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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Kidnapping for Ransom Conviction Affirmed: The Limits of Alibi and Denial of Conspiracy
Supreme Court affirms kidnapping-for-ransom convictions, explaining why alibi fails against positive identification and how conspiracy is inferred from concerted acts.
Forcible Entry Jurisdiction: When Stealth Extends the One-Year Filing Period
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on forcible entry jurisdiction, stealth dispossession, and the one-year filing period in Nuñez v. SLTEAS Phoenix Solutions.
Upholding Possession Jurisdiction in Forcible Entry Cases and the Significance of Juridical Acts
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on forcible entry jurisdiction, possession through juridical acts, and the one-year prescriptive period.
Appeals From the NWRB: Clarifying Jurisdiction Between the RTC and Court of Appeals
The Supreme Court clarifies that appeals from National Water Resources Board decisions go to the Court of Appeals, not the RTC.
Beyond Morality: LGBT Rights and Party-List Accreditation in the Philippines
The Supreme Court ruled that moral disapproval alone cannot bar LGBT groups from party-list accreditation, affirming equal protection and secular governance.
Backwages and Separation Pay: Reconciling Employee Rights in Illegal Dismissal Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies that illegally dismissed employees can receive both backwages and separation pay when reinstatement is no longer feasible.
Equality in Representation: Population Requirements for Legislative Districts in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies that the Constitution does not require a 250,000 population minimum for provincial legislative districts.
Mistaken Identity or Intent to Kill: The Boundaries of Attempted Murder and Physical Injuries
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a shooting is attempted murder versus less serious physical injuries, and how positive identification defeats alibi.
Election Integrity: The Balance Between Ballot Preservation and Voter Rights
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on COMELEC execution pending appeal, ballot appreciation, and the delicate balance between election integrity and voter rights.
Legislative Districts Population Disparity and the Right to Equal Representation
The Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution does not require a 250,000 population minimum for provincial legislative districts, upholding RA 9716.
Foreclosure Redemption Rights Under the Rural Banks Act and Property Law
The Supreme Court clarifies redemption periods for rural bank foreclosures under RA 720, emphasizing borrower disclosure duties and laches.
Authority to Sue Corporations Must Prove Representation in Court
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that corporate plaintiffs must prove their representative's authority to sue, or risk dismissal of their case.
Exhausting Administrative Remedies in Police Misconduct Cases: Lessons from Acuzar v. Jorolan
Police officers facing administrative charges must exhaust administrative remedies before courts. Learn from SPO1 Acuzar's case.
Retrenchment Validity: Balancing Employer Rights and Employee Protection in Downturns
The Supreme Court clarifies when retrenchment is valid, the role of quitclaims, and the limits of procedural due process in labor dismissals.
Retrenchment and Release: Balancing Employer Rights and Employee Protection in the Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies valid retrenchment requirements, the role of quitclaims, and when nominal damages apply in labor cases.
Real Party in Interest Rule in Annulling Land Titles in the Philippines
Learn the real party in interest rule for annulling land titles in the Philippines, explained through the Supreme Court's ruling in Goco v. CA.
Father's Death During Appeal Extinguishes Criminal and Civil Liability
Supreme Court explains how a father's death pending appeal extinguishes criminal liability and civil liability ex delicto under Article 89.
Safeguarding Employee Rights: The Imperative of Due Process in Termination Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Genesis Transport clarifies preventive suspension limits, valid dismissal, and illegal wage deductions under the Labor Code.
Protecting Children: The Unwavering Credibility of a Minor's Testimony in Rape Cases
In People v. Garcia, the Supreme Court upheld a rape conviction based largely on the testimony of a five-year-old victim, reinforcing settled rules on child credibility.
Confessions and Circumstantial Evidence in Rape with Homicide: People v. Sace
The Supreme Court affirms a rape-with-homicide conviction based on circumstantial evidence and a spontaneous confession, explaining key evidentiary rules.
Confessions and Circumstantial Evidence in Rape with Homicide Cases: People v. Sace
The Supreme Court affirms a rape-with-homicide conviction based on circumstantial evidence and a spontaneous confession, explaining key evidentiary rules.
When a Judge's Oversight Becomes Judicial Misconduct: The Ty-De Zuzuarregui Case
The Supreme Court clarifies when a judge's procedural lapse amounts to grave abuse of discretion, and the rules on prejudicial questions.
Toll Fee Deductions and Due Process: Protecting Employee Wages and Rights in Dismissal Cases
Supreme Court rules on illegal wage deductions from commissions and clarifies the 30-day preventive suspension rule in labor cases.
Substantial Compliance in Corporate Filings: When Imperfect Paperwork Doesn't Sink the Ship
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when defective corporate verification and non-forum shopping certifications may be cured by substantial compliance.