantillas, Marites Tapao and Jesus D. TapaoA landowner who allowed relatives to stay on the land out of kindness can evict them through an unlawful detainer case once the owner withdraws that permission and they refuse to leave.
- G.R. 255583Aug 2023Axel Tria y Cipriano v. People of the PhilippinesDemanding money from someone in exchange for deleting her nude photos posted online is robbery by intimidation, and doing it through online tools raises the penalty by one degree.
- G.R. 258486Aug 2023Mary Ann Carmen Ferrer,* in Her Capacity as Attorney-in-Fact of M.y. Intercontinental Trading Corporation and/or Tedwin T. Uy v. St. Mary'S Publishing and/or Jerry Vicente S. CatabijanA petition for declaratory relief, which asks a court to explain contract rights, cannot be used after the contract has already been broken.
- G.R. 251350Aug 2023Isabel Cojuangco-Suntay and Emilio Cojuangco-suntay, Jr. v. Emilio a.m. Suntay III and Nenita TañedoA will cannot be allowed to cut out the heirs by hiding the probate case from them, and a court judgment obtained that way can be annulled for extrinsic fraud and denial of due process.
- G.R. 251463Aug 2023Grandspan Development Corporation v. Franklin Baker, Inc. and Advance Engineering CorporationA subcontractor who has an arbitration clause in its contract must take its claim for unpaid work, even against the project owner, to the Construction Industry Arbitration Commission (CIAC) and not to the regular courts.