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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Loafing in Public Service: Consequences for Neglecting Duty
A Supreme Court ruling explains when unauthorized absences during office hours constitute loafing and the penalties that follow.
Private Rights vs State Reservations: When Long Possession of Public Land Cannot Ripen Into Ownership
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that unclassified public land cannot be privately owned without positive government act declaring it alienable and disposable.
Upholding Ethical Conduct: Suspension for Loafing in the Judiciary
Supreme Court suspends court employee for loafing, reaffirming that judicial personnel must strictly observe office hours and professional conduct.
Upholding State Ownership: Imperfect Titles and Land Classification in the Philippines
The Court rules that unclassified public land cannot ripen into private ownership; claimants must prove the land was declared alienable and disposable.
Falsifying Time Records: A Breach of Public Trust in the Philippine Judiciary
Court interpreter suspended six months for falsifying daily time records to attend law school. The Supreme Court rules on dishonesty, due process, and public accountability.
Familial Trust Betrayed Upholding Justice IN Cases OF Qualified Rape
Falsifying Time Records: A Breach of Public Trust in the Philippine Judiciary
Court interpreter suspended for falsifying daily time records to attend law school, a dishonesty case that underscores accountability in the judiciary.
When Utility Inspectors Enter Private Homes: Abuse of Rights and Unreasonable Search Claims
Explaining when utility inspections of private property are lawful, and when they may give rise to damages for abuse of rights.
Dishonesty in the Workplace: When Company Policies Justify Dismissal in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on falsified daily time records as dishonesty, and when company policies justify dismissal for grave offenses.
Casino Franchise Agreements: PAGCOR Obligations and Investment Protection
Supreme Court guidance on casino franchise agreements, PAGCOR's licensing powers, and the limits of court intervention in administrative disputes.
Co-Ownership Rights Selling Your Share Without Consent Philippines
Can a co-owner be forced to sell their share? The Supreme Court explains Article 493 rights and the remedy of partition.
Falsifying Daily Time Records in Government Service: A Case of Breach of Public Trust
Court interpreter suspended for falsifying DTRs to attend law classes. A lesson on dishonesty and accountability in government service.
Stored Goods Destroyed by Fire: When Negligence Overrides Fortuitous Events
Learn when storage facilities are liable for goods destroyed by fire, and how the Supreme Court applied res ipsa loquitur in ICTSI v. Chua.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: Jurisdiction and the Alter Ego Doctrine in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that piercing the corporate veil requires jurisdiction over the parent company and proof of fraud, not mere ownership.
Mental Capacity and Witness Testimony: Protecting Vulnerable Victims of Sexual Assault
How Philippine courts assess mental capacity of rape victims with disabilities, and why mental retardation alone does not disqualify a witness.
Land Registration by Acquisitive Prescription: The Need for Patrimonial Property Status
Learn why land registration under Section 14(2) of PD 1529 requires proof that the land was patrimonial property at the start of possession.
Land Registration Under Section 14(2): The Patrimonial Property Requirement
The Supreme Court clarifies when alienable public land becomes private property subject to acquisition by prescription under PD 1529.
Business Closure vs Illegal Dismissal: Navigating Employee Rights in the Philippines
When is a resignation forced? Learn how Philippine labor law distinguishes voluntary resignation from illegal dismissal, based on a Supreme Court ruling.
Voluntary Resignation vs Constructive Dismissal: Balancing Employee Rights and Employer Prerogatives
The Supreme Court clarifies when a resignation is truly voluntary and when employer prerogative justifies dismissal under Philippine labor law.
Seafarers’ Disability Claims: Abandoning Treatment and the POEA-SEC Rules
Explore the Supreme Court ruling on seafarers' disability claims, emphasizing the POEA-SEC requirements and the consequences of abandoning treatment.
Investment Scams and the Legal Definition of a Salesman Under the Securities Regulation Code
Supreme Court ruling on when an investment consultant becomes a
Attorney Accountability: Burden of Proof in Disbarment Cases Against Lawyers
Disbarment complaints require clear preponderant evidence, not mere assumptions. The Supreme Court explains the burden of proof in lawyer discipline cases.
Judge Fined for Gross Misconduct Over Misuse of Seized Firearm Evidence
Supreme Court holds judge liable for gross misconduct for taking custody of a seized firearm and allowing his bodyguard to possess it.
Land Conversion and NHA Authority: Security of Tenure vs Public Interest
A Supreme Court ruling on land conversion, NHA resettlement acquisitions, and tenant rights under agrarian reform laws.