Legal Insights
Plain-language guides and case briefs on Philippine law — researched from the firm's law library of 184,000+ statutes, Supreme Court decisions, and agency issuances, and written so non-lawyers can understand and act on them.
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Bank Certification Letters Are Not Guarantees: Lessons from Bank of Commerce v. Goodman Fielder
When is a bank's certification letter a binding guaranty? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on apparent authority and contractual interpretation.
Homicide vs Murder: When Spontaneous Fights Rule Out Treachery in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when treachery does not apply in spontaneous altercations, reducing murder to homicide.
Reconstitution OF Land Titles Overcoming Insufficient Evidence AND Lost Documents
Overcoming Jurisdictional Hurdles in Philippine Property Disputes: The Philippine Veterans Bank Case
Learn how the Supreme Court clarified jurisdictional boundaries between courts and DARAB in expropriation cases involving agrarian reform lands.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Parent Companies Face Liability for Labor Violations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when parent companies can be held liable for subsidiaries' labor violations, explained for employees and businesses.
Overcoming Inheritance Disputes: Proving Ownership in Philippine Land Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on burden of proof in inheritance disputes over titled land, and the indefeasibility of Torrens titles.
When a Demand Letter Does Not Create a Cause of Action: Lessons from Ilusorio
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a creditor's demand letter constitutes harassment or simply an exercise of contractual rights.
When Banks Dishonor Checks: The Citibank v. Dinopol Case on Fiduciary Duty and Damages
The Supreme Court ruled that banks must exercise the highest degree of diligence, holding Citibank liable for dishonoring a check over a P58.33 charge.
Trademark Ownership: Prior Use Trumps Earlier Filing in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that in trademark disputes, actual prior use in commerce prevails over an earlier filing date under RA 8293.
Piercing THE Corporate Veil When A Surviving Corporation Inherits Contractual Obligations
Docket Fees Are Mandatory: GSIS Must Pay for Permissive Counterclaims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: even government agencies like GSIS must pay docket fees for permissive counterclaims or lose jurisdiction over them.
Grave Coercion in Property Takeovers: The Navarra Ruling Explained
The Supreme Court ruled that forceful property repossession, even with a debt claim, constitutes grave coercion under Philippine law.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: Due Process and Corporate Identity in Kukan v. Reyes
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may pierce the corporate veil, emphasizing due process and finality of judgment.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Are Corporate Officers Personally Liable for Labor Claims?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when corporate officers may be held personally liable for illegal dismissal awards, requiring clear proof of bad faith.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Courts Hold Subsidiaries Liable
Philippine Supreme Court explains when courts may disregard corporate fiction and hold a subsidiary liable for a parent company's obligations.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: Establishing Alter Ego Liability in Philippine Law
When can a court disregard separate corporate personality and hold a subsidiary liable for its parent's debts? The Supreme Court explains.
Job Evaluations and Employee Entitlements: Clarifying the Scope of Management Prerogative
Supreme Court clarifies that union security clauses cannot justify dismissal for exercising the right to self-organization during the freedom period.
Demand Is Key to Rescission Rights in Philippine Contract Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that demand is essential before rescission or foreclosure rights can be exercised under contract law.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Is a Corporation Liable for Ill-Gotten Wealth?
A look at when corporations can be held liable for ill-gotten wealth, and why the Supreme Court dismissed cases against corporate fronts in Republic v. Sandiganbayan.
Falsification Ruling Clarifies Document Alteration and Judicial Discretion in Criminal Cases
Supreme Court clarifies when document alterations constitute falsification and how courts should exercise discretion in criminal proceedings.
Piercing THE Corporate Veil When CAN A Parent Company BE Liable FOR A Subsidiarys Debt
Contractual Obligations Upholding Interest Rates AND Attorneys Fees IN Commercial Agreements
Mining firm's sand and gravel extraction taxed despite mining lease; SC clarifies permit exemptions and tax liability.
Rape Conviction Upheld: Victim Testimony and Positive Identification in Philippine Law
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction, ruling that a victim's positive identification and credible testimony can overcome alibi and denial defenses.
Tortious Interference Protecting Distributorship Rights in Philippine Commerce
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tortious interference with exclusive distributorship contracts and the liability of third parties who induce breach.