Supreme Court: 'True intent' key in voluntary surrenderThe logo of the Supreme Court at the Supreme Court Building in Manila. MANILA, Philippines — The Supreme Court ruled that the appreciation of "voluntary surrender" as a mitigating circumstance must be based on an offender’s true intent and the totality of circumstances rather than a rigid, technical timeline. This prompted the man to appeal the lower court’s decision to the Supreme Court. It explained that the mere issuance of an arrest warrant does not automatically negate a surrender, nor does a significant lapse of time between the crime and the surrender. The high court also cautioned judges against acting as "cold-hearted automatons" or "soulless supercomputers."

Source: Philippine Star February 19, 2026 17:30 UTC