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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Seafarer Disability Claims: Why Medical Assessment and Timelines Matter
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when seafarers may claim total permanent disability benefits and why medical assessment timelines are critical.
GSIS Housing Loan Death Claims: When Insurance Lapses but Equity Survives
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on GSIS housing loans, Sales Redemption Insurance coverage, and heirs' right to restructure after a borrower's death.
Patent Infringement in the Philippines: How Claims Define Protection
Philippine patent infringement hinges on claim interpretation. The Supreme Court's Tuna Processors ruling clarifies direct and indirect infringement.
Third-Party Claims in Labor Disputes: Protecting Assets from Wrongful Levy
Learn how the Supreme Court protects third-party asset owners from wrongful levy in labor dispute executions, and the proper remedies available.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Medical Abandonment and Its Consequences in the Philippines
When a seafarer fails to complete required medical treatment and re-evaluation, the right to disability benefits may be forfeited. The Supreme Court explains.
When IPRA Customary Law Claims Collide with Final Judgments: Lessons from Spouses Sending v. Co Uy
The Supreme Court clarifies when indigenous customary laws apply in disputes and why final judgments cannot be overturned through belated IPRA claims.
Preliminary Attachment in the Philippines: Safeguarding Claims Without Overreach
The Supreme Court clarifies when preliminary attachment is proper, stressing strict compliance with Rule 57 to prevent abuse.
Deficiency Claims After Mortgage Foreclosure: The Prieto v. BPI Ruling
Learn how the Supreme Court's Prieto v. BPI ruling protects borrowers from unproven deficiency claims after mortgage foreclosure in the Philippines.
Timely Filing of Just Compensation Claims Under Philippine Agrarian Law
Learn the 10-year prescriptive period for filing just compensation claims with the Special Agrarian Courts under Philippine agrarian reform law.
Intent to Gain in Theft Cases: Good Faith Ownership Claims Under Philippine Law
Philippine theft law requires intent to gain. Learn how a good faith belief in ownership can defeat criminal charges, citing Amarille v. People.
Ancestral Land Rights in Baguio City: IPRA, Townsite Reservations, and the Cariño Doctrine
The Supreme Court clarifies IPRA's application to Baguio City, ancestral land claims, and the Cariño doctrine on native title.
Writ of Possession, Third-Party Claims, and the Limits of Ministerial Duty in Foreclosure Cases
When a third party claims rights over foreclosed property, the writ of possession is no longer ministerial—but only if that claim is truly adverse.
Insurance Claims and Excluded Risks: Understanding Insurrection and Rebellion
When do violent attacks fall under excluded insurance risks like insurrection or rebellion? The Supreme Court clarifies in Platinum Group Metals Corp. v. Mercantile Insurance.
Ancestral Land Claims in Baguio City: CALCs Are Not Proof of Ownership
The Supreme Court clarifies that Certificates of Ancestral Land Claim do not confer ownership over Baguio City lots, which remain governed by the city charter.
Ancestral Land Claims in Baguio City: Prior Rights and the Limits of IPRA
The Supreme Court clarifies that Certificates of Ancestral Land Claim do not establish ownership in Baguio City under IPRA.
Forum Shopping Dismissal of Claims and Preservation of Judicial Integrity
The Supreme Court clarifies when filing multiple suits amounts to deliberate forum shopping and results in dismissal with prejudice.
Retroactivity of Tax Rulings Clarifying Documentary Stamp Tax on Intercompany Advances
Supreme Court clarifies when tax rulings apply retroactively, affecting documentary stamp tax on intercompany advances and refund claims.
Unlocking VAT Refunds for Zero-Rated Sales: The Attributability Requirement in Philippine Tax Law
The Supreme Court clarifies that input VAT need not be directly and entirely attributable to zero-rated sales for refund claims, easing the path for VAT-registered taxpayers.
Contract to Sell vs Contract of Sale: Adverse Claims on Philippine Property Titles
Learn how the Supreme Court distinguishes contract to sell from contract of sale, and when adverse claims on land titles are valid under PD 1529.
Adverse Claims on Registered Land: When They Can and Cannot Be Annotated
The Supreme Court clarifies when an adverse claim on registered land is valid, and when it must be cancelled under Philippine property law.
Seafarer Disability Claims: When Can a Seaman Recover Attorney's Fees
The Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer can recover attorney's fees in disability claims, even without employer bad faith.
VAT Refund Claims: Complete Documents and Zero-Rated Sales Requirements
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies VAT refund rules on complete documents, zero-rated sales proof, and input tax computation for taxpayers.
PhilHealth Claims: Supreme Court Protects Healthcare Providers’ Due Process Rights
The Supreme Court ruled PhilHealth violated due process in claims against Quezon City Eye Center, reinforcing procedural fairness in administrative cases.
Citizen Suits and Native Title: What the Maliones Case Means for Philippine Environmental Law
The Supreme Court clarifies that citizen suits protect the environment but cannot resolve native title claims, which belong to the NCIP.