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.
Invalidation of BOI Manual of Operations Incentives for Registered Enterprises
Supreme Court voids BOI's unpublished manual that reduced tax credit incentives for registered export producers.
Priority in Litigation: Determining Which Case Prevails in Overlapping Contract Disputes
Learn how Philippine courts resolve overlapping contract disputes and which case prevails when judgments appear to conflict.
Partnership vs Employment: Sharing Profits in Lending Ventures Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when profit-sharing in a lending business creates a partnership, not an employment relationship, and how profits are computed.
Acting Secretary's One-Day Salary Counts for Terminal Leave Pay
Supreme Court rules that a government official's terminal leave pay must be computed using the highest salary received, including pay from an acting appointment.
Acting Secretary's One-Day Salary Counts for Terminal Leave Pay Computation
Supreme Court rules a designated Acting Secretary's higher salary, even for one day, determines terminal leave pay basis.
Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi in Murder Conviction
Philippine Supreme Court affirms murder conviction, ruling that credible eyewitness identification outweighs the inherently weak defense of alibi.
Unconscionable Penalties in Real Estate Contracts: Balancing Equity and Contractual Obligations
When a 3% monthly penalty on unpaid installments becomes unconscionable, Philippine courts may reduce it under Civil Code Articles 1229 and 2227.
Ignorance of the Law Excuses No One: Erroneous Application of Mitigating Circumstances
A judge's error in appreciating mitigating circumstances leads to a fine for gross ignorance of the law, explaining the rules on plea of guilty and voluntary surrender.
Serving Multiple Prison Terms in the Philippines: The Rule on Successive Sentences
Philippine law requires imprisonment terms for multiple offenses to be served successively, not simultaneously. Learn the rule under the Revised Penal Code.
Timeliness of Appeals When Weekends Extend Deadlines in Philippine Law
Learn how Philippine courts compute appeal deadlines when weekends intervene, and why timing can decide a case's fate.
Upholding Timeliness and Proper Verification in Labor Disputes: The Pfizer Case
The Supreme Court clarifies the 60-day rule for certiorari petitions and the standards for verification in labor cases.
Docket Fees and Intervention: Y Realty's Quest for Justice in Marcos Wealth Case
A look at how the Supreme Court resolved docket fee issues in intervention cases involving recovered Marcos assets.
Buyer Beware: Understanding Delivery Delays and Liabilities in Philippine Sales Contracts
Learn how Philippine courts treat conditional sales, court approval requirements, and seller liability when property sales face delays.
Probate Court Approval of Estate Property Sales: Heirs of Sandejas v. Lina
When a deceased person contracted to sell property before death, the probate court can authorize its conveyance—here's what the Sandejas ruling means for heirs and buyers.
Retroactive Application of Procedural Rules: Timely Filing of Certiorari Petitions in Labor Disputes
Learn how the Supreme Court applied A.M. No. 00-2-03-SC retroactively, allowing a late certiorari petition in a labor case to proceed.
Revoking a Donation for Ingratitude in the Philippines: The Noceda Case
Philippine law allows donors to revoke gifts when donees show ingratitude, such as usurping the donor's property. Learn the rules and limits.
Decoding Marginal Deposits: How Contract Clarity Prevents Banking Disputes in the Philippines
Learn from Security Bank v. Transworld how ambiguous trust receipt terms on marginal deposits led to a decade-long dispute.
Murder Conviction and Damages: Lessons from People v. Villarba
The Supreme Court affirms murder convictions, clarifies treachery, conspiracy, and damages computation in a tricycle driver's killing.
Sheriffs Duty in Judgment Execution: Avoiding Excessive Levy and Misconduct
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on sheriffs' duty to avoid excessive levy in judgment execution and the consequences of misconduct.
Vested Rights in Adoption: Why Filing Date Matters Under Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that adoption rights vest at filing, not decree. Learn the filing date rule and its practical impact.
Supreme Court Upholds Conviction for Large-Scale Illegal Recruitment and Estafa
The Supreme Court affirms a conviction for large-scale illegal recruitment and estafa, clarifying penalties and the liability of unlicensed recruiters.
Deficiency Claims in Chattel Mortgages: Creditor Rights After Foreclosure in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine law governs deficiency claims after chattel mortgage foreclosure, including creditor rights and borrower protections.
Expropriation in the Philippines: When Can Land Be Sold During Proceedings
Learn when landowners can still sell property during expropriation proceedings and who gets just compensation, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Regular vs Project Employee: Continuous Rehiring and Security of Tenure Under Philippine Labor Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when project employees become regular employees through continuous rehiring, securing tenure under Article 280.