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.
Eminent Domain Revisited: When Expropriated Land Must Be Returned After Public Use Ceases
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when former owners can reclaim expropriated property if the public purpose is abandoned or never pursued.
Proving Land Ownership in the Philippines: The June 12, 1945 Rule in Land Registration
Philippine land registration requires proof of possession since June 12, 1945. Learn the rules and the key case of Republic v. Carrasco.
Public Plaza vs. Private Property: Land Ownership Disputes in the Philippines
When can land used as a public plaza be claimed as private property? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on property of public dominion.
Presidential Proclamations and Land Ownership: Military Reservations in the Philippines
Can a presidential proclamation override private land claims? The Supreme Court clarifies how military reservations affect ownership rights.
Local Governments Must Make a Valid Offer Before Expropriation
The Supreme Court nullified Pasig City's expropriation for failing to prove a valid, definite offer to the owner before filing the case.
LGU Right to Immediate Possession in Expropriation: City of Iloilo v. Legaspi
When can an LGU take immediate possession of private property in expropriation? The Supreme Court explains the 15% deposit rule.
Eminent Domain vs Urban Development: Balancing Public Need and Property Rights in Manila
The Supreme Court clarifies when local governments may expropriate private land for socialized housing under R.A. 7279.
Reversion Rights After Expropriation: What MCIAA v. Chiongbian Means for Landowners
When government expropriation is unconditional, former owners generally cannot reclaim land even if the public purpose ends. Learn the rules.
Expropriation in the Philippines: When Can Land Be Sold During Proceedings
Learn when landowners can still sell property during expropriation proceedings and who gets just compensation, based on a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.
Eminent Domain in the Philippines: Why RTCs Always Have Jurisdiction
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that expropriation suits are incapable of pecuniary estimation, so RTCs have exclusive jurisdiction regardless of property value.
Expropriation in the Philippines: Provisional Deposit and Writ of Possession Explained
Understand how the 1997 Rules on expropriation allow the government to take property upon depositing assessed value, and what this means for owners.
Writ of Possession in Expropriation: When Demolition Is Implied | Philippine Law
In expropriation cases, a writ of possession can include the power to demolish structures. Learn the rule from Knecht v. Desierto.
Accretion vs. Foreshore Land in the Philippines: Who Owns Newly Formed Land?
Philippine law distinguishes accretion from foreshore land. Learn who owns newly formed land along rivers and seas under the Civil Code and the Spanish Law of Waters.
Eminent Domain in the Philippines: Just Compensation and Due Process
Learn how Philippine law protects property owners in eminent domain cases, focusing on just compensation and due process requirements.