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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Court Personnel Cannot Use Official Position to Send Private Demand Letters
Supreme Court rules court employees who send private demand letters using court letterheads and franking privileges commit simple misconduct.
Overcoming Technicalities in Employees Compensation for Associated Illnesses
How the Supreme Court ruled that a worker's death from a non-listed illness may still be compensable if associated with a compensable disease.
Judicial Ethics for Court Employees: The Limits of Public Service
A Supreme Court ruling reminds court personnel that good intentions do not excuse using court authority and resources for purely private matters.
When Banks Breach Fiduciary Duty: Liability for Unauthorized Withdrawals
Supreme Court ruling on bank liability for unauthorized withdrawals by employees, moral damages, and the fiduciary duty of banks to depositors.
Retrenchment Requirements: Proving Financial Losses and Fair Criteria in Employee Dismissal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on retrenchment: employers must prove substantial losses and use fair criteria like seniority when dismissing employees.
Retrenchment Rules in the Philippines: Proving Losses and Fair Selection
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on retrenchment: what employers must prove to validly dismiss employees due to business losses.
Willful Failure to Pay Just Debt: Court Employees and the Duty to Honor Financial Obligations
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that court employees who willfully fail to pay just debts face administrative sanctions, even after full payment.
Ombudsman's Authority Prevails: Challenging Jurisdiction After Participating in Proceedings
Supreme Court rules that participating in NLRC proceedings does not bar challenging jurisdiction when Civil Service Commission has exclusive authority over government employees.
Duty Free Philippines v. Mojica: Civil Service, Not Labor Courts, Governs GOCC Employees
Employees of government-owned corporations with original charters must file dismissal cases with the Civil Service Commission, not the NLRC.
Can Court Employees Be Disciplined for Private Debts? The Quedancor Case
The Supreme Court ruled that court personnel may be reprimanded for willful failure to pay just debts, even if the debt is purely private and incurred before entering the Judiciary.
Dismissal of Dishonest Sheriff: Upholding Public Trust in Court Personnel
Supreme Court dismisses sheriff for misappropriating auction proceeds, reaffirming strict accountability for court employees.
Equal Treatment in Back Pay for Philippine Ports Authority Employees
Supreme Court rules PPA employees hired after July 1, 1989 are entitled to COLA and amelioration allowance back pay.
Upholding Ethical Conduct: Court Personnel’s Duty to Maintain Judicial Integrity
A sheriff’s cockfight betting draws a reprimand—why court employees must avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
Due Process Prevails: Dismissal Without Notice and Hearing Is Unlawful
Supreme Court rules that government employees cannot be dismissed for AWOL or poor ratings without prior notice and hearing.
Workplace Stress and Heart Attacks: Protecting Employees Under Philippine Labor Law
Can a driver-messenger claim compensation for a heart attack? The Supreme Court says yes when work stress and strain contribute. Learn the rules.
Retrenchment vs Retirement: Protecting Employees in Financial Downturns
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when retrenchment is illegal despite financial losses, and when quitclaims do not bar claims.
Upholding Ethical Conduct Judiciary Employees AND Public Decorum
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on judicial employees' conduct, decorum, and accountability in Gonzales v. Gatcheco.
Salary Standardization Benefits: Only Incumbents as of July 1, 1989 Qualify
Supreme Court clarifies that RA 6758 salary standardization benefits apply only to employees who were incumbents as of July 1, 1989.
When Employee Participation Establishes Jurisdiction: Ponce v. NLRC
In Ponce v. NLRC, the Supreme Court ruled that employees who actively participate in an appeal cannot later question the court's jurisdiction.
Court Employees' Duty to Accurate Timekeeping: Duque v. Aspiras
A look at Duque v. Aspiras on the duty of court employees to keep accurate time records and the consequences of logbook irregularities.
Duty vs Discretion: When Court Employees' Conduct Falls Short
A sheriff's duty to execute a writ is ministerial, not discretionary. The Supreme Court explains why delays in implementing court orders constitute dereliction of duty.
Breach of Trust in Employment: Substantiation Required for Valid Termination
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that employers must prove breach of trust with substantial evidence before terminating employees for loss of confidence.
Court Employee Fined for Brawling and Insulting Clerk: Decorum in the Judiciary
A utility worker's fistfight and insulting remarks inside court premises lead to a fine, reinforcing strict decorum rules for judicial employees.
Moral Turpitude and Public Service: How a Criminal Conviction Affects Government Employees
A Supreme Court ruling explains why a B.P. 22 conviction means dismissal for government employees, even with probation.