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.
Dishonesty in Public Service: Falsifying Credentials Leads to Dismissal
Falsifying a Personal Data Sheet to claim a college degree is gross dishonesty warranting dismissal from public service, even on first offense.
SEC Authority to Regulate Fees Upheld to Protect Investors
The Supreme Court affirms SEC's power to regulate fees, protecting investors from excessive charges in securities transactions.
Cashier's Check as Bank's Primary Obligation: Holder in Due Course Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on cashier's checks, holder in due course status, and bank liability explained in plain language.
The Perils of Oversight: Delineating Negligence and Liability in Medical Practice
A missed surgery due to a time-zone error tests the line between ordinary and gross negligence in medical practice, shaping damage awards.
Buy-Bust Operations in Drug Cases: When Arrests and Evidence Are Valid
Learn when warrantless arrests and searches in buy-bust operations are legal, and how evidence stays admissible in Philippine drug cases.
Eminent Domain and Just Compensation: Why Courts—Not Agencies—Fix Fair Value
Supreme Court clarifies that RTCs, not DAR adjudicators, have original jurisdiction over just compensation in agrarian expropriation cases.
Forum Shopping Certification and Verification Defects: Strict Compliance in Philippine Courts
A defective certification against forum shopping and verification can get a petition dismissed. Learn the strict rules from Gabriel v. Court of Appeals.
Bail and State Witness Rules in Murder and Parricide Cases: The Valerio Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when bail may be denied and when an accused may be discharged as state witness in murder and parricide cases.
Backwages in Illegal Dismissal: When the Employer’s Obligation Ends
Backwages in illegal dismissal accrue until actual reinstatement or payment of separation pay, per Mt. Carmel College v. Resuena.
Balancing Infant Health and Commercial Freedom: Limits on Restricting Breast Milk Substitute Ads
The Supreme Court struck down parts of the DOH's 2006 rules banning breast milk substitute ads, ruling the agency exceeded the Milk Code.
Elections Held Despite a TRO Are Not Automatically Void: Supreme Court Clarifies
The Supreme Court explains when an election held in defiance of a temporary restraining order may be annulled, and when it may stand.
Double Sale of Immovable Property: Good Faith as the Decisive Factor in Land Ownership Disputes
Learn how good faith determines ownership in double sale cases under Philippine law, and what buyers must do to protect their property rights.
Judicial Due Process When Haste Makes Waste in Nullity Cases
Two judges fined for gross ignorance of procedure after rushing a marriage nullity case, depriving the husband of due process.
Government Liability When Illegal Land Seizure Requires Just Compensation
Supreme Court ruling on government liability for illegally seized property, default judgments, and limits on monetary awards.
Mandatory Foreclosure: GFIs Must Verify Borrower Payments Before Proceeding
Supreme Court ruling on P.D. 385: government financial institutions must verify borrower payments before mandatory foreclosure.
Duterte v. Kingswood: Burden of Proof in Disease-Based Dismissals
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that employers, not employees, must secure a health authority certification to validly terminate on disease grounds.
Valid Buy-Bust Operation Upholds Conviction Despite Chain of Custody Concerns in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court affirms a drug conviction, ruling that minor lapses in chain of custody do not automatically warrant acquittal when the evidence's integrity is preserved.
Double Jeopardy and Amendment of Information: Pacoy v. Cajigal Explained
When can a court amend a charge from homicide to murder after arraignment? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on amendment, substitution, and double jeopardy.
Laches vs Torrens Title: When Delay Overrides Ownership Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains when laches, not just prescription, can bar a registered owner from recovering possession of titled land.
Buy-Bust Operations and the Objective Test in Philippine Drug Cases
The Supreme Court explains the "objective" test for buy-bust operations and when a lone police witness can prove drug selling beyond reasonable doubt.
Judicial Integrity: When a Judge Must Inhibit From a Case
A judge who hears a criminal case where his wife is the private complainant violates judicial conduct rules and must pay a fine.
Conspiracy and Treachery in Murder: Collective Intent Under Philippine Law
How Philippine courts infer conspiracy and treachery from concerted acts, and the damages rules in murder convictions.
Private or Public? COA Audit Authority Over Animal Welfare Societies
When is a corporation created by special law a government entity subject to COA audit? The Supreme Court clarifies the test.
Beyond Sweetheart Defense: RA 7610 Protects Minors in Professor-Student Relationships
The Supreme Court ruled that a minor's consent is immaterial in child abuse cases under RA 7610, rejecting the sweetheart defense in professor-student relationships.