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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Meralco Rate Case: Balancing Public Interest and Utility Profits in Philippine Power Regulation
The Supreme Court affirms rate regulation balancing utility profits and consumer protection in a landmark Meralco case.
Meralco Rate Hike Ruling: Consumers Win as Supreme Court Shields Public From Utility's Income Tax
Supreme Court rules Meralco cannot pass income tax to consumers as operating expense, ordering refund of excess rate collections.
Meralco's Power Play: When Disconnecting Electricity Demands Due Process
The Supreme Court ruled that Meralco cannot disconnect electricity for alleged meter tampering without an officer of the law or ERB representative witnessing the discovery.
Res Judicata and Finality of Judgments: Lessons from the Meralco Franchise Tax Dispute
The Supreme Court reiterates that final judgments bind parties forever. The Meralco franchise tax case shows why relitigating settled issues fails.
Burden of Proof in Electricity Pilferage: Meralco Must Substantiate Tampering Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Meralco's burden to prove electricity pilferage before imposing differential billings on customers.
CBA Arbitral Award Retroactivity in the Philippines: Meralco v. Secretary of Labor Explained
Learn the rule on retroactivity of CBA arbitral awards from Meralco v. Secretary of Labor, including the six-month period and hold-over principle.
Meralco v. Quisumbing: CBA Retroactivity and Balancing Labor Rights with Management Prerogatives
The Supreme Court clarifies when arbitral CBA awards retroact and how wage increases balance labor rights with management prerogatives.
Credible Witness or Coached Testimony: Why Doubt Can Acquit in Philippine Theft Cases
Explore how the Supreme Court acquitted a Meralco employee of qualified theft, emphasizing that uncorroborated and improbable witness testimony cannot prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
When Can Employee Absences Lead to Dismissal? A Guide for Employers and Employees
Explore when habitual absences justify dismissal under Philippine labor law, citing the Meralco v. NLRC case.