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.
Actual Malice and Media Responsibility in Reporting on Public Figures
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that public figures must prove actual malice to claim damages for false news reports.
Stevedores and the Duty of Care: When Cargo Damage Is Not Negligence
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that stevedores owe ordinary diligence, not the higher standard of common carriers, in loading and stowing cargo.
Sellers Obligation Delivering Titles Despite Encumbrances IN Philippine Property LAW
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on subdivision sellers' duty to deliver clean titles despite encumbrances, and buyer remedies.
When Lawyers Draft Illegal Lease Contracts: The Hontanosas Case on Foreign Land Leases
A lawyer who drafts and notarizes lease contracts exceeding legal limits for aliens faces suspension, as the Supreme Court ruled in Kupers v. Hontanosas.
Accountability for Deadly Assault: Distinguishing Frustrated Homicide from Murder Through Intent and Circumsta
The Supreme Court clarifies when a near-fatal bolo attack is frustrated homicide versus murder, and how intent and treachery are proven.
Double Sale and Good Faith Registration: Pagaduan v. Ocuma on Property Rights
Explore how the Supreme Court ruled on double sale, good faith registration, and prescription in Pagaduan v. Ocuma.
Safeguarding Rights Illegal Drug Conviction Overturned Due to Evidence Chain Break
Philippine Supreme Court acquits drug suspect when police break chain of custody, reinforcing that evidence integrity is vital to conviction.
Navigating Mining Disputes When DO Courts NOT Mining Agencies Decide
The Supreme Court clarifies when regular courts, not the Panel of Arbitrators, have jurisdiction over mining-related contract disputes under the Philippine Mining Act.
Intersection Collisions and Driver Negligence: Who Has the Right of Way in the Philippines?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies right of way rules, driver negligence, and fault in intersection collisions under RA 4136.
Protecting the Vulnerable: Upholding Convictions in Child Sexual Abuse Cases
The Supreme Court affirms the conviction of a father for nine counts of statutory rape against his young daughters, clarifying evidentiary rules.
Filing a Baseless Suit Does Not Automatically Mean Paying Damages: Delos Santos v. Papa
The Supreme Court clarifies that losing a lawsuit does not automatically entitle the winning party to moral and exemplary damages.
Novation Must Be Clear: Restructuring Agreements Do Not Automatically Extinguish Prior Obligations
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when debt restructuring novates an obligation and when it merely modifies the original agreement.
Illegal Dismissal: Employer Bears Burden of Proving Just Cause and Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on employer's burden to prove just cause and due process in illegal dismissal cases.
Protecting the Vulnerable: The Credibility of Child Witnesses in Rape Cases
Philippine Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on a six-year-old's testimony, explaining why minor inconsistencies do not destroy a child witness's credibility.
MTRCB Power to Regulate TV Broadcasts: Free Speech vs Public Welfare
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling in Soriano v. Laguardia on MTRCB regulatory powers over television broadcasts and free speech limits.
Moral Turpitude and Electoral Disqualification: The Teves Case Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies when a conviction for a prohibited interest involves moral turpitude, using the Teves cockpit case as guide.
Dividends Follow the Shares in Ill-Gotten Wealth Recovery
Supreme Court rules dividends and interests follow ownership of recovered ill-gotten shares, even if not expressly stated in the dispositive portion.
Dividends Follow the Shares in Ill-Gotten Wealth Cases, SC Rules
In ill-gotten wealth cases, dividends and fruits follow ownership of the shares, the Supreme Court ruled in Cojuangco v. Sandiganbayan.
Sheriffs Accountability Receiving Unauthorized Payments AND Neglecting Duty
Supreme Court rules on sheriff's liability for receiving unauthorized payments and dereliction of duty in implementing writs of execution.
Deportation and Drug Convictions: Broadening the Scope of Philippine Immigration Law
The Supreme Court rules that foreign drug convictions justify deportation under Philippine immigration law, rejecting a narrow reading of Section 37(a)(4).
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Safeguarding Evidence Integrity
Why the Supreme Court acquitted a drug suspect over broken chain of custody, and what it means for prosecutions.
Solicitation Ban Upholding Integrity in the Judiciary
Court personnel dismissed for soliciting from bonding companies using fake Supreme Court letterheads. Learn the rules on improper solicitation.
Conjugal Property and Spousal Liability: Defining Benefit Under the Family Code
When can a spouse's personal debt be charged against conjugal property? The Supreme Court clarifies the Rule Under Article 122
Real Property Tax: What Counts as Pollution Control Equipment for Exemption
The Supreme Court clarifies when pollution control structures qualify for real property tax exemption under the Local Government Code.