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.
Protecting Children How Courts Decide Statutory Rape Cases Despite Unclear Dates
Learn how Philippine courts handle statutory rape cases when the exact date of the offense is uncertain, based on established legal principles.
Res Judicata and Good-Faith Purchasers: Protecting Land Titles in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts balance Torrens title protection with reconveyance actions, prescription periods, and good-faith purchaser defenses.
Retrenchment Balancing Employer Rights AND Employee Protection During Economic Downturns
The Supreme Court clarifies when retrenchment is valid, what criteria employers may use, and what employees can expect during economic downturns.
Psychological Incapacity Reassessing Marital Nullity Under Article 36 of the Family Code
The Supreme Court clarifies that psychological incapacity under Article 36 need not fit rigid molds, urging a case-by-case, totality-of-circumstances approach.
Double Jeopardy and Police Accountability: When Amending an Information Is Allowed
Explaining when an amended criminal information does not trigger double jeopardy, through a Philippine Supreme Court ruling on police killings.
Importation vs Transshipment: When Seized Goods Cannot Be Released Under Bond
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when transshipment claims fail and seized goods cannot be released under bond due to fraud.
Redundancy Programs Upholding Employer Rights IN Employee Dismissal
Supreme Court affirms employer's right to contract out work during business exigencies, clarifying limits of unfair labor practice claims.
Judicial Misconduct and Substantial Evidence in Administrative Cases
A judge was suspended for soliciting P100,000 to fix cases. The Supreme Court explains the substantial evidence standard in administrative cases.
Labor-Only Contracting: When a Principal Becomes the True Employer
Supreme Court ruling on labor-only contracting and when a principal becomes the true employer of contractual workers.
Probationary Employment for Teachers: Rights, Limits, and the Manalo Ruling
Learn the rules on probationary employment for private school teachers, including tenure rights, dismissal standards, and the landmark Manalo case.
Distinguishing Homicide From Robbery With Homicide Intent IS KEY
The Supreme Court clarifies when a killing is mere homicide, not robbery with homicide, and explains the intent requirement.
Horse Racing Regulation: Philracom's Power to Ensure Fair and Safe Races
The Supreme Court upholds Philracom's authority to issue rules and directives for the horse racing industry, including measures to eradicate Equine Infectious Anemia.
VFA Constitutionality Upheld: Balancing Sovereignty and International Agreements
The Supreme Court upheld the Visiting Forces Agreement as constitutional while striking down detention agreements that violated its terms.
The 24-Hour Rule in Cargo Claims: Carrier Liability Under Philippine Shipping Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the 24-hour claim rule under the Code of Commerce for damaged cargo and its effect on carrier liability.
Real Action vs Annulment: How Courts Determine Proper Docket Fees in Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when an annulment of sale case is a real action requiring higher docket fees based on property value.
Due Process in Employee Dismissal: Balancing Notice and Opportunity to Be Heard
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the twin notice requirement in employee dismissal—opportunity to be heard, not actual hearing, is the essence of due process.
Revocability of Irrevocable Powers of Attorney: Agrarian Reform Limits on Tenant Rights
Supreme Court clarifies when an irrevocable power of attorney over agrarian reform land may still be challenged and revoked.
Statutory Rape: Protecting Children and Ensuring Due Process in Criminal Law
A father's conviction for statutory rape upheld, but due process requires every element—including relationship—be alleged in the information.
Entrapment vs Instigation: When Buy-Bust Operations Are Valid in Philippine Drug Cases
Philippine Supreme Court explains the difference between valid entrapment and unlawful instigation in buy-bust operations, using Cruz v. People.
Upholding Comelec Discretion in Pre-Proclamation Controversies
The Supreme Court affirms Comelec's broad discretion in dismissing pre-proclamation disputes, emphasizing limited scope of review and proper remedies.
Redundancy in Labor Law Justifying Employee Termination During Business Restructuring
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when business restructuring justifies termination and how regular employment status is determined under the four-fold test.
Who May File Libel Cases: City Prosecutor vs Provincial Prosecutor
Supreme Court rules on which prosecutor has authority to file libel Informations, and why a wrong prosecutor's filing is a fatal jurisdictional defect.
Forged Deeds and Good Faith Purchasers: Protecting Land Ownership in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when a forged deed can still produce a valid title—and when buyers lose the protection of the Torrens system.
Due Process Rights of Public Officials When Administrative Charges Fail
A public official cannot be held liable for a vague charge never pleaded, nor for a document whose authenticity remains unresolved.