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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Breach of Trust: When Banks Overstep Their Authority Over Depositor Accounts
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on bank liability for unauthorized deductions from depositor accounts and the fiduciary duty of banks.
Dismissal for Forum Shopping: Preventing Redundant Lawsuits
Forum shopping rules apply only to judicial cases, not administrative complaints, as the Supreme Court clarifies in Ombudsman v. Rodriguez.
Reorganization and Demotion: Protecting Employee Rights in Government Restructuring
Learn when a government reorganization results in illegal demotion and how the Supreme Court protects employee rights in restructuring.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Why Evidence Integrity Matters
The Supreme Court explains what prosecutors must prove to establish an unbroken chain of custody in drug cases under RA 9165.
Judicial Impartiality When Haste Undermines Justice in the Philippines
A look at the Supreme Court's ruling in People v. Padua on drug buy-bust operations, chain of custody, and the limits of judicial haste.
Finality of Dismissal: Understanding Res Judicata in Employment Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling explains when a dismissal becomes final and how res judicata bars relitigation of settled employment disputes.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Integrity of Evidence Is Key
Philippine Supreme Court ruling explains why the chain of custody of seized drugs matters and when minor lapses will not acquit an accused.
Dishonesty at Work: Employees’ Duty and Employers’ Right to Terminate
When can an employer validly dismiss an employee for dishonesty? The Supreme Court explains in Maribago Bluewater v. Dual.
Navigating Government Procurement: The Imperative of Protest Compliance in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on LRA v. Lanting Security clarifies mandatory protest rules under R.A. 9184 before courts can act.
Unfulfilled Promises Foreclosure Rights AND THE Persistence of Original Obligations IN Philippine Law
A Supreme Court ruling explains when a new promise to pay does not extinguish an original loan and mortgage obligation.
Chain of Custody Safeguarding Drug Evidence and Ensuring Fair Trials in Illegal Drug Cases
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect due to broken chain of custody, emphasizing strict compliance with RA 9165's evidence safeguards.
Parental Privilege vs. Right to Testify: Scope in Philippine Law
When can a parent refuse to testify? The Supreme Court clarifies the limits of parental and filial privilege in Philippine law.
Piercing the Corporate Veil: When Is a Corporation Liable for Ill-Gotten Wealth?
A look at when corporations can be held liable for ill-gotten wealth, and why the Supreme Court dismissed cases against corporate fronts in Republic v. Sandiganbayan.
Falsification Ruling Clarifies Document Alteration and Judicial Discretion in Criminal Cases
Supreme Court clarifies when document alterations constitute falsification and how courts should exercise discretion in criminal proceedings.
When Cross Collateral Clauses Clash With Verbal Agreements: Understanding Mortgage Obligations
The Supreme Court clarifies that bank branch managers cannot verbally alter mortgage contracts containing cross-collateral or dragnet clauses.
Statutory Rape Conviction Upheld Despite Alibi Defense: Garbida Case
The Supreme Court upheld Roberto Garbida's conviction for seven counts of statutory rape, ruling that a child's consent is immaterial under Article 335 of the Revised Penal Code.
Illegal Dismissal, Retrenchment, and Redundancy: Key Rules from Lambert Pawnbrokers v. Binamira
Supreme Court clarifies the rules on retrenchment, redundancy, and corporate liability in illegal dismissal cases, and when damages apply.
Illegal Dismissal: Employer's Burden to Prove Valid Termination and Due Process
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies employer's burden in illegal dismissal cases: valid cause and due process are both required for lawful termination.
Immediate Execution of Damages: Protecting Corporate Dissenting Stockholders' Rights
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that awards for exemplary damages and attorney's fees in intra-corporate disputes are not immediately executory pending appeal.
Maritime Claims: Strict Interpretation of COGSA Prescriptive Period
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the one-year COGSA prescriptive period for maritime cargo claims, emphasizing strict timing rules.
Possession Isn't Always Guilt: Theft and the Limits of Presumption in Lozano v. People
A Supreme Court ruling shows why finding stolen goods in someone's hands does not automatically prove theft of everything else reported missing.
Contract of Legal Services: When a Mayor's Authority Binds a Municipality
Supreme Court ruling on when a municipal mayor's contract binds the LGU, limits of Sangguniang Bayan authorization, and judgment on the pleadings.
COGSA One-Year Prescription and Amended Complaints: Lessons from Wallem v. S.R. Farms
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that COGSA's one-year prescriptive period bars claims against newly impleaded defendants in amended complaints.
Standing to Sue: Why Associations Can't Always Fight for Members' Rights in Court
The Supreme Court explains when an association lacks legal standing to challenge a government rule, using a real estate group's failed suit against energy regulations.