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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BSP Authority to Set Interest Rates and Protect Borrowers After Usury Law Suspension
The Supreme Court confirms the BSP's authority over interest rates, explains the Usury Law suspension, and protects borrowers from unconscionable charges.
Interlocutory Orders and Certiorari: The Boundaries of Judicial Review in Election Cases
When can an interlocutory order be assailed via certiorari? This case clarifies the limits of judicial review and administrative remedies.
Admonishing Delay in Executing Final Judgments: A Lesson for Judges
Sandiganbayan justices admonished for delaying execution of a final conviction, highlighting the ministerial duty to implement judgments promptly.
Judicial Immunity: When CAN Judges Be Held Liable for Their Decisions?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies the limits of judicial immunity and when judges may face administrative liability for their rulings.
Parking Liability When Negligence Doesn't Extend to the Property Owner
When a car is stolen from a paid parking lot, who pays? The Supreme Court explains when the property owner escapes liability.
Forum Shopping Dismissal Affirmed FOR Seeking Conflicting Remedies IN Separate Suits
When Is a General Manager Considered a Corporate Officer? Philippine Jurisprudence
Explore how Philippine law defines corporate officers, and when a general manager may be considered one, based on Supreme Court rulings.
Contempt of Court: Interpreting Restraining Orders and the Limits of Enforcement
The Supreme Court clarifies when a TRO binds government agencies and what acts constitute contempt in agrarian reform cases.
Mortgage on Condominium Land Void Without HLURB Approval: PBCom v. Pridisons
Supreme Court rules mortgages on land intended for condominium projects need HLURB approval under PD 957, protecting buyers over banks.
Corporate Dissolution and Intra-Corporate Disputes: Preserving Stockholder Rights
The Supreme Court clarifies that corporate dissolution does not extinguish intra-corporate disputes or the rights of stockholders to pursue them.
Entrapment vs Instigation: How Intent Determines Drug Sale Convictions
The Supreme Court explains the key difference between entrapment and instigation in drug cases, and why intent matters.
Entrapment vs Instigation: Defining the Boundaries of Drug Law Enforcement in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the distinction between valid entrapment and prohibited instigation in drug buy-bust operations, and why it matters.
Challenging Drug Convictions: How Chain of Custody Affects Illegal Possession Cases
The Supreme Court explains when lapses in the chain of custody of seized drugs can—and cannot—overturn a conviction for illegal possession of shabu.
Support Pendente Lite Orders Are Interlocutory: When Can They Be Appealed?
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that support pendente lite orders are interlocutory and not appealable, explaining the proper remedy under Rule 65.
Voluntary Submission to Jurisdiction: When Active Participation Trumps Defective Summons
Defective summons doesn't defeat jurisdiction if a defendant voluntarily appears and seeks affirmative relief, as Optima Realty v. Hertz shows.
Claims Against a Deceased's Estate: Quasi-Contracts and Rule 86 Explained
When must a claim against a deceased person's estate be filed in estate settlement proceedings? The Supreme Court clarifies in Metrobank v. Absolute Management.
Falsification and Probable Cause: Protecting Individuals From Baseless Criminal Charges
The Supreme Court clarifies when courts may review prosecutors' findings and what probable cause requires in falsification cases.
Falsification of Documents: Probable Cause and Presumptions of Regularity
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when allegations of falsification are enough to warrant prosecution, and the weight given to notarized documents.
When a Drug Sale Isn't a Sale: Payment Must Be Completed for Conviction
The Supreme Court clarifies that illegal drug sale requires actual payment, not just delivery. Learn the key elements and why possession still leads to conviction.
Disqualification of Candidates: COMELEC’s Authority and Due Process Rights
The Supreme Court nullified COMELEC’s disqualification of a candidate, ruling the en banc acted without jurisdiction and violated due process.
Breaking the Chain: How Election Protests Can Interrupt the Three-Term Limit
The Supreme Court clarifies when an election protest breaks the three-term limit rule for local officials, using Mayor Abundo's case.
Parental Incest and Rape Law in the Philippines: The Buado Case
How Philippine courts handle incestuous rape by a parent, the proof of minority required, and the effect of the death penalty abolition.
Hierarchy of Courts: Direct Filing of Certiorari, Prohibition, and Mandamus to the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court dismisses a direct petition for certiorari, prohibition, and mandamus, reaffirming the strict policy on the hierarchy of courts.
Loan Default and Foreclosure: When Preliminary Injunction Is Not Available
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that a borrower in default cannot enjoin foreclosure without a clear legal right, citing TML Gasket v. BPI.