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.
Chain of Custody in Philippine Drug Cases: Why Proper Evidence Handling Matters
Learn the chain of custody rule in Philippine drug cases and why proper evidence handling is crucial for a conviction.
Verification and Certification Against Forum Shopping: Why All Petitioners Must Sign
A single unsigned verification can dismiss a case. Learn the strict rules on certification against forum shopping from Formoso v. PNB.
Philippine Mining Rights: Securing Priority Through Timely Filing of Applications
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on mining rights priority: timely filing of applications determines preferential rights, not later registration.
Exhausting Administrative Remedies: Why Businesses Can't Skip Agency Rulings in Pollution Cases
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on Universal Robina Corp. v. LLDA clarifies why businesses must exhaust administrative remedies before going to court.
Reconstitution of Lost Title: SC Clarifies Rules on Proof and Evidence
SC reinstates reconstitution of lost TCT, clarifying evidence rules under RA 26 and the Bercede guidelines.
Delayed Birth Registration Validity and Legal Presumptions in Philippine Law
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies rules on delayed birth registration, legal presumptions, and evidentiary weight in civil cases.
Dinagat Islands Case: Supreme Court on Province Creation Requirements
The Supreme Court's Dinagat Islands ruling clarifies the constitutional and statutory requirements for creating a new province in the Philippines.
Who Owns the Shares When Public Funds and Private Interests Collide in San Miguel Corporation
The Supreme Court resolves who owns sequestered SMC shares bought with coconut levy funds—the registered owners or the coconut farmers.
Broken Chains, Broken Cases: Why Chain of Custody Is King in Philippine Drug Offenses
The Supreme Court acquits a drug suspect over a broken chain of custody, underscoring the prosecution's burden to prove the drug's identity beyond doubt.
Chain of Custody Gaps Lead to Acquittal in Drug Possession Case
Philippine Supreme Court acquits drug possession accused due to broken chain of custody, emphasizing strict compliance with RA 9165 procedures.
Court Clerk’s 6-Year Appeal Delay: Gross Negligence of Duty
Branch clerk fined P20,000 for gross negligence in failing to transmit appeal records to the Court of Appeals within the 30-day rule.
VAT Compliance Strict Invoicing Requirements FOR Tax Credit Claims IN THE Philippines
Philippine Supreme Court ruling on strict VAT invoicing requirements for zero-rated sales tax credit claims.
SALN Omissions and Simple Negligence in Government Service: The Pleyto Case
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a public official's failure to disclose a spouse's business interests in the SALN amounts to simple negligence, not dishonesty.
Protecting Your Property From Confiscation: Third Party Claims in Philippine Criminal Cases
Learn how third parties can protect property from confiscation in Philippine criminal cases, based on the Supreme Court's ruling in Sea Lion Fishing Corporation.
Party-List Registration and Religious Affiliation: COMELEC's Jurisdiction Explained
When can COMELEC cancel a party-list's registration for being a religious front, and when does the HRET take over? The Supreme Court clarifies.
Mortgage Obligations and Appeal Rights in Real Estate Disputes
The Supreme Court rules on mortgage obligations, appeal periods, and writs of execution in a dispute between borrowers and PNB.
Proving Alienable and Disposable Land Status in Philippine Registration Cases
Philippine land registration requires proof of alienable and disposable status through DENR certification, not just survey plans.
Buy-Bust Operations and Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: People v. Soriaga
The Supreme Court explains why minor lapses in drug evidence handling do not automatically mean acquittal in People v. Soriaga.
Buy-Bust Operations and the Chain of Custody: Ensuring Integrity in Drug Cases
A Supreme Court ruling explains why minor lapses in drug evidence handling don't automatically mean acquittal in buy-bust cases.
When Refusing a Boss's Order Is Not Willful Disobedience: Lores Realty v. Pacia
Supreme Court clarifies what constitutes willful disobedience under Article 282 of the Labor Code and when an employee's refusal is justified.
Overpricing and Accountability: The COA's Role in Ensuring Prudent Government Spending
How the Commission on Audit ensures prudent government spending, and what the Supreme Court says about overpricing and public accountability.
Impeachment and the Dual Requirements of Filing and Referral in Philippine Law
Explains the Supreme Court's ruling on the two distinct requirements for a valid impeachment complaint under the Constitution.
Conditional Certifications vs Bank Guarantees: When a Bank Is Not Liable
Supreme Court clarifies when a bank's conditional certification of a credit line application does not constitute a binding bank guarantee.
Chain of Custody in Drug Cases: Integrity of Evidence Under RA 9165
Explaining People v. Presas on the chain of custody rule in drug cases—when lapses in procedure do not automatically break the prosecution's case.