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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Willful Disobedience as Just Cause for Termination: Mamaril v. The Red System Company
The Supreme Court clarifies when an employee's repeated violation of safety rules justifies dismissal for willful disobedience under the Labor Code.
Treachery and Conspiracy in Murder Cases: Lessons from People v. Bermudo
The Supreme Court explains how treachery and conspiracy establish guilt in murder cases, using the Bermudo case as a guide.
Third Doctor's Opinion Prevails in Seafarer Disability Claims: Clarifying Conflict Resolution Under POEA-SEC
Supreme Court clarifies that a seafarer's disability grade is determined by the company-designated physician's assessment, unless a third doctor's opinion is obtained.
Protecting Childhood Statutory Rape AND THE Irrelevance OF Consent
The Supreme Court affirms that in statutory rape, consent is irrelevant; mere touching of the labia by the penis constitutes carnal knowledge.
Regular Employee Status: Distinguishing Independent Contractors From Labor-Only Contracting
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when workers are regular employees despite agency transfers, distinguishing independent contractors from labor-only contracting.
Regular Employment and Labor-Only Contracting: Lingat v. Coca-Cola Bottlers
Supreme Court clarifies when agency-hired workers are regular employees of the principal employer, and the limits of labor contracting.
Upholding Watershed Preservation When Ancestral Land Claims Clash With Environmental Protection In Baguio
The Supreme Court rules that pending ancestral land claims do not justify injunctions against demolition in the Busol Watershed, prioritizing environmental preservation.
Regular Employment in Poultry Farms: Length of Service and Necessity of Work
Supreme Court clarifies when maintenance workers in poultry farms become regular employees under Philippine labor law.
Ancestral Land Rights Prevail: Registration Allowed Despite Forest Reserve Status
Supreme Court rules ancestral lands occupied since time immemorial may be registered even if located inside a forest reserve, applying IPRA Law.
Disbarment for Forging Court Decisions: A Lesson in Legal Ethics
When a lawyer faked a court decision to deceive a client, the Supreme Court imposed the ultimate penalty: disbarment.
Mandanas Ruling: LGUs' Just Share Must Come From All National Taxes
The Supreme Court expands the base for computing LGUs' just share in national taxes, clarifying the scope of fiscal autonomy under the Constitution.
When the Court Reduces a Lawyer's Fine: Mitigating Circumstances in Philippine Ethics Cases
In Domingo v. Revilla, the Supreme Court cut a disbarred lawyer's P100,000 ethics fine to P50,000 after he cited illness, remorse, and loss of livelihood.
Upholding Attorney Accountability: Disbarment for Faking a Court Decision
A lawyer who notarized without the client present and fabricated a court decision was disbarred by the Supreme Court.
Senate Contempt Powers: When Legislative Inquiry Detention Must End
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Senate contempt detention limits during legislative inquiries, balancing legislative power and individual rights.
Government Employee Benefits: BIR Authority and the Limits of Compromise
The Supreme Court rules on BIR's power to tax government employee benefits and the limits of taxing allowances under RMO No. 23-2014.
Assurance Fund Claims: When the Prescriptive Period Starts for Defrauded Landowners
The Supreme Court clarifies when the six-year period to claim the Assurance Fund begins for landowners defrauded under the Torrens system.
When Lawyers Sign False Documents: A Cautionary Tale from the Supreme Court
A lawyer's suspension for signing a deed with false statements shows why attorneys must uphold the law, not just their client's wishes.
Taming Unconscionable Interest: Reassessing Loan Obligations and Attorney's Fees in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies how courts temper unconscionable loan interest rates and when attorney's fees may be awarded in foreclosure cases.
Corporate President's Authority to Sign Demand Letters and Verification in Unlawful Detainer
Supreme Court clarifies when a corporate president may validly issue demand letters and sign pleadings without a board resolution.
Breach of Public Trust: Dishonesty in Government Service and Its Consequences
Explaining how the Supreme Court upheld dismissal for dishonesty when a government official misused fuel for personal vehicles, and why length of service cannot excuse grave offenses.
Illegal Dismissal vs. Abandonment: When Turning Over Files Means Termination
The Supreme Court clarifies when an employee's turnover of files signals dismissal rather than abandonment, protecting workers' security of tenure.
Ombudsman Dismissal for Dishonesty Affirmed: Gasoline Withdrawals for Unserviceable Vehicles
Supreme Court affirms dismissal of city official found guilty of dishonesty for withdrawing government gasoline for unserviceable and personal vehicles.
Attorney Suspended for Six Months for Signing Deed With False Statements
The Supreme Court suspended a lawyer for six months for signing a deed of sale containing false statements, reaffirming that lawyers must uphold truth even when following client wishes.
When Investment Promises Fall Short: Estafa and Other Deceits Under Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a broken investment promise is estafa, and when it becomes