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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Piercing the Corporate Veil: When a Parent Company Can Be Held Liable for Subsidiary Debts
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may disregard corporate separateness and hold a parent liable for its subsidiary's obligations.
Upholding Insurance Claims Substantial Compliance AND Timely Payment Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on substantial compliance with insurance policy conditions and the insurer's duty to pay claims within prescribed periods.
Upholding Contractual Obligations: Lease Agreements and Grounds for Ejectment
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lease contract validity, ejectment grounds, and the duty to pay rent despite disputes.
When Contractual Disputes Dont Constitute Estafa Reconciling Civil Obligations AND Criminal Liability
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when breach of contract becomes estafa, distinguishing civil liability from criminal fraud.
Floating Interest Rates and Trust Receipts: Solidbank Ruling on Bank Obligations and Corporate Liability
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on invalid floating interest rates, trust receipt transactions, and corporate officer liability in banking.
When Can a Corporate Officer Be Personally Liable for Corporate Debt
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when corporate officers may be held personally liable for corporate obligations and the limits of the corporate veil.
Confirmed Flight Bookings vs Timely Check-In: Balancing Airline Obligations and Passenger Responsibilities
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a confirmed airline booking does not guarantee boarding if a passenger checks in late.
Equitable Reduction of Excessive Interests: Balancing Contractual Obligations and Fairness in Loan Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on reducing excessive interest rates in loan agreements, balancing contractual freedom with equity and fairness.
Reinstatement or Separation Pay: Employer Obligations After Illegal Dismissal in the Philippines
Philippine labor law on illegal dismissal: when reinstatement is ordered, when separation pay applies, and the employer's obligations.
Modal Institutions in Philippine Wills: Heirs' Obligations and the Rabadilla Ruling
Learn how modal institutions in Philippine wills impose enforceable obligations on heirs, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Rabadilla v. Court of Appeals.
Corporate Officer Liability When Can a Company Executive Be Held Personally Responsible
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when corporate officers can be held personally liable for company obligations and acts.
Heirs Bound by Contractual Duties in Property Leases: DKC Holdings v. Bartolome
When a lessor dies, are heirs bound by the lease contract? The Supreme Court explains transmissible obligations under Article 1311.
Rescission Rights Understanding Contractual Obligations in Property Sales
Learn how Philippine courts treat right of first refusal clauses, rescission remedies, and contractual obligations in property sales from a 2000 Supreme Court ruling.
Wage Order Obligations: Contractor and Principal Liability in Security Service Agreements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when security agencies can recover wage order increases from principals under solidary liability rules.
Extradition and Due Process: Balancing Treaty Obligations and Individual Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that a prospective extraditee enjoys basic due process rights—notice and hearing—even during the executive evaluation stage of extradition proceedings.
Privity of Contract in the Philippines: Why Third Parties Are Not Bound by Your Agreement
Learn how privity of contract protects banks and third parties from obligations they never agreed to, explained through the Villalon case.
Breach of Contract in the Philippines: Rescission and the Risks of Buying Property with a Notice of Lis Penden
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rescission, reciprocal obligations, and why a notice of lis pendens binds any buyer of disputed property.
Surety Bonds and Customs Liabilities in the Philippines: Understanding Importer Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on surety bonds, customs duties, and importer liability when re-export obligations are breached.
Philippine Separation Pay: When Business Closure Is Not Enough to Avoid Labor Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when business closure does not exempt employers from separation pay obligations under Article 283 of the Labor Code.
Regular vs Project Employee in the Philippines: Security of Tenure and Employer Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between regular and project employees, and the employer's burden to prove project employment status.
Car Plans in the Philippines: Lease or Installment Sale? Key Employee Rights and Employer Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on car plans: when a "lease" is really an installment sale, and what it means for employers and employees.
Legal Interest Rates in the Philippines: When Does 6% vs 12% Apply
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when 6% or 12% legal interest applies—loans and forbearance versus other obligations. Learn the rules.
Job Abandonment vs Illegal Dismissal: Employee Rights and Employer Obligations in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish voluntary resignation from illegal dismissal, and what employers must prove to avoid liability for back wages.
Credit Card Suspension in the Philippines: Cardholder Responsibilities and Bank Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on credit card suspension rights, cardholder obligations, and when damages may be claimed.