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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Reversion Suit Barred: Protecting Land Titles From Delayed Government Action
Learn how the Supreme Court protects registered land titles from belated government reversion suits, ensuring stability and security of land ownership.
Infrastructure Projects and Injunctions: Balancing Public Interest and Private Rights
Explore how the Supreme Court applied PD 1818 to protect government infrastructure projects from injunctions, using the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway case.
When Can Government Revoke Tax Exemptions in Freeport Zones
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when Congress may withdraw tax exemptions granted to Subic Freeport locators, and limits on injunctions against tax collection.
Proof of Alienability Required: Land Registration Denied Without Government Certification
Supreme Court denies land registration where applicant failed to prove the property was alienable and disposable public land.
Salary Reclassification in Government: Actual Duties vs Official Position
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on whether actual duties or official position title governs government salary reclassification under EO 189.
When Government Sequestration Collides With Contractual Obligations Resolving Jurisdictional Disputes
Mandatory Foreclosure: GFIs Must Verify Borrower Payments Before Proceeding
Supreme Court ruling on P.D. 385: government financial institutions must verify borrower payments before mandatory foreclosure.
Government Liability When Illegal Land Seizure Requires Just Compensation
Supreme Court ruling on government liability for illegally seized property, default judgments, and limits on monetary awards.
Binding Amicable Settlements: Understanding Repudiation in Barangay Justice
When is a barangay amicable settlement binding? The Supreme Court explains repudiation rules under the Local Government Code.
Real Property Tax Exemption: Government Instrumentalities vs. Beneficial Use by Private Entities
When does a government agency's real property tax exemption end? The Supreme Court clarifies the rule on leased government properties.
Philippine Government Employees and the Right to Protest: Understanding the Limits of Mass Actions
The Supreme Court clarifies the scope of civil servants' right to protest and the legal boundaries of mass actions in the Philippines.
Private or Public? COA Audit Authority Over Animal Welfare Societies
When is a corporation created by special law a government entity subject to COA audit? The Supreme Court clarifies the test.
Boundary Disputes Between Municipalities: Who Has Jurisdiction?
The Supreme Court clarifies which body—the Sangguniang Panlalawigan or the courts—has jurisdiction over municipal boundary disputes under the Local Government Code.
Upholding Probable Cause Safeguarding Public Funds AND Preventing Corruption IN Government Projects
The Supreme Court upholds the Ombudsman's finding of probable cause against a state college president for malversation and graft, reinforcing accountability in public fund use.
Finality of Judgments and Due Process in Dropping Government Employees for Mental Incapacity
When can a government employer drop an employee for mental incapacity? The Supreme Court clarifies the two-notice rule and due process requirements.
When Foreclosure Becomes Inevitable: Understanding the Limits of Injunctive Relief
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when courts cannot stop a government bank's foreclosure, and why a completed sale makes an injunction pointless.
Breach of Public Trust: Accountability for Misuse of Government Funds
Supreme Court ruling on administrative liability of public officers who sign checks for illegal disbursement of government funds.
Eminent Domain vs Land Titles: When Government Delay Fortifies Private Property Rights
Supreme Court ruling on how government delay in paying just compensation and registering expropriated land strengthens private landowners' Torrens titles.
Executive Power vs Legislative Authority: Reorganizing Government Agencies in the Philippines
The Supreme Court upholds the President's power to reorganize executive agencies, clarifying the limits of executive authority under the Constitution.
Lawyer Disbarred for Accepting Private Cases and Fees While in Government Service
Supreme Court disbars PAO lawyer for taking private cases and attorney's fees, violating ethical rules and deceiving a client.
Disbarment for Government Lawyers: Ethical Standards and Public Trust
A PAO lawyer's disbarment for accepting private cases and fees while in government service, and for deceiving a client.
The Price of Concealment: Integrity and Honesty in Judicial Appointments
A judge who concealed his prior dismissal from government service was held liable for dishonesty, underscoring the premium on candor in judicial appointments.
PCGG v. Sandiganbayan: When Delay and Inaction Create a Cause of Action
A look at the Supreme Court ruling that government inaction on requests can itself create a cause of action, and when foreign court rulings do not bar local suits.
Forum Shopping and Government Counsel: Land Bank v. Martinez
A look at Land Bank v. Martinez on forum shopping, the OGCC's role as principal counsel for GOCCs, and finality of DARAB decisions.