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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Navigating Libel Law: Probable Cause and Privileged Communication in the Philippines
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that probable cause for libel is a prosecutor's call, and privileged communication is a trial defense.
Valid Employee Dismissal in the Philippines: Just Cause and Due Process Explained
Explore the Supreme Court's ruling on valid employee dismissal in the Philippines, covering just cause and due process requirements.
Chain of Custody and Drug Cases: Ensuring Integrity of Evidence in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on why the chain of custody rule is essential in drug cases, and what prosecutors and police must prove.
Reimbursement Rights When a Payor Can Recover Debt Paid on Another's Behalf
When can a co-maker recover payment made on a debtor's loan? The Supreme Court explains Article 1236 reimbursement rules.
Distinguishing Financial Leases From Loans Secured by Chattel Mortgage in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a sale-and-leaseback arrangement is actually a loan secured by chattel mortgage, not a true financial lease.
Just Compensation in Eminent Domain: Ensuring Fair Market Value for Expropriated Property
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies how courts must determine just compensation in expropriation cases, requiring reliable evidence over speculation.
Ejectment and Land Ownership: What a Torrens Title Means for Property Owners in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains how registered owners can eject tolerated occupants, why laches does not bar recovery, and the limits of ownership claims in ejectment cases.
Corporate Liability in Illegal Petroleum Trading: Defining the Scope of Responsibility
Supreme Court clarifies who may be held criminally liable for illegal LPG refilling and underfilling under BP 33, as amended.
When an Airline Ignores You: Moral Damages for Lost Baggage in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when an airline's lost baggage and indifference justify moral and exemplary damages, and how courts set the amounts.
Rape Conviction Upheld Alibi Weak Against Positive Identification
The Supreme Court affirmed a murder conviction, ruling that alibi cannot prevail over positive identification by witnesses who had no motive to falsely implicate the accused.
Reconveyance Actions in the Philippines: Understanding Prescription and Laches
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when reconveyance actions prescribe and how laches bars claims, even without fraud allegations.
Rape Conviction on Credible Testimony: Proving Qualifying Circumstances in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on rape conviction based on credible testimony, proving qualifying circumstances, and the effect of R.A. 9346 on the death penalty.
Incestuous Rape Upholding THE Testimony OF Vulnerable Victims AND Addressing Familial Abuse
The Supreme Court affirms conviction for incestuous rape, underscoring the credibility of a minor victim's testimony and the State's duty to protect children from familial abuse.
Dishonesty and Falsification in Public Service: A Clerk of Court’s Dismissal
The Supreme Court dismissed a clerk of court for dishonesty and falsifying her Personal Data Sheet, underscoring integrity standards in the judiciary.
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.
IBP Elections: Enforcing Rotation and Upholding Ethical Conduct in Bar Governance
The Supreme Court settles the 2009 IBP leadership crisis, affirming mandatory rotation rules and penalizing grave misconduct by bar officers.
Employee Misconduct and Breach of Trust: When Can You Be Dismissed?
The Supreme Court explains when an employee's side activities constitute serious misconduct and breach of trust justifying dismissal.
When Courts Can Invalidate an Extrajudicial Settlement: The Tayco Case
The Supreme Court explains when a notarized deed of extrajudicial settlement can be voided despite formal requirements being met.
Security of Tenure: Understanding Agricultural Tenancy Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the essential elements of agricultural tenancy and security of tenure in Heirs of Barredo v. Besañes.
When Death Ends Criminal and Civil Liability: Datu v. People Explained
What happens to a conviction when the accused dies pending appeal? The Supreme Court's ruling in Datu v. People provides the answer.
Forum Shopping in the Philippines: How Filing Similar Cases Can Get Your Suit Dismissed
Learn how the Supreme Court defines forum shopping in the Philippines and why filing similar cases can lead to dismissal with prejudice.
Breach of Trust Defining Qualified Rape and Parental Betrayal in Philippine Law
A father's rape of his 11-year-old daughter is qualified rape. The Supreme Court explains the rules on incestuous rape, penalty, and damages.
Continuing Security: How Future Debts Can Affect Real Estate Mortgages in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains how a real estate mortgage can secure future loans, not just the original debt, through continuing guaranty clauses.
Rape Conviction of Mentally Disabled Victim: Credibility and Damages Explained
Supreme Court affirms rape conviction based on credible testimony of mentally disabled victim, awards civil, moral, and exemplary damages.