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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Compromise Agreements in Government Disputes: Upholding Contractual Obligations
The Supreme Court approves a compromise agreement between a province and an employee, affirming the validity of settling government disputes through mutual concessions.
Court Personnel Discipline: Incompetence, Drunkenness, and Loafing in the Judiciary
The Supreme Court ruled on disciplining court personnel for incompetence, habitual drunkenness, and loafing, imposing fines despite retirement.
Liberty vs Military Authority: Balancing Rights in the Philippine Armed Forces
Supreme Court ruling on a general's preventive suspension and arrest, clarifying due process and injunctive relief in military discipline cases.
GSIS Held in Contempt for Delaying Payment of Permanent Total Disability Benefits Under RA 8291
Supreme Court cites GSIS for indirect contempt for delaying payment of a member's permanent total disability benefits under RA 8291.
When Loan Restructuring Terms Must Be in Writing: The Marcopper Case
A Supreme Court ruling on why unwritten conditions in loan restructuring cannot be enforced, and the binding nature of written agreements.
Upholding the Right to Organize: How the Supreme Court Scrutinizes Union Registration Objections
In Heritage Hotel Manila v. PIGLAS-Heritage, the Supreme Court rejected technical objections to union registration and affirmed the workers' right to self-organization.
Contempt of Court: Upholding Judicial Authority and Enforcing Final Judgments
The Supreme Court held GSIS in indirect contempt for delaying payment of a final disability award, reaffirming that final judgments must be obeyed.
Rape of a Mentally Retarded Person: Court Upholds Conviction and Justice
The Supreme Court affirms the rape conviction of a man who sexually assaulted a mentally retarded woman, clarifying the rules on consent, evidence, and penalties.
Judicial Overreach: Defining the Limits of Disciplinary Authority in the Philippine Judiciary
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that executive judges cannot unilaterally impose penalties on court personnel, reaffirming the Court's exclusive disciplinary power.
Probable Cause and Witness Credibility in Preliminary Investigations for Murder
Supreme Court clarifies how prosecutors should weigh witness credibility and probable cause in murder preliminary investigations.
Mortgage Rights Prevail Over Prior Unregistered Sale: Good Faith Purchasers Protected
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on how a registered mortgage prevails over an earlier unregistered sale, protecting good faith purchasers.
Forcible Entry: Prior Possession Matters More Than Land Ownership
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that in forcible entry cases, prior physical possession—not ownership—determines who stays on the property.
Public Hearing Imperative Invalidating Ordinances Without Community Input
A municipal ordinance imposing goodwill fees without a valid prior public hearing is void, the Supreme Court rules.
Article 448 and Final Judgments: Clarifying an Incomplete Fallo in Property Disputes
A Supreme Court ruling on when courts may complete an ambiguous dispositive portion even after finality, applying Article 448.
Syndicated Illegal Recruitment and Estafa: When a Travel Agency Owner Is Liable for Overseas Employment Scams
A travel agency owner's conviction for syndicated illegal recruitment and estafa affirmed by the Supreme Court in People v. Adeser.
Litis Pendentia: When the First-Filed Case Must Yield to a More Appropriate Action
The Supreme Court explains when a first-filed case may be dismissed for litis pendentia in favor of a more appropriate later action.
Illegal Recruitment and Estafa: When Overseas Job Promises Turn Into Crimes
Learn how Philippine courts punish syndicated illegal recruitment and estafa, based on a Supreme Court ruling on fake overseas job schemes.
Illegal Dismissal The Employers Burden OF Proof AND Ratification OF Unauthorized Actions
The Supreme Court clarifies the employer's burden of proof in illegal dismissal cases and the doctrine of ratification of unauthorized acts.
Republication of Foreclosure Sale Notices: Protecting Third-Party Rights
When a foreclosure sale is postponed, the notice must be republished and reposted. The Supreme Court explains why in Metrobank v. Nikko Sources.
Banking Law: Directors Borrowing and the Necessity of Board Approval
Philippine Supreme Court ruling clarifies when bank directors and officers may borrow from their own bank and why board approval is mandatory.
Just Compensation Under RA 6657: What Landowners Should Know About Agrarian Reform Valuation
Supreme Court clarifies when RA 6657 governs agrarian reform land valuation instead of PD 27 and EO 228, and how just compensation is determined.
Arbitration Prevails: Upholding Agreements Amid Contractual Disputes
The Supreme Court affirms that arbitration clauses survive main contract disputes, reinforcing the doctrine of separability in Philippine law.
Dacion en Pago Perfecting Ownership Despite Prior Encumbrances
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on dacion en pago, mortgage liens, and the right to compel surrender of a certificate of title.
SK Candidates and Political Dynasties: What the Calubag Ruling Means
The Supreme Court affirms cancellation of an SK chairperson's COC for misrepresentation under the anti-dynasty rule.