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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Transferee Recruitment Agency Liability: Protecting Overseas Workers
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a transferee recruitment agency can be held liable for illegal dismissal of an overseas worker.
Superior Strength in Murder: How Conspiracy Establishes Criminal Liability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how conspiracy and superior strength qualify a killing as murder, with practical legal takeaways.
Project Employee vs Regular Employee: Understanding Employment Status in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between project employees and regular employees in construction work, and when repeated contracts may indicate regular employment.
Reinstatement Pending Appeal: When Employers Must Pay Back Wages
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employers must pay back wages during appeal—only if the labor arbiter ordered reinstatement.
Resignation Cannot Shield Court Personnel From Administrative Liability
Philippine Supreme Court rules resignation does not erase administrative liability, dismissing court employee for grave misconduct, tardiness, and absenteeism.
Admissibility of Confessions: Protecting Rights During Custodial Investigation in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court rules on when a confession obtained without counsel during custodial investigation is inadmissible in evidence.
Patent Infringement in the Philippines: Who Can Sue and Why a Patent Matters
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that only patent holders or their successors can sue for infringement, not mere first inventors.
When Real Property Tax Assessments Can Be Challenged: Lessons from Callanta v. Ombudsman
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when property owners may challenge real property tax assessments and the limits of city assessors' authority.
Annulment of Judgment Protects Property Rights From Fraudulent Land Titles
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on annulling fraudulent land titles and protecting true owners' property rights from bogus cadastral proceedings.
Reinstating Bail Bonds: When Can a Judge Reverse Confiscation Orders?
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when judges may reinstate confiscated bail bonds and reverse orders before final judgment.
Rape Conviction on Victim's Testimony: Credibility Standards in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on credible lone victim testimony, clarifies damages and reclusion perpetua rules.
Airline Liability for Lost Luggage: What Passengers Need to Know in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on airline liability for lost luggage, limited liability waivers, and third-party claims explained.
When an Employee's Failure to Attend a Hearing Waives the Right to Present Evidence
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a party's absence at labor hearings amounts to waiver of the right to present evidence, and clarifies appeal bond rules.
Judicial Delay and Falsification: When a Judge's Certificates of Service Become Grounds for Dismissal
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling shows how delayed case decisions and falsified certificates of service led to a judge's dismissal from the bench.
Illegal Dismissal: Employer Must Prove Just Cause AND Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court explains the twin requirements for valid employee dismissal—just cause and due process—in this landmark labor case.
From Project to Permanent: When Continuous Work Creates Regular Employment in the Film Industry
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when film crew members become regular employees despite project-based hiring, explained in plain language.
In-Court Identification in Rape Cases: People v. Pacistol (G.R. 119074-75)
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how a victim's credible in-court identification can secure a rape conviction despite flawed police line-up procedures.
Airline Liability for Lost Baggage: Understanding the Limits and Exceptions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on airline liability limits for lost baggage under the Warsaw Convention, and when willful misconduct removes those caps.
Rape by a Parent: Moral Ascendancy as Substitute for Violence
Philippine Supreme Court ruling that a father's moral ascendancy over his daughter substitutes for force in rape, affirming death penalty.
Circumstantial Evidence in Philippine Criminal Cases: When Is It Enough to Convict?
Philippine Supreme Court explains when circumstantial evidence is enough to convict, and when it fails the test of moral certainty.
Eyewitness Testimony Overcoming Delay AND Establishing Credibility IN Philippine Courts
A Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how delayed eyewitness testimony can still be credible and how damages are computed in murder cases.
Conspiracy and Criminal Liability: Understanding Intent and Participation in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when circumstantial evidence proves conspiracy and guilt beyond reasonable doubt in criminal cases.
Employee Dismissal: Proving Misconduct Requires Solid Evidence in Philippine Labor Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Buhisan v. NLRC: dismissal for misconduct needs substantial evidence, not mere suspicion or affidavits.
Prosecutorial Discretion vs Court Authority: Navigating Criminal Case Dismissals in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the balance between prosecutorial discretion and judicial authority in dismissing criminal cases after information is filed.