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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When Aiding a Principal Overshadows Accessory Liability in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when helping a principal offender may constitute grave misconduct rather than mere accessory liability in administrative cases.
Real Party in Interest: When Can an Agent Sue on Behalf of a Principal?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when an agent may sue in its own name and the limits of an agent's authority to file suit.
Ransom Receipt as Proof of Conspiracy in Kidnapping for Ransom Cases
Supreme Court affirms that receiving ransom money during an ongoing kidnapping establishes conspiracy and liability as a principal.
Decoding Loan Payments: How Courts Apply Payments to Interest vs Principal in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how loan payments are applied to interest before principal, and when chattel mortgages cover future loans.
Kidnapping for Ransom: Supreme Court Affirms Conviction and Apportions Liability Between Principal and Accompl
The Supreme Court clarifies the line between principal and accomplice in kidnapping for ransom, and how damages are shared.
When an Agent's Mortgage Signed in Own Name Does Not Bind the Principal
A mortgage signed by an agent in a personal capacity, without indicating agency, binds only the agent, not the principal.
Surety Bonds Survive Debt Extension: Key Supreme Court Ruling on Article 2079
Extension of a principal's debt without a surety's consent does not automatically extinguish surety bonds, per the Supreme Court.
Premature Foreclosure: Protecting Mortgagors' Rights Before Default
Philippine Supreme Court rules that foreclosing a mortgage before the debtor defaults on the principal loan is void and ineffectual.
Equitable Mortgage Ruling Reasserts Mortgagor Rights in Property Disputes
Supreme Court clarifies that in equitable mortgages, reconveyance to the mortgagor is the principal remedy—not payment of fair market value.
When an Agent Exceeds Authority: Surety Bonds and the Limits of Apparent Authority
The Supreme Court clarifies when a principal is liable for an agent's unauthorized surety bond, and when third persons must verify authority.
Labor-Only Contracting: When the Principal Employer Faces Solidary Liability
The Supreme Court clarifies when a principal employer becomes solidarily liable for the claims of workers hired through a labor-only contractor.
Treasury Bill Trading Roles: When a "Conduit" Is Really a Principal
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a treasury bill trader acts as principal, not conduit, and when set-off applies.
Treachery and Conspiracy: When Presence Makes You an Accomplice, Not a Principal
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a bystander at a murder scene becomes an accomplice rather than a conspirator, and how treachery is proven.
Surety Bonds Solidary Liability Despite Contract Rescission
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on surety bonds: rescission of the principal contract does not automatically release the surety from liability.
Solidary Liability of Recruitment Agencies: Protecting Overseas Filipino Workers' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on recruitment agencies' solidary liability with foreign principals for OFW claims, explained in plain language.
Joint and Solidary Liability of Recruitment Agencies for OFW Claims
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on recruitment agencies' joint liability with foreign principals for overseas workers' money claims.
When Outsourcing Obscures Employment: Labor-Only Contracting in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when a contractor is merely a labor-only contractor, making the principal the true employer. Learn the rules.
Agency and Mortgage Law: When an Agent’s Signature Does Not Bind the Principal
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when an authorized agent’s mortgage signature binds only the agent, not the principal, and the role of laches.
Employer Control Determines Employment Status: The PLDT Security Guard Case
When a security agency's contract ends but guards remain at their posts under the principal's direction, an employer-employee relationship may arise.
Accomplice Liability in Rape With Homicide: Clarifying the Degree of Participation
The Supreme Court clarifies when a witness to a crime becomes an accomplice, not a principal, in rape with homicide.
Agency Liability When Authorizing a Third Party Leads to Responsibility
A principal can be held liable for its agent's actions even if the agent loses the property. Learn the rules on agency and authorization.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When a Principal Becomes the True Employer in Labor-Only Contracting
When is a principal the real employer? The Supreme Court clarifies labor-only contracting rules in Iligan Cement Corporation v. IEWU-SPFL.
Labor-Only Contracting: When a Principal Becomes the True Employer
Supreme Court ruling on labor-only contracting and when a principal becomes the true employer of contractual workers.
Continuing Surety Agreements: When a Surety Is Liable for Another's Loan
Philippine Supreme Court explains continuing surety agreements and when a surety becomes liable for a principal debtor's obligations.