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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Real Property Tax Sales: Ensuring Proper Notice to Delinquent Owners
The Supreme Court clarifies the notice requirements for tax delinquency sales under P.D. 464, emphasizing strict compliance with statutory notice rules.
Real Estate Foreclosure in the Philippines: Notice Requirements and Due Process
A look at Guanco v. Antolo and why strict notice and posting rules govern extrajudicial foreclosure sales in the Philippines.
Breach of Contract: Understanding Rescission in Real Estate Transactions
Learn how a defective foreclosure sale was voided by the Supreme Court and what it means for buyers and mortgagors.
Family Home Exemption: Claiming Protection Before the Execution Sale
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when and how judgment debtors must claim the family home exemption from execution sale.
VAT on Sale of Assets: When Is It "In the Course of Trade or Business"?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a sale of company assets is subject to VAT, requiring that the sale occur in the course of trade or business.
When Can a Sale Be Annulled? Lessons from Ishida v. De Mesa-Magno
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a sale can be annulled, and why courts cannot grant reliefs not prayed for in a complaint.
Co-Ownership Lost by Sale: Acquired Title Prevails Over Unasserted Heirship
When siblings sell inherited land without one heir, the buyer's 30-year possession can defeat the omitted heir's claim. Here's why.
Documentary Stamp Tax on Foreign Exchange Sales: Who Pays
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on documentary stamp tax liability for foreign exchange sales to the Central Bank.
Laches and Indigenous Land Rights: When Delaying a Claim Can Cost You Everything
A Supreme Court ruling shows that laches can bar recovery of ancestral land, even when a sale lacked required government approval.
VAT Zero-Rating for PEZA-Registered Enterprises: Tax Incentive Choices Clarified
PEZA firms choosing income tax holiday over 5% gross income tax remain VAT-registered and may claim zero-rated refunds on export sales.
Who Is in Delay in Reciprocal Obligations? Philippine Contract of Sale Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when delay begins in reciprocal obligations under a contract of sale, and why mutual default cancels out.
Due Process in Corporate Disputes: Prescription and Quieting of Title Under Philippine Law
The Supreme Court clarifies when actions to quiet title are imprescriptible, protecting possessors from wrongful execution sales.
Quieting Title Actions Are Imprescriptible When Owner Is in Possession
A quieting of title action does not prescribe if the owner remains in possession, even after a void execution sale.
Fraudulent Conveyance: When Property Sales Defeat Creditors' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court explains when a property sale is fraudulent against creditors and when creditors can rescind.
Equitable Mortgage vs Absolute Sale: What Philippine Courts Look For
When is a deed of sale really a mortgage? The Supreme Court explains the rules on equitable mortgage in Cirelos v. Hernandez.
Interest on Maritime Liens in the Philippines: When Does the Clock Start Ticking?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when legal interest on a maritime lien begins to accrue—from extrajudicial demand, not from foreclosure sale.
Double Sale of Property in the Philippines: Why Registration and Good Faith Are Your Best Protection
Learn how Philippine law resolves double sales of property and why timely registration and good faith determine ownership.
Contract to Sell vs. Contract of Sale: Why Consent on Payment Terms Matters
The Supreme Court clarifies when a property agreement is a contract to sell, not a sale, and why consent on payment terms is decisive.
Writ of Possession: What Foreclosure Sale Purchasers Should Know
Understanding the writ of possession in extrajudicial foreclosure sales, and why courts issue it as a ministerial duty to the purchaser.
Unmasking Fraud in Property Deals: Supreme Court Clarifies Burden of Proof
The Supreme Court clarifies that fraud in property sales must be proven with clear evidence, not bare allegations.
Forged Deeds and Property Rights: Protecting Your Land Title in the Philippines
A forged deed cannot transfer ownership. Learn how Philippine courts protect registered landowners from fraudulent sales.
Tax Declaration vs. Deed of Sale: Proving Land Ownership in the Philippines
A tax declaration annotation is not proof of land ownership. Learn what documents legally establish title under Philippine law.
Upholding Notarized Deeds: Why Mere Denial Isnt Enough in Philippine Property Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that a notarized deed of sale cannot be overturned by a seller's bare denial, explaining the burden of proof in property disputes.
Rescission of Real Estate Sales: Understanding Breach of Contract and Third Party Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on who may sue for rescission of real estate contracts, real party in interest rule, and implied trusts under Article 1448.