Atty. Erika Jane P. Miraflor

06/10/2026

The has upheld the cancellation of a man’s life insurance policy for failing to disclose important information about his medical condition, reiterating that proof he intended to deceive the insurer is not required.

In a Decision written by Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao, the Supreme Court 𝘌𝘯 𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘤 denied the petition for review on 𝘤𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘪 of the Heirs of Indalicio Monera (“Heirs”) and dismissed their complaint against Manila Bankers Life Insurance Corporation (MB Life) and Meycauayan Rural Bank, Inc. (Meycauayan Bank).

Monera took out loans from Meycauayan Bank, some of which were secured by a mortgage on a parcel of land and a group credit life insurance policy issued by MB Life. Under the policy, the insurance proceeds would be paid to the bank in case of Monera’s death.

When Monera applied for another credit life insurance policy, he signed a health declaration stating that he had not been sick for seven or more consecutive days, nor had he consulted a doctor for any illness in the last five years.

Less than a month after getting the second policy, Monera died. When his loans became due, Meycauayan Bank filed a claim with MB Life, but the insurer denied it after learning that before applying for the policy, Monera had been diagnosed with cancer.

In denying the petition of the Heirs, the Supreme Court cited the 𝘐𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦, which allows an insurer to cancel an insurance policy when an applicant fails to disclose information, whether intentionally or unintentionally. Information is considered material if it could have affected the insurer’s decision to issue the policy.

In this case, Monera did not state that he had undergone surgery, consulted doctors, and had been diagnosed with cancer, even though he declared otherwise in the health declaration form.

The Supreme Court explained that Monera’s failure to disclose his true health status was material because it would have influenced MB Life’s assessment of his insurance application, including whether to approve it and under what terms.

The Supreme Court also clarified that insurers do not need to prove that the insured intended to deceive them.

Read the full text of the Press Release:
https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=174351

Read the full text of the Decision: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=168794

Read the Dissenting Opinion of Senior Associate Marvic M.V.F. Leonen: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=172227

Read the Separate Concurring Opinion of Associate Justice Ramon Paul L. Hernando: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=172230

Read the Separate Concurring Opinion of Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=172233

Copying of this content is subject to the SC PIO’s Credit Attribution Policy: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/credit-attribution-policy/.

04/10/2026

Presiding Judge Janice L. Andrade-Udarbe of the Regional Trial Court, Branch 57, Lucena City, Quezon, and Acting Presiding Judge of Pasig City RTC Branch 161, discusses the admissibility of photocopies as court evidence in 𝐄𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐝𝐞 𝟏𝟑𝟕: 𝐃𝐨𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐏𝐡𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐜𝐨𝐩𝐲 𝐯. 𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥. Judge Andrade-Udarbe is also a Professorial Lecturer at the Philippine Judicial Academy, an MCLE Lecturer, a law professor, Bar reviewer, and author of law books.

• 𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘵𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦?

• 𝘐𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵, 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘢 𝘱𝘩𝘰𝘵𝘰𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘢𝘯 𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘥𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵?

This week's podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, Facebook, and the website.

LISTEN to the FULL episode of this Podcast on

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5d9JnGJAntDAdbFQwJGAL1?si=fmCLsO4VRweIqF_EVAg5Mw

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ph/podcast/supreme-court-ph-podcast/id1852172756?i=1000792716001

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DdJBjpYES/

YouTube: https://youtu.be/AXI4WTLC9Ak

SC website: http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/podcasts/

04/10/2026

The has adopted the term "𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮-𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳" when referring to persons who have experienced sexual violence.

In a Decision written by Associate Justice Japar B. Dimaampao, the SC’s Third Division affirmed a man’s conviction for the r**e of a 12-year-old child.

The minor testified that while everyone was asleep, the accused, who was the common-law spouse of the minor’s mother, dragged the child outside the residence of her uncle, r**ed her, pointed a knife at her, and threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the incident.

She told her uncle and aunt that the accused had been sexually abusing her since she was nine years old. She did not report it earlier because she feared his threats.

The SC found all the elements of r**e present and the accused positively identified as the ra**st. In addition to the penalty of 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘶𝘢 or up to 40 years in prison, the SC ordered the man to pay the victim-survivor PHP 450,000 in civil indemnity and damages.

The SC clarified its terminology in cases involving sexual violence. Rather than using the term "𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮," it adopted "𝘷𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘮-𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘳" to acknowledge both the harm caused by the crime and the strength victims show in enduring and recovering from such violence.

As part of the government’s efforts to provide comprehensive support for victim-survivors, the SC also directed the Department of Social Welfare and Development to refer the minor to the proper r**e crisis center for assistance.

Read the full text of the Press Release at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=174013.

Read the full text of the Decision at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=168013.

Copying of this content is subject to the SC PIO’s Credit Attribution Policy: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/credit-attribution-policy/.

04/10/2026

The has ruled that waiving rights to inherited property may be considered a valid donation when it shows intent to donate and meets the legal requirements for a donation.

In a Decision written by Associate Justice Jhosep Y. Lopez, the SC’s Second Division denied the consolidated petitions filed by Felix G. Cruz and affirmed the Court of Appeals’ (CA) rulings upholding the transfer of two inherited properties by Luis and Rosita Cruz to their sons, Robin and Osias.

The case involved two parcels of land left by Judy Cruz, who died single and without a will. She was survived by her parents, Luis and Rosita, and five siblings, including Felix, Robin, and Osias.

After Judy’s death, Luis and Rosita executed separate notarized 𝘞𝘢𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 over the properties in favor of Robin and Osias, who later executed an 𝘌𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘌𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 and registered the properties in their names.

Felix and his two other siblings, Doris and Henry, also executed waivers giving up any interest in the properties. Felix, who was the family lawyer, prepared these documents.

After their mother died, Felix sought to nullify the transfer of the properties and cancel the titles of Robin and Osias. Felix argued that the transfer was invalid and that the properties should have remained part of their mother’s estate, to which he was entitled to inherit as one of the heirs.

The SC upheld the ruling of the trial court and the CA dismissing Felix’s complaint and holding that the Waivers of Rights executed by Luis and Rosita constituted valid donations in favor of Robin and Osias.

The SC explained that when Judy died, ownership of her properties immediately passed to her parents as her legal heirs. Luis and Rosita therefore had the right to dispose of the properties.

Although the documents they executed were called 𝘞𝘢𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘙𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴, the SC found that Luis and Rosita intended to donate the properties to Robin and Osias.

Under Article 749 of the 𝘊𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘭 𝘊𝘰𝘥𝘦, a valid donation of real property requires: (1) a decrease in the donor’s property; (2) a corresponding increase in the donee’s property; (3) intent to donate; (4) ex*****on of the donation in a public document; and (5) acceptance by the donee. If the acceptance is in a separate document, the donor must be informed.

These requirements were met in this case. Luis and Rosita gave up their ownership of the properties in favor of Robin and Osias through notarized documents that expressly authorized the transfer. Robin and Osias, in turn, accepted the donation by executing the 𝘌𝘹𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘫𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 and registering the properties in their names. Their actions were made known to Luis and Rosita.

Read the full text of the Press Release at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=174097.

Read the full text of the Decision at https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/?p=168026.

Copying of this content is subject to the SC PIO’s Credit Attribution Policy: https://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/credit-attribution-policy/.

19/09/2026

𝐋𝐀𝐖 𝐃𝐀𝐘 | 𝐒𝐄𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐌𝐁𝐄𝐑 𝟏𝟗

The Integrated Bar of the Philippines joins the nation in the observance of Law Day, celebrated every September 19 pursuant to Proclamation No. 1477, s. 1975. The proclamation recognizes the indispensable role of the administration of justice in a democracy and the important contribution of lawyers in strengthening the rule of law.

Today, we honor the members of the legal profession whose work advances justice, protects rights, and upholds the principles upon which our democratic institutions stand.

May this occasion remind us that the practice of law is not only a profession, but also a continuing responsibility to serve the public, defend the rule of law, and help make justice accessible to all.

Happy Law Day!

Serve the Country. Hail the IBP!

15/09/2026

10/09/2026

Please be informed that our office will be CLOSED tomorrow, September 11, 2026, in observance of the Peñafrancia Traslacion Procession.

Office will resume on Monday, September 14, 2026.

Thank you for your understanding. We wish everyone a safe and meaningful Peñafrancia celebration! 💛

10/09/2026

10/09/2026

Please be informed that our office will be CLOSED tomorrow, September 11, 2026, in observance of the Peñafrancia Traslacion Procession.

Office will resume on Monday, September 14, 2026.

Thank you for your understanding. We wish everyone a safe and meaningful Peñafrancia celebration! 💛

TRASLACIÓN 2026

As we prepare for the Peñafrancia Fiesta 2026, the Archdiocese of Cáceres shares the official schedule of the Traslación Procession.

Guided by this year’s theme, “Inâ: Nurturing a Growing Church,” may this sacred journey be an opportunity to deepen our faith, strengthen our communion, and renew our devotion to Our Lady of Peñafrancia.

Let us prepare our hearts and walk together in faith as we accompany our beloved Inâ.

Viva La Virgen! Viva El Divino Rostro!

08/09/2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, INÂ!

Today, 08 September, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. On this day, we rejoice in the birth of Mary, the Dawn of Hope, whose coming marks a significant moment in God’s plan of salvation.

As Inâ who nurtures a growing Church, we honor the Mother who continues to gather us as one family in faith and leads us ever closer to her Son, Jesus Christ.

May Inâ, our loving Mother, continue to nurture the Church entrusted to her care, guiding us to grow in faith, deepen our communion, and faithfully live out our mission in Christ.