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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Ejectment Actions and Ownership Disputes: When Can You Evict a Tenant
The Supreme Court clarifies that ownership disputes do not stop ejectment cases. Learn the rules on unlawful detainer and possession.
Tenant OR Farm Laborer Understanding Security OF Tenure IN Philippine Agrarian LAW
Security of tenure under Philippine agrarian law protects farm tenants and laborers from illegal dispossession and dismissal, ensuring stability and fairness.
Rescission vs Ejectment: Jurisdiction in Philippine Property Disputes
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when ejectment is premature: a contract to sell must first be rescinded before filing for possession.
Combating Land Title Fraud: Reopening Decrees and Protecting Property Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that reconstituted titles obtained through fraudulent or defective proceedings are void and cannot defeat actual possession.
Squatting Rights: When Tolerance Does Not Mean Consent in Philippine Property Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that sharing harvests or tolerating possession does not create ownership rights or consent to squatting.
Forcible Entry Cases: Why Facts, Not Just Claims, Decide Property Disputes
Learn how Philippine courts decide forcible entry cases and why factual evidence, not mere claims, determines who keeps possession.
Mortgage Foreclosure Surplus: Mortgagor Rights to Excess Bid Proceeds in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on mortgagor rights to surplus proceeds from extrajudicial foreclosure sales and writ of possession.
Unlicensed Firearm Possession and Homicide: Lessons from People v. Tobias
The Supreme Court explains when a firearm is considered unlicensed, and why a belatedly obtained license cannot cure illegal possession.
Marijuana Possession and the Retroactive Application of Favorable Criminal Laws in the Philippines
Explaining when procedural laws apply retroactively, using the Subido v. Sandiganbayan ruling on jurisdiction and vested rights.
Possession of Illegal Timber: Navigating Philippine Forestry Laws
The Supreme Court clarifies that mere possession of timber without legal documents is a crime under the Revised Forestry Code, even if the timber came from a legal source.
Evidence Rules in Illegal Firearm Cases: Why Conviction Requires Proof of No License
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on illegal possession of firearms explains why prosecutors must prove lack of license beyond reasonable doubt.
Ejectment Suits: Possession vs Ownership in Philippine Courts
Philippine ejectment suits decide possession, not ownership. Learn the rules from Dizon v. Court of Appeals.
Drug Possession Penalties: How Quantity Matters Under the Dangerous Drugs Act
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains how drug quantity determines penalties, reducing life imprisonment for small amounts of shabu.
Navigating Drug Possession Penalties When A Gram Makes ALL THE Difference
Unlawful Arrest and Illegal Firearm Possession: Know Your Rights
The Supreme Court acquits a man of illegal firearm possession, ruling that police must prove lack of license and that stop-and-frisk has limits.
Unlawful Detainer and Ownership: When Courts Can Decide Title
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that MTCs can decide ownership in unlawful detainer cases, but only to resolve possession.
Fencing Under P.D. 1612: Possession Alone Can Establish Guilt
Explaining the Supreme Court ruling that mere possession of stolen goods creates a presumption of fencing under P.D. 1612, and how to rebut it.
Anti-Fencing Law in the Philippines: Possession and Legal Presumptions
The Anti-Fencing Law criminalizes dealing in stolen goods. Mere possession creates a presumption of fencing. Learn how to protect yourself.
Quieting of Title in the Philippines: Proving Ownership and Possession
Learn how Philippine courts resolve quieting of title cases, what evidence matters, and why factual findings bind appellate review.
Fencing in the Philippines: Knowledge and Presumptions Under the Anti-Fencing Law
Explaining the elements of fencing under P.D. 1612, the presumption of knowledge from possession, and how receipts can rebut it.
Ejectment Cases and Ownership Disputes: Navigating Possession Rights in the Philippines
Learn how Philippine courts resolve possession disputes, the limits of final judgments, and what the Price Mansion case teaches about ownership claims.
Understanding Illegal Logging and Timber Possession Laws in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that possessing lumber without legal documents is a crime under the Revised Forestry Code, explaining key rules on seizure and confiscation.
Buy-Bust Operations and Illegal Firearm Possession: Key Rules from a Philippine Supreme Court Case
Learn the legal rules on buy-bust operations, warrantless arrests, and illegal firearm possession from a landmark Philippine Supreme Court decision.