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.
Eminent Domain Easements Just Compensation For Perpetual Restrictions ON Property USE
When a right-of-way easement for transmission lines permanently restricts property use, full just compensation, not a mere easement fee, is due.
Premature Environmental Challenges Clarifying EIS Requirements in Public-Private Partnerships
Supreme Court clarifies when EIS and ECC duties arise in PPP projects, ruling that pre-bidding environmental challenges are premature.
Treachery Defined: How Sudden Attacks Qualify as Murder in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains treachery as a qualifying circumstance for murder, using a sudden shooting as a clear example of the rule.
Lawyer Suspended for Taking Client Funds Without Securing US Visas
A Supreme Court ruling on lawyer discipline shows why attorneys must account for client funds and charge only reasonable fees.
Dividends vs Capital Gains: Taxing Share Redemptions Under the RP-US Treaty
Supreme Court rules on whether share redemption proceeds are dividends or capital gains under Philippine tax law and the RP-US Tax Treaty.
Chain of Custody Imperative: Safeguarding Drug Evidence Integrity in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court acquits drug suspects when police fail to follow Section 21 inventory and photograph rules, underscoring evidence integrity.
Misconduct in the Workplace: Defining the Boundaries of Trust and Employment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when serious misconduct justifies dismissal and the evidentiary standard employers must meet.
Depositions Abroad: Balancing Convenience and Due Process in Philippine Civil Suits
The Supreme Court clarifies when a foreign plaintiff residing abroad may take deposition outside the Philippines for direct testimony in a Philippine civil case.
Judicial Impartiality: A Judge's Duty to Disqualify in Cases Involving Relatives
The Supreme Court clarifies when judges must disqualify themselves from cases involving relatives, even at the warrant stage.
Breach of Trust Dismissal for Theft of Court Exhibit Undermines Judicial Integrity
Court personnel who steal exhibits betray the judiciary's trust. The Supreme Court's ruling in Castro shows why dismissal is the only fitting penalty.
Comelec Must Enable Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail: Mandamus Granted
Supreme Court compels Comelec to activate VVPAT feature, affirming voters' right to verify their ballots under election law.
Surety Agreements: Solidary Liability and Waiver of Rights in Loan Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on surety liability, accommodation mortgagors, and waiver clauses in loan deficiency claims.
Over Recovery Refunds Ensuring Fair Electricity Rates FOR Consumers
Explains NEECO I v. ERC on electric cooperative over-recovery refunds, system loss caps, and consumer rate protection.
Reasonable Doubt Prevails: Acquittal in Theft Case Due to Insufficient Proof of Felonious Taking
When circumstantial evidence fails to prove felonious taking beyond reasonable doubt, the accused must be acquitted. The Supreme Court explains.
Tolerance Doctrine Limits Permissive Occupation of Registered Land
Explore how the Supreme Court applied the tolerance doctrine in DepEd v. Casibang, protecting registered owners' rights against laches claims.
Just Compensation and Inflation: What Expropriation Law Really Requires
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that inflation is not added to just compensation; interest covers currency devaluation in expropriation cases.
Tolerance Ends Landowners Right Prevails Over Long Term Use In Property Dispute
Philippine Supreme Court rules that possession by mere tolerance does not ripen into ownership, and laches cannot bar a registered owner's right to recover property.
Extrajudicial Rescission of Lease Contracts: What Philippine Law Allows
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a lessor may extrajudicially rescind a lease contract without court approval, and the risks involved.
Breach of Trust Dismissal for Court Employee Accepting Money From Litigants
Supreme Court affirms dismissal of court clerk who accepted money from litigants to process bail bond, ruling it constitutes grave misconduct.
Forcible Entry, Heir Substitution, and Judgment Immutability in Property Disputes
When can heirs substitute a deceased party in a forcible entry case? The Supreme Court explains the limits of judgment immutability.
When the COMELEC Cannot Decide: The Legal Effect of a Split Vote
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on what happens when the COMELEC en banc fails to muster a majority vote in election cases.
When Aiding a Principal Overshadows Accessory Liability in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when helping a principal offender may constitute grave misconduct rather than mere accessory liability in administrative cases.
Obstructing Justice When Removing Evidence Leads to Criminal Liability
Learn when removing evidence becomes obstruction of justice in the Philippines, based on a Supreme Court ruling on tampering and misconduct.
Breach of Contract and the Limits of Bank Manager Authority: Apparent Authority in Real Estate Transactions
When does a bank branch manager's promise bind the bank? The Supreme Court explains apparent authority in Games and Garments Developers, Inc. v. Allied Banking Corporation.