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.
Mortgage Contracts and Future Advances: Understanding the Scope of Security in Philippine Law
When does a real estate mortgage cover future loans beyond the stated amount? The Supreme Court explains in Quintanilla v. RCBC.
Positive Identification Key to Murder Convictions in the Philippines
How eyewitness identification outweighs alibi in Philippine murder cases, explained through People v. Queliza (G.R. No. 124135).
Retrenchment in the Philippines: Proving Business Losses for Valid Employee Termination
Learn when retrenchment is valid in the Philippines, what business losses employers must prove, and how courts protect workers from illegal dismissal.
When Can a Seaman Be Dismissed: Understanding Seafarer Rights and Obligations
Learn the legal grounds for dismissing a seaman in the Philippines, plus the rights and obligations of seafarers under Philippine maritime law.
Void Sales and Repurchase Agreements: Property Rights in the Philippines
When a seller has no title, the sale is void—and so is any right to repurchase. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court case.
Redemption Rights Under the Public Land Act: A Guide for Heirs and Mortgagors
Learn how the two-year redemption and five-year repurchase periods work for foreclosed Public Land Act properties, and what heirs should know.
Redemption After Execution Sale: Ownership Disputes Do Not Stop the Clock
Philippine law gives judgment debtors one year to redeem property sold at execution. Ownership disputes do not suspend that deadline.
Overlapping Land Titles in the Philippines: Resolving Ownership Disputes
Learn how Philippine courts resolve ownership disputes involving overlapping land titles, foreclosure, and tenant rights under agrarian reform laws.
Receivership in the Philippines: When Courts Appoint a Receiver Under Rule 59
Learn when Philippine courts may appoint a receiver under Rule 59, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Commodities Storage & Ice Plant Corp. v. CA.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts distinguish equitable mortgages from absolute sales to protect property owners from hidden credit arrangements.
Pledge vs. Corporate By-Laws: Who Wins in Stock Ownership Disputes?
A bank's pledged shares were sold by a club for unpaid dues. The Supreme Court ruled on who prevails.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Are Company Officers Liable for Corporate Debts in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when corporate officers and close corporation stockholders can be held personally liable for separation pay.
The Perils of Delayed Disclosure: Eyewitness Testimony and Credibility in Philippine Criminal Law
How Philippine courts weigh eyewitness identification, voice recognition, and alibi in criminal cases, explained through a 1997 Supreme Court ruling.
Untimely Appeal Understanding Finality of NLRC Decisions in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court affirmed NLRC finality on retrenchment rulings and why untimely appeals fail in Philippine labor cases.
Venue Stipulations in Contracts: When Do They Override General Rules?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when contractual venue stipulations bind parties and when general venue rules prevail in extrajudicial foreclosures.
Extrajudicial Foreclosure Venue: Why Judges Must Follow Act 3135, Not the Rules of Court
A judge's fine for gross ignorance of the law clarifies that extrajudicial foreclosure venue follows Act 3135, not general venue rules.
Lis Pendens in the Philippines: Preventing Multiple Lawsuits and Wasted Resources
Learn how lis pendens works in the Philippines to prevent multiple lawsuits, protect property rights, and avoid wasted judicial resources.
Project Employee vs Regular Employee: Termination Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains the difference between project and regular employees, and the rules on termination rights under the Labor Code.
Chattel Mortgage and Future Debts: What Philippine Law Allows
Can a chattel mortgage secure debts incurred after its execution? The Supreme Court explains the limits under the Chattel Mortgage Law.
Chattel Mortgage Coverage of Future Loans: The Acme Shoe Ruling
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a chattel mortgage can cover future loans and why full payment extinguishes the security.
Recto Law Explained: Deficiency Claims After Chattel Mortgage Foreclosure
Understand Article 1484 (Recto Law) and when sellers can still recover attorney's fees after foreclosing on installment-sold personal property.
Replevin Actions and Chattel Mortgagees: When the Mortgagor Must Be Impleaded
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a chattel mortgagee must implead the mortgagor in a replevin action to foreclose on a vehicle.
When Can a Mortgage on Public Land Be Void: DBP v. Court of Appeals
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when mortgaging land under a free patent application is void and what makes a mortgage valid.
Labor-Only Contracting: When the Principal Is the Real Employer in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court explains labor-only contracting, employer liability, and separation pay rules in Magnolia Dairy v. NLRC.