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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Demand Is Key: Determining the Prescription Period for Unlawful Detainer in the Philippines
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled that the one-year period for unlawful detainer is counted from the last demand to vacate, not from the date of non-payment.
Agency and Authority: When a Deed Does Not Mean a Done Deal in Property Sales
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when a deed of sale is void without proper agency authority under the Civil Code.
Writ of Possession Is Ministerial Duty Despite Challenges to Mortgage Validity
Philippine Supreme Court ruling: a pending case questioning mortgage validity does not stop a writ of possession after foreclosure and redemption lapse.
VAT Liability and Contractual Stipulations: Lessons from Mendiola v. Commerz Trading
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies who bears VAT liability when a contract shifts tax burden—and who must pay the BIR.
Conflicting Land Titles in the Philippines: Prior Registration vs. Identity of Property
In VSD Realty v. Uniwide Sales, the Supreme Court remanded a land dispute to settle which of two conflicting titles traced back to the genuine OCT No. 994.
Decree of Registration Prevails Over Tax Declarations in Land Ownership Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on why a decree of registration outweighs tax declarations and receipts in land ownership disputes.
Sheriffs Must Execute Writs Promptly and File Periodic Returns: DBP v. Famero
The Supreme Court clarifies a sheriff's duty to execute writs with dispatch and file Section 14, Rule 39 periodic returns, imposing a fine for neglect.
Ghost Purchases and Public Trust: When Oversight Reliance Fails in Graft Cases
The Supreme Court affirms graft convictions for ghost purchases, clarifying when public officers cannot rely on subordinates' work to escape liability.
Eyewitness Testimony in Rape with Homicide Cases: Credibility and the Weight of a Single Witness
How Philippine courts assess the credibility of a single eyewitness in rape with homicide cases, explained through a 2013 Supreme Court ruling.
Indispensable Parties: Why Government Agencies Must Be Included in Correction of Public Record Cases
The Supreme Court nullified a correction of birth date ruling because government agencies were not impleaded as indispensable parties. Learn the rules.
Due Process Prevails: Protecting the Rights of Unheard Parties in Property Disputes
A property buyer not impleaded in a prior case cannot be bound by its ruling. The Supreme Court affirms the right to due process in separate actions.
Receivership: A Harsh Remedy That Requires Imminent Danger of Loss
The Supreme Court clarifies that receivership is an extreme remedy, requiring proof of imminent danger of loss, not mere financial need.
Upholding Client Loyalty Disciplinary Action FOR Attorneys Representing Conflicting Interests IN THE Philippin
A lawyer cannot represent opposing clients even in unrelated cases. The Supreme Court explains the rule on conflicting interests and its consequences.
Rehabilitation Over Liquidation: Protecting Corporate Viability in Financial Distress
The Supreme Court affirms that corporate rehabilitation, not liquidation, is preferred when a distressed firm can be revived and creditors remain protected.
Proper Documentation Matters: When Belated Birth Registration Fails in Philippine Law
The Supreme Court nullified a correction of birth date in police service records for lack of indispensable parties and weak evidence. Learn the rules.
Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform: Balancing Land Valuation Factors
The Supreme Court explains how courts balance CNI, CS, and MV factors in determining just compensation for agrarian reform lands.
Substantial Compliance in Appointing Commissioners for Just Compensation
The Supreme Court clarifies when appointing a committee instead of individual commissioners in expropriation cases amounts to substantial compliance with Rule 67.
Voluntary Resignation vs Illegal Dismissal: Protecting Employee Rights in the Philippines
When is a resignation voluntary? The Supreme Court clarifies the employer's burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases involving claims of voluntary resignation.
Voluntary Resignation Defense in Illegal Dismissal Cases: The Burden on Employers
When can an employer rely on a resignation letter? The Supreme Court clarifies the burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases involving claims of voluntary resignation.
Project Employees and Voluntary Resignation: Lessons from D.M. Consunji v. Bello
When does a project employee become regular, and what proves voluntary resignation? The Supreme Court clarifies in D.M. Consunji v. Bello.
When Judges Err: Administrative Liability vs. Judicial Remedies in the Philippines
Supreme Court clarifies when judges face administrative sanctions for errors, misconduct, and delay in deciding cases, and when judicial remedies apply instead.
Just Compensation in Agrarian Reform: Fair Valuation of Rubber Lands
The Supreme Court clarifies how just compensation for rubber lands must be determined under agrarian reform, emphasizing the mandatory DAR valuation formula.
Strict Compliance with Publication Rule Is Jurisdictional in Title Reconstitution
Philippine Supreme Court rules that failure to strictly comply with the 30-day publication requirement in reconstitution cases deprives courts of jurisdiction.
Self-Defense or Murder? The Limits of Justifiable Force in Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when self-defense fails and a killing becomes murder, explaining unlawful aggression, treachery, and reasonable force.