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.
Untangling Rescission: Prescription Periods in Philippine Property Sales
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when the four-year prescriptive period for rescission of a sale starts, using the Quirong v. DBP case.
Contempt of the COMELEC: Scope of Power and Due Process in Election Investigations
The Supreme Court affirms COMELEC's power to initiate contempt proceedings motu proprio during fact-finding investigations, clarifying due process requirements.
Presidential Warranties vs. State Sovereignty: The PICOP Timber License Case
The Supreme Court ruled presidential warranties on timber licenses are not contracts, and state sovereignty over natural resources prevails.
Contempt of the COMELEC: The Scope of Its Quasi-Judicial Power Explained
The Supreme Court affirms COMELEC's power to cite for contempt even when acting through fact-finding task forces, clarifying the scope of its quasi-judicial authority.
Unlawful Termination of NPC Employees: Reinstatement Rights and Corporate Liability
The Supreme Court clarifies reinstatement rights for illegally dismissed NPC employees and limits PSALM's liability in execution.
Habeas Corpus for Child Custody: What the Supreme Court Requires
The Supreme Court clarifies when habeas corpus applies to child custody disputes and why courts must hold a trial, not just produce the child.
Probable Cause and Warrantless Searches: Safeguarding Rights in Drug Cases
The Supreme Court explains when roadside warrantless searches are valid in drug cases and how probable cause protects accused persons' rights.
Misconduct vs Termination: Balancing Employee Rights and Employer Prerogatives
A seafarer's dismissal for a positive drug test is upheld, but the Court awards nominal damages for lack of due process.
Refusal to Accept Notices Upholds Lessor's Rights in Unlawful Detainer Cases
A lessee's refusal to accept notices to vacate cannot defeat a lessor's right to recover possession in unlawful detainer cases.
Just Compensation Land Valuation Under Agrarian Reform Requires Independent Judicial Assessment
Philippine Supreme Court rules trial courts must independently determine just compensation in agrarian reform cases, not merely adopt DARAB valuations.
Foreclosure Notice Requirements: BPI v. Puzon on Posting, Publication, and Presumption of Regularity
Supreme Court clarifies notice requirements in extrajudicial foreclosure, upholding sale where publication was made and presumption of regularity applied.
Custody Rights and the Child's Welfare: Reassessing Habeas Corpus in Family Disputes
The Supreme Court clarifies that habeas corpus in child custody cases aims to determine rightful custody, not just produce the child.
Eyewitness Identification Reliability and the Totality of Circumstances Test in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court explains when out-of-court eyewitness identification is reliable under the totality of circumstances test, and how in-court identification cures defects.
Reconveyance and Good Faith: Protecting Land Ownership in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies reconveyance actions, good faith purchasers, and why registration alone does not vest land ownership in the Philippines.
Just Compensation Under CARP: Applying RA 6657 Valuation Principles
The Supreme Court clarifies that just compensation for lands acquired under RA 6657 must follow Section 17 factors and DAR AO No. 6, not PD No. 27.
Accountability for Group Actions: Establishing Conspiracy in Criminal Law
Understand how Philippine courts determine conspiracy in criminal cases, when group liability attaches, and why mere presence or evasion of arrest does not equate to guilt.
Positive Identification Prevails Over Alibi in Philippine Murder Conviction
How the Supreme Court affirmed a murder conviction, ruling that credible eyewitness identification outweighs the inherently weak defense of alibi.
When a Transfer Becomes Constructive Dismissal: Limits on Management Prerogative
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when an employee transfer crosses the line from valid management prerogative to constructive dismissal, requiring reinstatement and backwages.
Res Ipsa Loquitur and Proximate Cause in Philippine Electric Accident Cases
How the Supreme Court applied res ipsa loquitur and proximate cause principles to hold an electric cooperative liable for electrocution injuries.
Attorney's Fees and Quantum Meruit: Fair Compensation for Legal Services in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts determine reasonable attorney's fees and quantum meruit principles, with insights from a Supreme Court ruling on contractual obligations.
Mining Rights and State Control: The Limits of Exploration Permits in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on exploration permits, vested rights, and state control over mineral reservations under the Mining Act.
Handwriting Analysis and Election Disputes: Protecting the Sanctity of the Ballot
The Supreme Court clarifies when handwriting analysis may invalidate ballots in election protests, stressing that no two persons write alike.
Illegal Dismissal, Retirement Age, and Employee Benefits: Key Lessons from Ondevilla v. Colegio de San Juan de
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on constructive dismissal, optional retirement, and CBA benefits for managerial employees in this Philippine labor case.
Deed of Sale Presumed Valid Absent Clear Proof of Fraud
Supreme Court clarifies that notarized deeds of sale enjoy presumption of authenticity; challengers must present clear and convincing evidence of fraud.