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.
Mutuality of Contracts: The Limits of Bank Discretion in Setting Interest Rates
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that unilateral interest rate setting violates mutuality of contracts, but the principal loan obligation remains valid and enforceable.
Breach of Trust: When Workplace Conduct Undermines Employer Confidence
Supreme Court ruling on when managerial employees may be validly dismissed for breach of trust and loss of confidence.
BPI v. Reyes: Physical Evidence Prevails in Bank Deposit Dispute
Supreme Court explains preponderance of evidence in bank deposit disputes, ruling physical evidence outweighs bare testimony.
Rehabilitation Proceedings: The "Serious Financial Situation" Requirement for Corporate Recovery
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the "serious situation test" for corporate rehabilitation petitions under the Interim Rules, citing Pryce Corporation v. Court of Appeals.
Bank Negligence and Fiduciary Duty in Handling Foreign Currency Deposits
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on bank liability for negligence in handling foreign currency time deposit pretermination and fiduciary duty.
Trade Secrets vs Discovery: Balancing Business Confidentiality and Legal Rights in Philippine Courts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on when trade secrets are privileged from compulsory disclosure in civil discovery proceedings.
Understanding Forum Shopping and Writ of Possession in Philippine Foreclosure Law
The Supreme Court clarifies forum shopping, real party-in-interest rules, and the ministerial nature of writs of possession in extrajudicial foreclosures.
Writ of Possession as Ministerial Duty: Rayo v. Metrobank on Due Process Limits
The Supreme Court affirms that a writ of possession after extrajudicial foreclosure is a ministerial duty, even if issued ex parte. Learn the limits of due process claims.
Behest Loans and Prescription: When Does the Clock Start Ticking
The Supreme Court clarifies when the prescriptive period for behest loan cases begins, ruling it starts upon discovery, not execution.
Cooperative Membership vs Employment: Defining SSS Coverage Obligations
Supreme Court rules cooperatives can be employers of their owner-members for SSS coverage purposes, clarifying when membership does not negate employment.
Behest Loans and the Statute of Limitations: When Does the Clock Start Ticking
The Supreme Court clarifies when the prescriptive period for behest loan offenses begins, and what evidence is needed to prove them.
Banks' Duty to Depositors: No Unilateral Freezing Without Court Order
Supreme Court rules banks cannot unilaterally freeze depositor accounts based on mere suspicion, reaffirming fiduciary duty to treat accounts with meticulous care.
Partnership Disputes: Fiduciary Duties, Equitable Remedies, and the Right to Present Evidence
Supreme Court ruling on partnership disputes, fiduciary duties, equitable remedies, and the prosecution's right to present evidence in criminal cases.
Holiday Pay Divisor Method Prevails Over Literal CBA Interpretation
Supreme Court rules employers may prove holiday pay inclusion through salary computation methods, not just payroll line items.
Writ of Possession Annulment Case Does NOT Halt Ex Parte Issuance
The Supreme Court affirms that a pending annulment of foreclosure sale does not stop the ex parte issuance of a writ of possession.
Proving Land Claims in the Philippines: What a Foreclosure Redemption Case Teaches
A Supreme Court ruling on foreclosure redemption clarifies how blanket mortgage clauses affect land claims and property disputes in the Philippines.
Retinal Detachment and Work-Related Illness: Compensability Under PD 626 Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies when retinal detachment is compensable under PD 626, requiring proof of reasonable work connection, not direct causation.
Crossed Checks and Collecting Banks: Who Bears the Loss for Wrong Endorsement?
Learn when a collecting bank is liable for depositing a crossed check into the wrong account, and the duty to verify endorsements.
PCGG Duty to Disclose Evidence in Sequestration Cases: Due Process Wins
Supreme Court rules PCGG cannot hide evidence behind Executive Order No. 1; subpoenas must be honored in sequestration cases.
Cashier's Check as Bank's Primary Obligation: Holder in Due Course Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on cashier's checks, holder in due course status, and bank liability explained in plain language.
Eminent Domain and Just Compensation: Why Courts—Not Agencies—Fix Fair Value
Supreme Court clarifies that RTCs, not DAR adjudicators, have original jurisdiction over just compensation in agrarian expropriation cases.
Contractual Obligations and Third Party Rights in Property Lease Disputes
Supreme Court ruling on when lease penalties bind only contracting parties, not property owners who are third parties to the contract.
Mandatory Foreclosure: GFIs Must Verify Borrower Payments Before Proceeding
Supreme Court ruling on P.D. 385: government financial institutions must verify borrower payments before mandatory foreclosure.
Prior Court Rulings Bind Later Appeals: Default Judgment Limits Explained
A bank's repeated procedural challenges failed when earlier rulings became the law of the case. Learn how default judgments and prior decisions shape litigation.