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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Enforcing Compromise Agreements Navigating Disputes AND Appeals IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on final and executory judgments, execution of awards, and limits on modifying settled labor disputes.
Assigning Lease Rights When IS Consent Required IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a lessee can assign lease rights, including a right of first option, without the lessor's consent.
Self-Defense and Treachery in Philippine Criminal Law: Lessons from People v. Panes
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when self-defense fails and treachery qualifies killings as murder in the Philippines.
Regular vs Project Employees: Understanding Employment Status in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies regular employment, constructive dismissal, and retirement rights in Ondevilla v. Colegio de San Juan de Letran.
Foreign Currency Deposits: Balancing Secrecy and Justice in the Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that foreign currency deposit secrecy cannot shield a transient alien's funds from satisfying a judgment for heinous crimes against a Filipino minor.
The Clerk’s Duty: Accurate Case Reporting and the Efficient Administration of Justice in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling on a judge and clerk fined for issuing a subpoena to a life-term prisoner without authority, underscoring diligence in court duties.
Illegal Possession of Firearms in the Philippines: Penalties and Retroactive Laws
Learn how the Supreme Court applied a new, lighter penalty for illegal firearm possession retroactively, and what this means for criminal cases in the Philippines.
Wrongful Termination: Employee Rights and Employer Obligations in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies the two requirements for valid dismissal: just cause and due process. Learn the rules.
Navigating Land Title Reconstitution: Due Diligence and Jurisdictional Requirements in the Philippines
A guide to the strict jurisdictional rules for land title reconstitution in the Philippines, drawn from the Supreme Court's ruling in Ortigas & Co. v. Velasco.
Circumstantial Evidence Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt IN THE Philippines
Defining Confidential Employees: Union Membership and Collective Bargaining Rights in the Philippines
Supreme Court clarifies who qualifies as a confidential employee barred from union membership, and how bargaining units are determined.
Treachery and the Aswang Defense: Understanding Murder Convictions in the Philippines
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling explains how treachery qualifies killings as murder, even when superstition—the (folkloric evil creatures).
Confessions and Constitutional Rights: Navigating Custodial Investigations in the Philippines
Philippine law on confessions and custodial investigation rights explained through People v. Fabro, a 1997 Supreme Court ruling.
Challenging Buy-Bust Operations: Protecting Against False Drug Charges in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court acquits in buy-bust drug cases when police testimony is inconsistent, protecting the accused from false charges.
Security of Tenure: Understanding Reinstatement Rights After Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine law protects employees from illegal dismissal and what reinstatement rights mean under the Labor Code.
Fishpond Lease Agreements: Preferential Rights and Government Authority in the Philippines
Understand how Philippine courts interpret fishpond lease agreements, preferential rights, and government authority over public lands.
Statutory Rape in the Philippines: When Consent and Penetration Are Not Required
A 1997 Supreme Court ruling clarifies that in statutory rape, penetration need only be slight and the victim's consent is immaterial.
Acquisitive Prescription: How Long Does It Take to Claim Land Ownership in the Philippines
Learn how long you must possess land to claim ownership through acquisitive prescription in the Philippines, explained through a Supreme Court ruling.
Lumber VS Timber Navigating Illegal Possession Charges IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that illegal possession of lumber falls under Section 68 of PD 705, the Forestry Reform Code.
Retrenchment in the Philippines: Proving Business Losses for Valid Employee Termination
Learn when retrenchment is valid in the Philippines, what business losses employers must prove, and how courts protect workers from illegal dismissal.
Judicial Delay Consequences for Judges Failing to Meet Deadlines in the Philippines
Philippine judges face administrative sanctions for failing to decide cases within the reglementary period. This article explains the rules and consequences.
When Quitclaims Are Invalid: Labor Settlements and Dire Necessity in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when compromise agreements and quitclaims in labor cases are unconscionable and invalid.
Land Registration in the Philippines: Why Newspaper Publication Is Mandatory
Why newspaper publication is a mandatory requirement in Philippine land registration, and how failing to comply can invalidate your application.
Property Rights in Cohabitation: Ownership Rules for Unmarried Couples in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine law divides property for unmarried couples, the limits on donations, and key lessons from the Agapay case.