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.
Certiorari vs Appeal: Choosing the Right Remedy in Philippine Courts
Learn when to file certiorari versus appeal in Philippine courts, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Asian Trading Corporation v. Court of Appeals.
Demystifying Quieting of Title in the Philippines: Is It the Right Remedy for Your Land Dispute
Learn when Philippine courts allow quieting of title actions, what the requisites are, and whether this remedy fits your land dispute.
Conspiracy in Philippine Criminal Law: Establishing Indispensable Cooperation
Learn how Philippine courts establish conspiracy in criminal cases, using the 1999 rape decision in People v. Banela as a guide.
Rape and Unconsciousness: Understanding Consent and Criminal Liability in the Philippines
Philippine law on rape and unconsciousness: when consent is impossible and how courts treat statutory rape and sexual assault cases.
Apparent Authority in Corporate Contracts: When a President's Actions Bind a Philippine Company
The Supreme Court explains when a corporate president's contracts bind the company, even without board approval, under the doctrine of apparent authority.
Jurisdictional Challenges in Philippine Courts: Why Timing and Precision Matter in Tax Refund Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on tax refund computation under RA 1435, explaining why strict interpretation and timing determine success in tax claims.
Executive Orders vs Agency Circulars: Navigating Pilotage Fee Regulations in the Philippines
When an executive issuance and agency circulars conflict over pilotage fees, which prevails? The Supreme Court settles the hierarchy.
Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines: Understanding Your Rights to Back Wages and Reinstatement
Learn how Philippine law protects workers from illegal dismissal, including rights to back wages, reinstatement, and separation pay.
Valid Dismissal for Insubordination: Employee Rights and Company Discipline in the Philippines
Understand when a strike is legal and dismissal valid under Philippine labor law, based on a Supreme Court ruling on employee rights.
Constructive Dismissal: When Floating Status Becomes Illegal Termination
Learn when an employee's floating status beyond six months becomes constructive dismissal, entitling them to back wages and separation pay.
When Can a Judge Recall a Warrant of Arrest: Understanding Abuse of Discretion
A Supreme Court ruling explains the three-day notice rule for motions and when a judge commits abuse of discretion in recalling warrants.
Consent and Rape: When Mental Retardation Negates Valid Consent
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape of a mental retardate and why apparent consent does not negate criminal liability.
Rape of a Person Deprived of Reason: Consent and Mental Capacity in Philippine Law
Philippine law treats carnal knowledge of a woman deprived of reason as rape, regardless of apparent consent. This case explains why.
Positive Identification Trumps Alibi: Lessons from People v. Balad
In People v. Balad, the Supreme Court reaffirmed that positive identification by credible witnesses prevails over the defense of alibi in Philippine criminal law.
Rape and Incest in the Philippines: Understanding Familial Sexual Abuse Laws
The Supreme Court clarifies how Philippine law treats rape committed by a father against his daughter, including the role of moral ascendancy.
Self-Defense in the Philippines: When Can You Justifiably Use Force?
Philippine law allows force only against unlawful aggression. Learn the limits of self-defense and why alibi rarely works.
When Notarizing a Deed of Quitclaim Becomes Grounds for Disbarment
The Supreme Court disbarred a notary public for certifying a Deed of Quitclaim signed by a person who had already died. Learn the rules.
Failing to Object to Evidence: Waiver Rules in Philippine Criminal Cases
Philippine Supreme Court explains why silence on inadmissible evidence means waiver, and how death before final judgment extinguishes liability.
Multiple Homicides vs Complex Crime: Understanding the Nuances of Philippine Criminal Law
When a single shooting spree kills four and wounds two, is it one complex crime or several separate crimes? The Supreme Court explains the distinction.
The Perils of Delayed Disclosure: Eyewitness Testimony and Credibility in Philippine Criminal Law
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness identification, voice recognition, and alibi in criminal cases, explained through a 1997 Supreme Court ruling.
Service of Court Decisions in the Philippines: The Laza Case and Due Process
Learn how Philippine courts rule on valid service of decisions, the "sufficient discretion" standard, and the Laza v. Court of Appeals case.
Establishing Legal Marriage and Legitimacy in Inheritance Disputes: Balogbog v. Court of Appeals
How Philippine courts presume marriage and legitimacy in inheritance disputes, and what evidence can prove filiation when records are lost.
When Witness Inconsistency Undermines a Murder Conviction in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains when minor witness inconsistencies do not destroy a rape conviction and how credibility is assessed.
Self Defense Claims in Philippine Criminal Law: When Do They Hold Up
Philippine courts require unlawful aggression, reasonable necessity, and lack of provocation for self-defense. Learn from People v. Tobias.