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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Demotion Disguised: Constructive Dismissal and Employee Rights in the Philippines
When a transfer is a demotion in disguise, it amounts to constructive dismissal. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court ruling.
Demolition and Due Process: Balancing Property Rights and Public Projects in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when demolitions may proceed without a court order under RA 7279, using the BCDA JUSMAG case.
Lawyer Disbarred for Falsified Mission Order and Hijacking Role
Supreme Court disbars lawyer for falsifying PASG documents and masterminding a cargo hijacking, stressing lawyers' high moral standards.
Balancing Development and Ecology: The Limits of Environmental Protection Orders in Mining Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies when a Writ of Kalikasan may issue in mining disputes, requiring proof of environmental damage of magnitude affecting two or more provinces.
Justice Delayed: Holding Judges Accountable for Delayed Case Resolutions in the Philippines
The Supreme Court fined a Cebu judge P75,000 for gross inefficiency after failing to decide 99 cases and resolve 91 incidents within the mandatory 90-day period.
Rape Conviction Upheld Minors ACT OF Discernment Overrides Youthful Mitigation
Supreme Court affirms gang rape convictions of minors, ruling discernment negates the mitigating effect of minority under juvenile justice law.
Breach of Professional Ethics: Lawyers Cannot Exploit Legal Loopholes for Personal or Client Gain
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when judges face administrative liability for delay, bias, and abuse of judicial discretion.
GSIS Survivorship Benefits: Secondary Beneficiaries Win in Laroco v. GSIS
Supreme Court strikes down GSIS rule barring secondary beneficiaries from survivorship benefits when a member dies with less than 15 years of service.
Probable Cause and Bribery When Doubts Justify A Trial
Supreme Court ruling on who may appeal criminal case dismissals and venue rules for online libel.
Judge Reprimanded for Undue Delay in Resolving Motions: A Lesson in Judicial Duty
The Supreme Court reminds judges that the 90-day period to resolve motions is mandatory, not optional, and that delay erodes public faith in the judiciary.
Standing to Sue: The Solicitor General's Exclusive Authority in Criminal Appeals
Who may appeal a dismissed criminal case? The Supreme Court clarifies the Solicitor General's exclusive authority and the limits on private prosecutors.
Judicial Accountability When Delay Undermines Justice in the Philippines
The Supreme Court holds judges accountable for undue delay, clarifying the line between judicial discretion and administrative liability.
Eyewitness Inconsistency and Reasonable Doubt: Scrutinizing Witness Testimony in Murder Cases
In People v. Vargas, the Supreme Court acquitted two murder accused after the lone eyewitness gave conflicting accounts of who killed the victim.
Due Process in Administrative Actions: Fair Notice in Recruitment Cases
The Supreme Court rules that administrative due process requires furnishing the accused with the evidence against them, not just a hearing.
When Lawyers Can Withdraw From a Case: The Rule on Client Consent and Court Approval
A lawyer cannot simply abandon a client's case. The Supreme Court explains the rules on withdrawal and the penalties for violation.
The Burden of Proof in Seafarer Disability Claims: Clarifying the Third Doctor Rule
A seafarer who disputes a company doctor's fit-to-work finding must follow the POEA-SEC third doctor rule and present solid medical evidence, the Supreme Court reminds.
Lawyer Suspended for Abandoning Client and Failing to Return Attorney's Fees
The Supreme Court suspended a lawyer for one year and ordered him to return P61,500 in fees after he withdrew from his client's cases without notice.
Pre-Trial Stipulations and Signature Authentication: Heirs of Salud v. Rural Bank of Salinas
A 2016 Supreme Court ruling clarifies when pre-trial stipulations bind parties and how courts weigh handwriting expert findings against direct testimony.
Mutuality of Contracts: Banks Cannot Unilaterally Raise Interest Rates Without Borrower Consent
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why banks cannot unilaterally increase loan interest rates without borrower consent, citing mutuality of contracts principle.
Breach of Trust Dismissal for Theft of Court Exhibit Undermines Judicial Integrity
Court personnel who steal exhibits betray the judiciary's trust. The Supreme Court's ruling in Castro shows why dismissal is the only fitting penalty.
Freedom of the Press and Electoral Integrity: Rappler's Right to Live Stream Debates
The Supreme Court ruled that media entities may live stream COMELEC debates, subject to copyright conditions under the Intellectual Property Code.
Theft of a Court Exhibit: Why a Utility Worker Was Dismissed for Breach of Trust
A Supreme Court decision shows why court personnel who take evidence entrusted to them face dismissal for dishonesty and grave misconduct, even without leaving the building.
Supreme Court Upholds ERC's Power to Set Electric Cooperative Capital Contribution Charges
SC dismisses challenge to MCC/RFSC charges by electric cooperatives, affirming ERC's rate-setting authority under EPIRA.
When a DILG Order Meets a COMELEC Ruling: Contempt in Election Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when government officials can be cited for contempt for implementing an Ombudsman decision that conflicts with a COMELEC ruling.