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.
Proving Employee Abandonment: Key Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies what employers must prove to establish employee abandonment—and why mere absence is not enough.
Burden of Proof in Labor Cases: Supreme Court Upholds Employee Rights in Wage Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies that employers bear the burden of proof in labor standards cases, protecting workers' claims for unpaid wages.
Citizen's Arrest in the Philippines: Barangay Tanod Authority and Your Rights
When can barangay tanods arrest without a warrant? The Salma case explains citizen's arrest rules and your rights under Philippine law.
Conjugal Partnership and Surety Agreements: When a Spouse's Guaranty Does Not Bind the Family
When a husband signs a surety agreement for a third party, the conjugal partnership is not automatically liable. Here's why.
Property Transfers in Common-Law Relationships: Navigating Legal Restrictions
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on property transfers to common-law spouses, void sales, and conjugal property rules explained.
Acquisitive Prescription and Laches in Property Disputes: Aguirre v. Heirs of Villanueva
Learn how the Supreme Court applied ordinary acquisitive prescription and laches in a property dispute between heirs and buyers.
Certiorari vs Appeal: Choosing the Right Remedy Against Shari'a Court Resolutions
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies why certiorari cannot substitute for a lost appeal, using a Shari'a court dispute as the case study.
Good Faith and Due Diligence in Property Transactions: Lessons from Bautista v. Silva
When is a buyer of real property truly in good faith? The Supreme Court clarifies the duty to inquire beyond a special power of attorney.
Abandonment of Work: Proving Intent to Sever Employment in Philippine Labor Law
Explaining when absence becomes abandonment under Philippine law, using the Supreme Court's ruling in Aliten v. U-Need Lumber.
Foreshore Lease Preference: Riparian Rights vs. Reclamation in Philippine Land Law
Supreme Court ruling on whether a littoral owner retains preferential right to lease foreshore land that has been reclaimed by another applicant.
Agency vs Assignment: Who Is the Real Party in Interest in Contract Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a representative is an agent rather than an assignee, and who may sue on a contract.
Unconscionable Greed: Attorney's Fees Must Be Reasonable and Just
Philippine Supreme Court nullifies P50M attorney's fee claim, ruling lawyers' compensation must be reasonable, not driven by greed.
Military Discipline vs Civilian Courts: Jurisdiction Over Service-Connected Offenses
Supreme Court clarifies when military personnel face court-martial for service-connected offenses under RA 7055, citing the Oakwood mutiny case.
When a Missing Marriage License Doesn't Void a Marriage: Sevilla v. Cardenas
The Supreme Court explains when a missing marriage license does not automatically make a marriage void, and why proof matters.
Emancipation Patents Indefeasibility and Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Rights
Supreme Court affirms that Emancipation Patents become indefeasible one year after issuance, protecting farmer-beneficiaries from late cancellation challenges.
Authority to Sign Certification Against Forum Shopping in Corporate Litigation
Who may sign the certification against forum shopping in corporate cases? The Supreme Court clarifies the rules on authority and false certifications.
Bouncing Checks and Criminal Intent: Upholding Strict Liability Under BP 22
The Supreme Court affirms that BP 22 punishes the mere issuance of a bouncing check, regardless of intent or purpose.
Gross Negligence of Counsel Can Justify New Trial in Criminal Cases
When a lawyer's gross negligence deprives an accused of due process, courts may reopen the case for a fair trial.
Forestry Laws: Driver Liability and Knowledge in Illegal Logging Cases
Supreme Court ruling on truck driver liability for transporting undocumented lumber under the Revised Forestry Code, and how knowledge and conspiracy are proven.
Illegal Dismissal: Abandonment Defense Fails, Backwages Still Due
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on illegal dismissal, abandonment defense, and the right to full backwages even when separation pay is awarded.
Illegal Dismissal Burden of Proof: Employer Must Substantiate Abandonment Claims
In Velasco v. NLRC, the Supreme Court clarified that employers bear the burden of proving abandonment in illegal dismissal cases, and that separation pay does not replace backwages.
Disqualification and Succession in Local Elections: The Sinsuat Case
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on disqualification of winning candidates, ballot appreciation, and succession rules in Philippine local elections.
Religious Freedom and Administrative Discipline: The Escritor Doctrine on Benevolent Neutrality
Explaining the Supreme Court's landmark ruling on religious freedom as a defense in administrative cases, and the compelling state interest test.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: What Philippine Courts Look For
When is a deed of sale really a mortgage? The Supreme Court explains the rules on equitable mortgage in Cirelos v. Hernandez.