LEGAL MEDICINE

SY 2023-2024

Course Outline

I. General Concepts
A. Definitions
1. Legal Medicine
2. Medical Jurisprudence
B. Scope and Significance
1. Application of Medical Science to Law
2. Application of Legal Principles to Medicine
C. Forensic Science
1. Forensic Pathology
§ Autopsy – Code on Sanitation, P.D. 856 §95 (1975)
2. Forensic Psychiatry
3. Clinical Forensic Medicine
4. Forensic entomology
5. Forensic odontology
6. Forensic anthropology
7. Forensic toxicology
8. Forensic chemistry
D. Forensics in the Philippines – agencies concerned with forensic investigations
§ Examination of Expert Witness, Rule 130, Sec. 51-53, Rule 133, Sec. 5
§ Dela Torre v. Imbuido, 736 SCRA 655 (2014)

Read:
Code on Sanitation, P.D. 856 §95 (1975)
Dela Torre v. Imbuido, 736 SCRA 655 (2014)
A.M. No. 12-8-8-SC – Judicial Affidavit Rule
Chapter II, Introduction to Forensic Sciences of Joseph Prahlow, Forensic Pathology for Police,
Death Investigators, Attorneys, and Forensic Scientists 17-34 (2010).

II. Crime Scene Investigation

A. Definitions
1. Criminal Investigation
2. Crime Scene Investigation
B. Crime Scene Investigation
1. Guiding Principles
2. Overview of Crime Scene Investigation
a. Securing and initial management of the Crime Scene
b. Documentation
c. Walk Through and Crime Scene Search
d. Obtaining and Processing Evidence
§ Evidence - People vs. Velarde, 384 SCRA 646, July 18, 2002
§ DNA - People vs. Yatar, 428 SCRA 504, May 19, 2004
C. Deception Detection - People v. Adoviso - 309 SCRA 1(1999)

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 III. Death Investigation
A. Death - "Organ Donation Act of 1991." Sec. 2 (j), 9
B. Investigation of Death
1. Fact of Death
2. Identification
3. Time of Death – People vs. Seranilla, 348 SCRA 227, December 15, 2000
a. Rigor mortis
b. Algor mortis
c. Livor mortis
d. Stages of Digestion
4. Cause of Death
a. Suicide - People vs. Operaña, Jr., 343 SCRA 43, October 13, 2000
b. Death Certificate

Read: Erin Presnell, Postmortem Changes, Medscape at

https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/1680032-overview

IV. Physical Injuries, Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, Rape

A. Physical Inuries
1. Wounds
2. Type of Wounds
B. Child Abuse
§ Sanchez vs. People, 588 SCRA 747(2009)
§ R.A. No. 7610
§ Examination of Child Witness- Rule on Examination of Child Witness
C. Domestic Violence and Rape, Examination of Victims of Abuse
§ People vs. Genosa, 419 SCRA 537(2004)
§ Republic Act No. 9262, Sections 29, 35, 40 R.A. No. 8505
§ Rape Victim Assistance and Protection Act of 1998

Read: Heather Waltke; Gerald LaPorte; Danielle Weiss; Dawn Schwarting; Minh Nguyen;
Frances Scott, "Sexual Assault Cases: Exploring the Importance of Non-DNA Forensic
Evidence," November 9, 2017, nij.ojp.gov:https://nij.ojp.gov/topics/articles/sexual-assault-
cases-exploring-importance-non-dna-forensic-evidence

V. Health Information Privacy

A. Right to Privacy
§ Philippine Constitution, art. III, §1,3
§ Civil Code, art. 26
§ The Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 (§§ 5,7, 31-33)
§ The anti-wiretapping law (Republic Act No. 4200, §1-2)
§ Data Privacy Act of 2012, R.A. No. 10173
B. Health Information Privacy
1. Privileged Communication –
§ Rules of Court, Rule 128, Section 24
§ Lim vs. Court of Appeals, 214 SCRA 273, 281-282(1992)
2. Specific Health Privacy Legislation
§ In relation to right to privacy and confidentiality - Republic Act No. 9165,
Republic Act No. 9262, Republic Act No. 8505 (What must be kept
confidential?)
§ R.A. No. 11166 “An Act Strengthening the Philippine Comprehensive
Policy on Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) and Acquired Immune
Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Prevention, Treatment, Care, and Support,
and, Reconstituting the Philippine National Aids Council (PNAC),
Repealing for the Purpose Republic Act No. 8504, Otherwise Known as

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 The "Philippine Aids Prevention and Control Act of 1998", and
Appropriating Funds Therefor”, 2018
3. Data Privacy Act and Health Information Privacy

Read:
Antonio, Patdu Marcelo, Health Information Privacy in the Philippines: Trends and Challenges in
Policy and Practice, 50(4) ACTA MEDICA PHILIPPINA: THE NATIONAL HEALTH SCIENCE JOURNAL
(Oct-Dec 2016).
Ivy Patdu and Jamael Jacob, The Data Privacy Act and the National Privacy Commission’s
Five Pillars of Compliance 63 ATENEO L.J. 120 (2018).

VI. Physician Liability

1. Elements of Medical negligence
2. Administrative Liability
§ Medical Act of 1959, §§ 10-12,24,27-28
§ Code of Medical Ethics
§ E.O. No. 212, “Amending Presidential Decree No. 169” (July 10, 1987)
§ Kho v. Halili CA-G.R. S.P. No. 121130, June 6, 2012
3. Criminal Liability
§ RPC arts 15, 174, 259, 347, 365
§ Cruz v. Court of Appeals, 282 SCRA 188 (1997)
§ Ang v. Grageda, 490 SCRA 424 (2006)
4. Civil Liability
§ Civil Code arts. 1172-1174, 2176-2180
5. Doctrines and Key Concepts
a. Causation and Expert Testimony – Cereno v. Court of Appeals, 682 SCRA 18
(2012)
b. Res Ipsa Loquitur – Rosit v. Davao Doctors Hospital, 776 SCRA 303, 308
(2015)
c. Failure to timely diagnose or Intervene – Casumpang v. Cortejo, 752 SCRA
379 (2015)
d. Doctrine of Informed Consent - Li v. Soliman, G.R. No. 165279, June 7, 2011
e. Captain of the Ship Doctrine - Ramos v. Court of Appeals, 380 SCRA 467
(2002).
f. Patient’s own negligence - Cayao-Lasam vs. Ramolete, 574 SCRA 439(2008)

Read: Patdu, Medical Negligence, 61 ATENEO L.J. 219 (2017)

VII. Hospital Liability

A. Relevant Laws
§ An Act Requiring the Licensure of all Hospitals in the Philippines and
Authorizing the Bureau of Medical Services to Serve as Licensing Agency,
Republic Act No. 4226, §1, 2 (a), 18 (1965).
§ An Act Requiring Government and Private Hospitals and Clinics to Extend
Medical Assistance in Emergency Cases, Republic Act No. 6615 (1972).
§ An Act Prohibiting the Detention of Patients in Hospitals and Medical
Clinics on Grounds of Nonpayment of Hospital Bills or Medical Expenses
Republic Act No. 9439 (2007).
§ An Act Penalizing the Refusal of Hospitals and Medical Clinics to
Administer Appropriate Initial Medical Treatment and Support in
Emergency cases, amending for the purpose Batas Pambansa Blg. 702,
otherwise known as "An Act Prohibiting the Demand of Deposits or
Advance Payments for the Confinement or Treatment of Patients in
Hospitals and Medical Clinics in Certain Cases", Republic Act No. 8344 §§1-4
(1997), Amended by R.A. No. 10932 (2017)
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 B. Hospital Liability
1. Direct Liability
§ Doctrine of Corporate Negligence - Professional Services, Inc. vs. Court
of Appeals, 544 SCRA 170(2008)
§ Consent Forms and Waiver - Nogales vs. Capitol Medical Center, 511
SCRA 204, 228-29(2006)
2. Vicarious Liability of Hospitals
§ Ramos v. Court of Appeals, 380 SCRA 467 (2002)
§ Nogales vs. Capitol Medical Center, 511 SCRA 204, 228-29(2006)
§ Professional Services, Inc. vs. Court of Appeals, 611 SCRA 282(2010)

Read: Patdu, Hospital Liability, 55 ATENEO L.J. 219 (December, 2010)

Other Reference:
*Any Legal Medicine Textbook, Other Sources may be used
Legal Medicine by Pedro Solis
Medical Jurisprudence by Pedro Solis
Forensic Evidence: An Overview by Justice Ricardo Pronove