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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Pre-Existing Conditions and Seafarer Disability Claims: Employer Obligations
A seafarer's pre-existing hypertension claim for disability benefits fails when he fails to follow the POEA-SEC process.
Seafarers Disability Claims: The Importance of Following Protocol and Timely Medical Assessments
A seafarer's disability claim failed because he filed suit before securing a second medical opinion. Learn the proper procedure.
Accountability in the Judiciary: Ensuring Due Diligence in Small Claims Cases
A Supreme Court ruling holds court personnel and judges accountable for lapses in serving notices of hearing in small claims cases.
Seafarers Disability Claims: Strict Compliance With Reporting Requirements
Philippine Supreme Court rules on seafarer disability claims, emphasizing the mandatory three-day reporting requirement under the POEA-SEC.
Unproven Claims Authenticating Private Documents IN Construction Disputes
A construction company's collection suit failed because it did not authenticate its private documents. Learn the authentication rules.
Third Doctor's Opinion: A Seafarer's Duty to Resolve Conflicting Medical Assessments in Disability Claims
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled that seafarers must follow the third-doctor procedure under the POEA-SEC before filing disability claims.
Upholding Attorneys Duty Substantial Evidence Required IN Negligence Claims Against Lawyers
Learn the evidentiary standard for lawyer negligence complaints in the Philippines, as clarified by the Supreme Court in Zara v. Atty. Joyas.
Impleading Indispensable Parties in Damages Claims: The PNCC v. Superlines Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts must implead indispensable parties in damages claims, applying the law of the case doctrine.
Voluntary Departure VS Forced Removal When Retirement Applications BAR Reinstatement Claims
When does an employee's retirement application bar a reinstatement claim? The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between voluntary retirement and illegal dismissal.
Tax Refund Claims: Timely Filing and the Commissioner's Inaction
The Supreme Court clarifies when taxpayers may seek judicial tax refund claims despite the Commissioner's inaction, and the two-year prescriptive period.
Voluntary Resignation vs Illegal Dismissal: Protecting Employee Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when resignation letters and quitclaims are invalid, protecting employees from forced resignations and illegal dismissal.
Tax Refund Claims: Filing on Time Beats Waiting for BIR Action
Supreme Court clarifies taxpayers may file judicial tax refund claims before the BIR acts, provided the two-year prescriptive period is respected.
Preliminary Injunction Requires Clear Legal Right, Not Just Claim of Ownership
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when preliminary injunction may issue—clear legal right must exist, not merely disputed claims.
Seafarer Disability Claims: The Primacy of the Company-Designated Physician's Assessment
A seafarer who abandons prescribed treatment and files a disability claim prematurely loses the right to total permanent disability benefits.
Quieting of Title as Direct Attack: Final Judgments and Property Claims in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that quieting of title is a direct attack on a certificate of title, not a prohibited collateral attack.
Challenging Notarized Documents and Torrens Titles in Land Registration Cases
The Supreme Court explains when claims of overlapping titles fail in land registration cases, and why Torrens titles remain protected.
Contractual Obligations Prevail: MIAA Must Refund Overpaid Rentals Despite Prescription Claims
Supreme Court rules MIAA must refund full overpaid rentals to lessee, rejecting prescription defense based on contract, not quasi-contract.
Overlapping Land Claims Resolving Boundary Disputes IN Property Registration
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies remedies for unpaid sellers in land sales, distinguishing dacion en pago from absolute sale.
Freight Forwarder Liability for Cargo Damage: Proving Negligence in Claims
A freight forwarder acting as a common carrier is presumed negligent when cargo arrives damaged. Learn the legal rules from a 2019 Supreme Court ruling.
Burden OF Proof IN Seafarer Disability Claims Establishing Work Relatedness Under Poea SEC
Proof in Tax Refund Claims: Annual ITR Suffices, Quarterly Returns Not Mandatory
The Supreme Court clarifies that presenting quarterly ITRs is not required to prove a claim for refund of excess creditable withholding taxes.
Premature Illegal Dismissal Claims: The Importance of Establishing Termination
Filing an illegal dismissal case too early can backfire. Learn when a "pull out" is not yet dismissal.
Seafarer Disability Claims Upholding THE Company Doctors Assessment When Dispute Resolution IS Ignored
Overseas Workers' Money Claims: Labor Arbiter Jurisdiction and Agency Solidary Liability
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies Labor Arbiter jurisdiction over overseas workers' illegal dismissal claims and recruitment agencies' solidary liability.