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.
Proving Work-Related Illness in the Philippines: When Is Diabetes Compensable
Diabetes is not automatically compensable under Philippine law. A Supreme Court ruling shows what proof claimants must present.
Default Doesn't Mean Victory: Why Plaintiffs Still Need Evidence in Philippine Courts
A default order doesn't guarantee a win. Philippine courts still require plaintiffs to prove their case by preponderance of evidence.
Verification and Certification of Non-Forum Shopping: Why Your Personal Signature Matters
A party must personally sign the verification and certification against forum shopping; a lawyer's signature, even with an SPA, may be fatal.
Freeport vs Customs Territory: Navigating Importation Laws in Philippine Economic Zones
Supreme Court ruling on EO 156 clarifies that importation bans in customs territory do not automatically apply inside the Subic Bay Freeport.
Transferee Recruitment Agency Liability and OFW Claims: The Grand Placement Case
Explaining when a transferee recruitment agency assumes liability for OFW claims, and why evidence still matters in monetary disputes.
Administrative Accountability: When Can You File a Complaint Against a Philippine Court Employee
Learn when a complaint against court personnel prospers or fails, based on the Supreme Court ruling in Mikrostar Industrial Corporation v. Mabalot.
Third-Party Rights in Philippine Contracts: When Can You Enforce an Agreement You Didn’t Sign?
Philippine law generally limits contract enforcement to parties, their assigns, and heirs. Learn the exception under stipulation pour autrui.
When Tenancy Claims Don't Oust MTC Jurisdiction Over Unlawful Detainer
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that raising tenancy as a defense doesn't automatically strip MTC jurisdiction over unlawful detainer cases involving structures.
Retrenchment Rules in the Philippines: Proving Losses and Fair Selection
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on retrenchment: what employers must prove to validly dismiss employees due to business losses.
When Does the Clock Start? Prescription Periods for Hidden Contract Breaches in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when the prescriptive period begins for hidden breaches of contract, protecting buyers who rely on seller representations.
Family Home Exemption: When Creditors Can Seize Your Property in the Philippines
The family home exemption protects Filipino families from creditors—but not for debts incurred before the home was constituted. Learn the rules.
Surety Bonds Enforcing Liability Despite Procedural Technicalities
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when courts may suspend civil cases for prejudicial questions, and how surety obligations remain enforceable.
VAT Refund Claims: Proving Input Tax Payments With Proper Documentation
Tax refund claims fail without proper evidence. Learn the documentation rules from a Supreme Court case on input VAT refunds.
NLRC vs Regular Courts: Where to File Damages Claims in Dismissal Cases
Learn when illegal dismissal damages claims belong to the NLRC labor arbiter, not regular courts, under Article 217 of the Labor Code.
Financial Leasing Agreements Are Valid Contracts Despite Lessee Default
Supreme Court affirms that financial leasing agreements are genuine contracts; defaulting lessees remain bound by their terms and obligations.
When a Civil Case Can Resolve Inheritance and Property Disputes in the Philippines
Learn when Philippine regular courts, not labor arbiters, have jurisdiction over breach of contract and property disputes.
PLDT v. City of Bacolod: The Limits of the Most-Favored-Treatment Clause in Tax Exemptions
The Supreme Court rules that the most-favored-treatment clause in R.A. 7925 does not grant tax exemptions to telecommunications companies.
CBA Scholarship Benefits Resolving Ambiguities IN Favor OF Labor
Security agency loses bid to exempt receivables from garnishment; Court applies labor-friendly rule on execution exemptions.
Attorney Accountability Understanding Lawyer Neglect of Duty in the Philippines
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lawyer neglect of duty, abandonment of clients, and the ethical obligations of attorneys.
Contract of Sale vs Piece of Work: Subcontractor Rights Under Article 1729
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a supply agreement is a piece of work, giving subcontractors direct claims against project owners.
Third-Party Complaints: When Can a Defendant Implead Another Party?
Learn when Philippine courts allow third-party complaints and why a mere business connection between transactions is not enough.
When Counsel's Negligence Binds the Client: Due Diligence in Appeals
The Supreme Court clarifies when a lawyer's failure to act diligently on an appeal binds the client, and what counts as notice of a decision.
Upholding Client Trust Attorney Suspended for Misappropriating Settlement Funds
Lawyer suspended six months for misappropriating client's P50,000 settlement funds, violating Canon 16 of the Code of Professional Responsibility.
Assessed Value vs Market Value: Key to Court Jurisdiction in Property Disputes
Philippine courts decide jurisdiction over property cases by assessed value, not market value. Learn the rule from Hilario v. Salvador.