COURSE OUTLINE

LEGAL MEDICINE, EVIDENCE and JURISPRUDENCE

for: San Sebastian College, Far Eastern University, University of Santo
Tomas, Bulacan State University Colleges of Law, Virgen Milagrosa
University

Prepared By: SS Dr./ Atty. Glenn Reyes Luansing, DCL

State Legal Counsel- Office of the Solicitor General
Review Center Owner/ Director – The Royal Pentagon Review Spec. Inc.
President- Goldwood Realty Offices
Board Examination Reviewer for LET, Nursing, Medicine, Dental,
Psychologist, Midwifery and Criminology Licensure Examinations
c

Recommended Activities
a. Case digests
b. Recitation
c. Short quizzes
d. Periodic examinations (essay/bar type)
e. Case finding and reporting
f. Review of related documents
g. Term paper

PART I – Legal Medicine and Jurisprudence

Definition of Terms:

1. Law
2. Medicine
3. Legal medicine
4. Medical jurisprudence
5. Forensic medicine
6. Evidence

Basic Legal Principles Applied in Legal Medicine

1. Stare Decisis
2. Ignorance of the law vs. Ignorance of facts
3. No retroactive effects of laws
4. Waiver of rights
5. Customs, traditions and practices
6. Repeal on existing laws
Legal Provisions Affecting Medical Practice

1. Section 15, Article II, 1987 Constitution

2. Section 14, Article XII, 1987 Constitution
3. Section 11, Article XIII, 1987 Philippine Constitution
4. Patients Bill of Rights
5. “Illegal Practice of Medicine”
Cases:
- People vs. Buenviaje, 47 Phil. 536 (1925).

- People vs. Vda. de Golez 108 Phil. at 858

6. Philippine Medical Act of 1959 or R.A. 2382, as amended by R.A.

4224 in 1965, and further amended by R.A. 5946 in 1969.
Cases:
- Philippine Medical Association vs. Board of Medical
Examiners and Jose Torres. G.R. No. L- 25135

7. PMA- COE Resolution No. 2011-001

8. R.A. 8981 PRC Modernization Act 2000
9. House Bill 4955

Cases:
- Board of Medicine vs. Ota,G.R. No. 166097, July 14, 2008

- State ex rel. Collet v. Scopel, Mo., 316 S.W.2d 515.

- State v. Evertz, Mo., 190 S.W. 287

- Hitchcock v. Collenberg, D.C.Md., 140 F. Supp. 894, affirmed

353 U.S. 919, 77 S. Ct. 679, 1 L.Ed.2d 718;

- Dantzler v. Callison, 230 S.C. 75, 94 S.E.2d 177.

- Dr. Antonio P. Cabugao vs. People of the Philippines G.R. No.

163879 July 30, 2014.

- Dr. Fernando Solidum, vs. People of the Philippines, GR

192123, March 10, 2014.

- Spouses Fredelito and Felecisima Flores vs. Spouses

Dominador Pineda and Virginia Saclolo and United Doctors
Medical Center Inc., respondents, GR 158996, November 14,
2008
 -

Patients Legal Causes of Actions Against Malpractice

1. Establishment of physician-patient relationship

- Noel Casumpang, Ruby Sanga-Miranda and San Juan de

Dios Hospital vs. Nelson Cortejo G.R. No. 171127, March 11,
2015.

2. Principles of Medical Negligence

a. Duty

- Presentation of expert witness- Carlos Borromeo, Petitioner, v.

Family Hospital Inc. and Ramon S Inso, M.D., Respondents.
G.R. No. 191018, January 25, 2016

- Nilo Rosit v. Davao Doctors Hospital, et al., G.R. No. 210445,

December 7, 2015

- People vs. Sapigao G.R. NO. 178485

b. Breach of duty

- Fe Cayao-Lasam, petitioner vs. Spouses Claro and

Ramolete,
respondents, decided on G.R. No. 159132 December 18,
2008

Res Ipsa Loquitur

- Spouses Rogelio and Erlinda Ramos, petitioners vs. Court of

Appeals, respondent, decided on G.R. No. 124354 December
29, 1999

- Garcia-Rueda v. Pascasio, 344 Phil. 323

- Batiquin v. Court of Appeals, 321 Phil. 965-971 (1996).

c. Resulting Harm
d. Causal Relationship/ “Doctrine of Proximate Cause”

- Salud Villanueva Vda. De Bataclan vs Mariano Medina, 102

 Phil 181 (1957).

- Orlando D. Garcia vs. Ranida D. Salvador and Ramon

Salvador, respondent, G.R. NO. 168512 March 20, 2007.

3. Captain of Ship Doctrine

- Dr. Milagros Cantre, petitioners vs. Spouses John David Z.

Go
and Nora S.Go, respondents [decided on April 27, 2007, GR
160889]

- Professional Services Inc., petitioner, vs. Court of Appeals,

respondent. [G.R. 1262970, Natividad and Enrique Agana
(Substituted by her children Marcelino Agana III, Enrique
Agana Jr., Emma Agana Andaya, Jesus Agana, and Raymund
Agana), petitioners, vs. Court of Appeals and Juan Fuentes,
respondent [G.R. 126467] Miguel Ampil, petitioner,
vs. Natividad Agana and Enrique Agana, respondents, G.R.
No. 127590, decided on February 2, 2010.

- David E. Thomas vs. Raleigh General Hospital, Dr. Joseph J.

Carozza and Dr. Elias H. Isaac, 358 S.E.2d 222

- Dan S. Thompson, plaintiff, vs. C. Walton Lillehei, Richard

Varco, Herbert Warden, Earl Schultz, Joseph Buckley, James
Matthews, University of Minnesota, defendants The Regents
of the University of Minnesota, Defendants. Geraldine B.
Thompson, plaintiff, vs. C. Walton Lillehei et al., defendants.
Civ. Nos. 5538, 5539. United States Court D. Minnesota,
Fourth Division. September 3, 1958.

4. Borrowed Servant Doctrine

- Rogelio P. Nogales, petitioners, vs. Capitol Medical Center,

respondents CA-GR CV No. 45641, February 6 , 1998]

5. Respondeat Superior

- Professional Services Inc., petitioner, vs. Natividad and

Enrique Agana, respondents. [G.R. No. 126297], decided on
January 31, 2007 and in the case of Rogelio Ramos and
Erlinda Ramos, in their own behalf and as natural guardians
of the minors, Rommel Ramos, Roy Roderick Ramos and Ron
 Raymond Ramos, petitioners,vs. Court of Appeals, Delos Santos
Medical Center, Dr. Orlino Hosaka and Dra. Perfecta Gutierrez,
respondents. G.R. No.124354. December 29, 1999

- Manila Doctors Hospital v. So Un Chua, G.R. No. 150355,

July 31, 2006

6. Doctrine of Loss of Chance

- Dickhoff vs. Green, No. A-11-0402,

7. Estoppel

- Gilbert v. Sycamore Municipal Hospital, 156 Ill.2d 511, 622

N.E.2d 788 decided by the Supreme Court of Illinois( 1993).

- Vega vs. San Carlos Milling Co., GR 21549, decided on October 22,
1924).

Defenses Available to a Physician Charged with Negligence

1. Presumption of Due Performance of Duties as a Doctor

- Dr. Emmanuel Jarcia Jr.. and Dr. Marilou Bastan, petitioner vs.
People of the Philippines, respondent, G.R. No. 187926, decided on
February 15, 2012

- Lucas vs. Tuano, G.R. No. 178763 decided on April 21, 2009

2. Defenses Against Res Ipsa Loquitur

- Richard P. Mogensen, Appellee vs. Wayland K. Hicks and Dwayne

Howard, Individually and as Hicks and Howard, a partnership;
Ciba Pharmaceutical Products, Inc., a corporation; Lutheran
Hospital, a corporation; Toller Drug Company, a corporation,
Appellants. No. 50347. Supreme Court of Iowa. 110 N.W.2d 563 ,
September 19, 1961

- Carlos Borromeo, Petitioner, v. Family Care Hospital Inc. and

Ramon S. Inso, M.D., Respondents G.R. No. 191018, January 25,
2016

- Reyes v. Sisters of Mercy Hospital, G.R. No. 130547, October 3,

2000
3. No Employer- Employee Relationship
- test of relationship
- Noel Casumpang vs. Nelson Cortejo, G.R. No. 171127   March 11,
2015

4. Assumption of Risk, Informed Consent, Waiver or Release Forms

- Li v. Soliman, G.R. No. 165279, June 7, 2011, 651 SCRA 32,

5. Statute of Limitations in Medical Malpractice Cases

6. Contributory Negligence on the Part of the Plaintiff

- C.F. Sharp Crew Management, Inc., its President, and Gulf Energy
Maritime vs. Noel Orbeta, G.R. No. 211111,

- Fe Cayao-Lasam, petitioner vs. Spouses Claro and Ramolete,

respondents, [G.R. No. 159132], December 18, 2008

7. The Good Samaritan Principle

- Mc Cain V. Batson, decided by the Supreme Court of Montana, 233

Mont. 288 (Mont. 1988).

8. Force Majeure

- Franklin G. Gacal and Corazon M. Gacal, the latter assisted by

her husband, Franklin G. Gacal, petitioners, vs. Philippine
Airlines, Increspondents, G.R. No. L-55300, March 15, 1990

Liabilities of a Physician

1. Administrative liability

- R.A. 2382
- R.A. 8981
- PMA- COE Resolution No. 2011-001
- RESOLUTION NO. 2016 – PRC REVISED RULES AND
REGULATIONS IN ADMINISTRATIVE INVESTIGATIONS

2. The Revised Penal Code (Article 365)

- Dr. Ninevetch Dela Cruz, petitioner, vs. Court of Appeals and
Lydia Umali, respondents, G.R. No. 122445 decided on November
18, 1997,

3. New Civil Code on Torts

- Natividad B. Andamo and Emmanuel R. Andamo, petitioners, vs.

Intermediate Appellate Court (First Civil Cases Division) and
Missionaries of Our Lady Of La Sallete Inc., respondents, decided
by the Supreme Court on November 6, 1990 docketed as G.R. No.
74761

PART II LEGAL / FORENSIC MEDICINE AND EVIDENCE

1. Laws Affecting Legal Medicine

a. RA 2382 Philippine Medical Act
b. RA 11223 Universal Health Care Act
c. RA 6675 Generics Act
d. RA 9165 Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act
e. RA 9262 VAWC
f. RA 8344 Non Refusal During Emergency Cases

2. Medical-Legal Evidence

1. Personal identification
- importance
- rules in personal identification
- methods of identification
- basic identification of living persons
- basic identification of living and the dead
- scientific identification, fingerprints, DNA

2. Medico-legal aspects of death

- importance of determination of death
- causes of death
- signs of death
- rigor mortis and factors affecting it
- post mortem effects on dead bodies
- putrefaction of the body
- classification of deaths under the RPC, special cases
- laws regarding disposal of dead bodies, funeral, exhumation
- distinguishing different causes of death by
a. lightning and electricity
b. burns
 c. change in atmospheric pressure
d. asphyxia
e. automobile accidents

Cases:
- PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES vs. BAYANI DE LEON G.R. No. 197546

3. Medico-legal aspects on physical injuries, rape and abuses

- vital reactions of the body on injuries
- classification of wounds
- physical injuries as punished under the RPC
- the VAWC law

Cases
- PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES vs. AMARELA AND RACHO, G.R. No.
225642-43
- PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES vs AGUINALDO, G.R. No. 130784
- PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES vs. RUFINO UMANITO G.R. No. 172607
- PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES vs. RAMON FRANCICA Y NAVALTA
G.R. No. 208625,
- PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES vs. LUDIGARIO BELEN Y MARASIGAN
G.R. No. 215331
- PEOPLE OF THE PHILIPPINES, Plaintiff-Appellee, vs. NONIETO
GERSAMIO, Accused-Appellant. [G.R. No. 207098, July 08, 2015,

--GRL--