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.
Get a cited, plain-language answer from 184,000+ statutes and decisions — free, no sign-up.
Republication of Foreclosure Sale Notices: Protecting Third-Party Rights
When a foreclosure sale is postponed, the notice must be republished and reposted. The Supreme Court explains why in Metrobank v. Nikko Sources.
Minor Defects in Election Returns Do Not Justify Exclusion from Canvass
The Supreme Court rules that minor defects in election returns are not grounds for exclusion in a pre-proclamation controversy.
Positive Identification Prevails: Police Blotter Discrepancies Do Not Nullify Witness Testimony
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that minor inconsistencies in police blotter entries do not automatically destroy a victim's credible, positive identification of the accused.
Procedural Due Process and Employee Dismissal: When a Security Agency Contract Ends
When a security agency contract ends but guards remain on post, who is the employer? The Supreme Court clarifies control, due process, and liability.
Employer Control Determines Employment Status: The PLDT Security Guard Case
When a security agency's contract ends but guards remain at their posts under the principal's direction, an employer-employee relationship may arise.
Credibility of Witnesses in Drug Cases: Inconsistencies and the Presumption of Regularity
The Supreme Court explains when minor inconsistencies in police testimony do not destroy credibility in buy-bust drug cases.
Wage Orders vs CBAs: When Salary Hikes Affect ECOLA Entitlement
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how retroactive CBA wage increases affect ECOLA entitlement under Wage Order NCR-09 and double indemnity penalties.
Duress vs Free Will: When Fear Does Not Excuse Criminal Liability
Philippine Supreme Court explains when uncontrollable fear excuses a crime and when it does not, in a murder case.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Statutory Rape and the Credibility of Child Witnesses in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling on statutory rape shows how Philippine courts weigh a child victim's testimony and why minor inconsistencies do not destroy credibility.
Labia Majora and Consummated Rape: When Entry, Not Full Penetration, Establishes Carnal Knowledge
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that mere introduction of the penis into the labia majora consummates rape; hymenal rupture not required.
Final Judgments Bar Refiled Claims: Navarro v. Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company
A Supreme Court ruling on how a final dismissal based on laches bars a refiled case, even when the new suit seeks different relief.
Navigating Property Disputes When CAN Metropolitan Trial Courts Decide Ownership
Constitutional Limits on Land Ownership: Aliens Cannot Indirectly Control Philippine Land Through Filipino Spo
Philippine Supreme Court ruling that alien spouses cannot claim rights over land titled to Filipino wives, citing constitutional prohibitions.
Boundary Disputes and Local Autonomy: Clarifying Jurisdiction in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies which body settles boundary disputes between LGUs in Metro Manila, and when courts may intervene.
Independent Contractor vs Employee: Control Test in Consultancy Agreements
The Supreme Court clarifies when a consultant is an independent contractor, not an employee, using the four-fold test and control test.
Surety Bond Liability and Contract Changes in Construction Disputes: Stronghold v. Tokyu
When a construction contract changes, does a surety bond still hold? The Supreme Court explains in Stronghold v. Tokyu.
Upholding Prosecutorial Powers of the Ombudsman: Lessons from Lazatin v. Desierto
The Supreme Court affirms the Ombudsman's prosecutorial powers and control over the Office of the Special Prosecutor in Lazatin v. Desierto.
Protecting the Vulnerable: The Credibility of Child Witnesses in Rape Cases
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on a six-year-old's testimony, explaining why minor inconsistencies do not destroy a child witness's credibility.
Urgent Relief vs Prudence: Balancing Injunctive Action and Electorate Rights in Public Office Suspension Cases
When may a court defer action on a TRO against a preventive suspension order? The Supreme Court weighs urgency against prudence.
Real Property Tax: What Counts as Pollution Control Equipment for Exemption
The Supreme Court clarifies when pollution control structures qualify for real property tax exemption under the Local Government Code.
When Silence Isn't Golden: Delayed Witness Testimony and the Pursuit of Justice in Murder Cases
A delayed eyewitness affidavit doesn't automatically destroy credibility, the Supreme Court rules in People v. Cawaling, affirming a murder conviction.
Breach of Contract Claims Need Specific Facts: Luistro v. First Gas Power
Learn how the Supreme Court dismissed a breach of contract suit for lack of cause of action and vague fraud allegations.
Probable Cause vs Prosecutorial Discretion: The Metrobank v. Gonzales Ruling on Trust Receipt Estafa
The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of the Secretary of Justice's power to reverse probable cause findings in trust receipt estafa cases.
When Silence Speaks: Examining Eyewitness Delay in Homicide Cases
Supreme Court clarifies that delayed eyewitness reporting doesn't automatically destroy credibility when fear explains the silence.