Legal Insights

Corporate Officer Liability: When Directors Can Be Held Personally Liable for Corporate Debts

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when corporate officers may be held personally liable for corporate debts and labor awards.

When Are Public Officials Liable for Disallowed Expenses: Good Faith vs. Accountability

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when public officials face liability for disallowed expenses, balancing public accountability with good faith performance.

Protecting Workers: Illegal Dismissal and the Rights of Pakyaw Employees in the Philippines

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that pakyaw workers are regular employees entitled to security of tenure, holiday pay, and service incentive leave pay.

Stockholder Inspection Rights Corporations Cannot Enjoin Access Preemptively

Philippine Supreme Court ruling: corporations cannot use injunction to preemptively block stockholders' statutory right to inspect corporate books and records.

Corporate Mergers and Employee Rights: Understanding Job Security in the Philippines

Philippine Supreme Court rules that corporate mergers do not terminate employees' jobs; absorbed workers continue employment with the surviving corporation.

Correspondent Banks' Right to Reimbursement in Dishonored Letters of Credit

Philippine Supreme Court ruling on correspondent banks' right to reimbursement when letters of credit are dishonored, explained in plain language.

Cargo Loss Liability: When Bad Weather Is Not a "Peril of the Sea"

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when bad weather excuses a common carrier from cargo loss, defining "storm" and "peril of the sea."

Lawyers Reprimanded for Unfounded Accusations in Pleadings: A Lesson in Professional Conduct

Philippine Supreme Court disciplines lawyers for baseless accusations against opposing counsel in pleadings, reaffirming ethical duties under the Code of Professional Responsibility.

Res Judicata in Annulment of Judgments: Prior Relief Bars Subsequent Action

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a petition for annulment of judgment under Rule 47 is barred by a prior petition for relief.

Corporate Records Access: Stockholder Rights and Officer Duties After Dissolution

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a stockholder's right to inspect corporate records survives corporate dissolution and continues during liquidation.

When the Company Physician's Fit-to-Work Assessment Prevails in Seafarer Disability Claims

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a company-designated physician's fit-to-work certification outweighs a seafarer's private doctor in disability claims.

Lease Default and Lessor Rights: Reading Contract Clauses Literally

Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lessor rights upon lessee default, contract interpretation, and enforcement of claims against a deceased lessee's estate.

Circumstantial Evidence and Parricide: Proving Guilt Beyond Reasonable Doubt

How circumstantial evidence can convict a husband of parricide when no eyewitness exists, explained through a Philippine Supreme Court ruling.

Ancestral Land Disputes Reasserting Court Jurisdiction Over Indigenous Claims

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies NCIP jurisdiction over ancestral land disputes, reaffirming Lim v. Gamosa and the rule on first-filed cases.

Ejectment Cases: Proving Tolerance and the Limits of Possession Claims

Philippine Supreme Court ruling on unlawful detainer, tolerance, and why ownership claims don't decide who keeps physical possession.

Torrens Title vs Actual Possession: Ownership Rights in Unlawful Detainer Cases

Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how Torrens title and actual possession affect unlawful detainer cases, explained in plain language.

Breach of Trust and Termination: When Is Dismissal Too Harsh in Philippine Labor Law

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when dismissal for breach of trust is too harsh, and when separation pay may still be awarded.

Rape Conviction Affirmed: Victim Testimony and the Anti-Rape Law in Philippine Courts

Philippine Supreme Court affirms robbery with rape conviction, underscoring the weight of credible victim testimony and the application of anti-rape laws.

Rape Conviction Requires Clear Proof of Force and Victim's Age in Statutory Rape Cases

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies proof requirements for rape convictions, distinguishing simple rape from statutory rape and affirming credibility standards.

Deficiency Claims After Foreclosure: Banks' Rights and Limits on Penalties

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that banks may collect deficiency after extrajudicial foreclosure, but courts can reduce excessive penalty charges.

Voluntary Resignation vs Constructive Dismissal: What Employees Must Prove

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the burden of proof in constructive dismissal claims involving voluntary resignation and retirement.

Extinguishment of Criminal Liability: Death Before Final Judgment in Philippine Law

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when death extinguishes criminal and civil liability, applying Article 89 of the Revised Penal Code.

Independent Contractor vs Employee: The Right of Control Test in Philippine Labor Law

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the right of control test distinguishing independent contractors from employees in Valeroso v. Skycable.

Good Faith in Collective Bargaining: Philippine Rule on Fair Labor Practices

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies good faith bargaining duties, unfair labor practice, and when strikes are justified in CBA negotiations.