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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Prescription and Laches in Land Disputes: Understanding Time Limits to Protect Your Property Rights
The Supreme Court explains when actions for reconveyance of registered land prescribe and how laches can bar claims, even those based on forged titles.
CARP Exemption: Land Reclassification and Agrarian Reform in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies when land reclassification can exempt property from CARP coverage, and the limits of that exemption.
Sequestration Orders and Property Rights: The PCGG Two-Commissioner Rule
When is a sequestration order void? The Supreme Court explains the PCGG's non-delegable power to sequester alleged ill-gotten wealth.
Preliminary Injunctions in the Philippines: Preserving Status Quo in Property Disputes
Learn when Philippine courts issue preliminary injunctions to preserve status quo, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Maunlad Homes v. Union Bank.
Preliminary Injunctions Protecting Possession Rights in Philippine Property Disputes
Learn how the Supreme Court protected possession rights through preliminary injunctions in Maunlad Homes v. Union Bank, and what this means for property disputes.
Preserving Property Rights When Land Use Reclassification Prevents Agrarian Reform
A Supreme Court ruling on how land use reclassification and zoning approvals affect exemption from agrarian reform coverage.
Preliminary Injunction and Possession Rights: Maunlad Homes v. Union Bank
When can a property owner be barred from collecting rentals? The Supreme Court explains the limits of ownership rights versus possession in Maunlad Homes v. Union Bank.
Co-Ownership in the Philippines: Inheritance and Property Rights Explained
Understand co-ownership in Philippine inheritance law, including property rights, partition rules, and how courts resolve disputes among co-owners.
Conjugal Property Rights in the Philippines: Protecting Assets From Spousal Debt
Learn how Philippine courts treat conjugal property when one spouse incurs personal debt, and what the Imani v. Metrobank ruling means for creditors and families.
Right of First Refusal in Lease Agreements and Property Sales in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on lessee's right of first refusal when leased property is sold, explained in plain language.
Patent Rights AND Forum Shopping Understanding THE Limits OF Intellectual Property Protection
Sheriff’s Authority and Corporate Personality: Limits in Executing Judgments
A sheriff cannot levy a corporation’s property to satisfy a judgment against its stockholders. Learn the limits of execution.
Foreshore Land vs Private Property: Clarifying Ownership Rights in Coastal Areas
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on possession, prescription, and jurisdiction in disputes over untitled coastal and ancestral lands.
Ejectment Actions and the Primacy of Registered Titles in Philippine Property Law
Philippine courts uphold registered titles over unregistered claims in ejectment cases. Learn the rules and practical implications.
Zonal Valuation vs. Actual Use: What Governs CGT and DST on Property Sales
The Supreme Court rules that existing zonal valuations, not actual property use, govern capital gains tax and documentary stamp tax computations.
Prior Title Prevails in Property Possession Cases: Lessons from a Double Sale
When two buyers claim the same land, prior title and possession in good faith prevail. Learn the rules on double sales and buyer diligence.
Protecting Possessory Rights When A Writ Of Possession Cannot Override Third Party Claims
When a third party actually possesses foreclosed property under an adverse claim, a writ of possession is not ministerial. Learn the rule.
Tolerance Ends Unlawful Detainer Actions and Property Rights in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when tolerated possession becomes unlawful detainer, and how property owners can recover possession.
Good Faith and Property Rights: Reimbursement for Builders on Another’s Land
A builder in good faith on another's land may claim reimbursement and retention rights. Learn the rules from Benedicto v. Villaflores.
Grave Coercion in Property Takeovers: The Navarra Ruling Explained
The Supreme Court ruled that forceful property repossession, even with a debt claim, constitutes grave coercion under Philippine law.
Res Judicata Explained: When a Prior Judgment Does Not Bar a Later Case
The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of res judicata, distinguishing bar by prior judgment from conclusiveness of judgment in property disputes.
When Presidential Power Meets University Autonomy: The CMU Land Case
The Supreme Court struck down a presidential proclamation taking state university land for IP distribution, affirming academic autonomy and vested property rights.
Mortgaged Property Sales Upholding Ownership Rights Despite Unapproved Transfers
Final Judgment Rule: When Court Decisions in Property Disputes Become Immutable
The final judgment rule makes court decisions in property disputes final and executory. Learn the exceptions and practical implications.