Legal Insights

Perfecting Appeals in Election Protests: Payment Deadlines and Damage Awards

Supreme Court clarifies COMELEC appeal fee deadlines under Resolution 8486 and limits damages in election protests to actual or compensatory damages.

Fugitive Status and Election Victory: When a Disqualified Candidate's Votes Are Stray

The Supreme Court clarifies when a disqualified candidate's votes are stray and who truly wins the election.

Residency Requirements vs. Constitutional Rights: The Dano Case on Domicile and Elections

A Supreme Court ruling clarifies that temporary absence does not break residency for election purposes, protecting candidates' constitutional rights.

Freedom of Expression vs. Election Rules: The Diocese of Bacolod Tarpaulin Case

The Supreme Court ruled that a church tarpaulin on the RH Law was not election propaganda, protecting citizen speech during elections.

Advisory Bodies in Philippine Automated Elections: Chong v. Senate

The Supreme Court upheld the Advisory Council and Technical Evaluation Committee in automated elections, ruling they support rather than diminish the COMELEC's powers.

CIBAC Party-List Dispute: Resolving Authority Over Nominees and Electoral Contest Jurisdiction

Supreme Court settles who may validly nominate party-list representatives and clarifies when the HRET, not COMELEC, has jurisdiction over election contests.

When a DILG Order Meets a COMELEC Ruling: Contempt in Election Law

The Supreme Court clarifies when government officials can be cited for contempt for implementing an Ombudsman decision that conflicts with a COMELEC ruling.

Corporate Control and Stock Ownership: Resolving Disputes in Philippine Corporations

A Supreme Court ruling clarifies how stock ownership disputes affect corporate elections and why prior rulings cannot be overstretched.

Upholding Corporate Meeting Validity Proxy Rights AND Timeliness IN Intra Corporate Disputes

Supreme Court rules on proxy rights, notice requirements, and the 15-day prescriptive period for election contests in intra-corporate disputes.

Prescription in Intra-Corporate Disputes: The 15-Day Rule for Election Contests

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that actions to nullify stockholders' meetings and elections are election contests subject to the 15-day prescriptive period.

Comelec Must Enable Voter Verified Paper Audit Trail: Mandamus Granted

Supreme Court compels Comelec to activate VVPAT feature, affirming voters' right to verify their ballots under election law.

COMELEC Authority Over Election Officers and Execution Pending Appeal Rules

Supreme Court clarifies COMELEC's supervisory power over election officers and when courts lose jurisdiction to order execution pending appeal.

Moral Turpitude and Electoral Disqualification: Defining the Boundaries of Public Office Eligibility

The Supreme Court rules that libel is a crime involving moral turpitude, disqualifying a convicted candidate from public office under the Omnibus Election Code.

Dual Citizenship and Election Disqualification: Agustin v. COMELEC

Explaining when a dual citizen is disqualified from running for local office, and how using a foreign passport can undo a renunciation of citizenship.

Redundancy Dismissals: Strict Compliance With Labor Code Imperative

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies strict requirements for valid redundancy termination, including mandatory DOLE notice and fair selection criteria.

When the COMELEC Cannot Decide: The Legal Effect of a Split Vote

Explaining the Supreme Court ruling on what happens when the COMELEC en banc fails to muster a majority vote in election cases.

Transparency in Election Surveys: Balancing Free Speech and Fair Elections

The Supreme Court upheld COMELEC's power to require disclosure of election survey funders, including subscribers, under the Fair Election Act.

Election Law Defining Transfer and Safeguarding Management Prerogatives During Election Periods

The Supreme Court clarifies what counts as a prohibited transfer during election periods, balancing COMELEC rules with management prerogatives.

Employer Liability: Proving Due Diligence in Employee Negligence Cases

Employers face liability for employee negligence unless they prove due diligence in selection and supervision. Learn the rules from a Supreme Court case.

Substitution in Elections: Comelec's Discretion and Due Process Rights

A look at the Supreme Court's ruling on candidate substitution, the Comelec's ministerial duty, and the due process requirements in election cases.

Employer Liability for Employee Negligence: Proving Diligence in Selection and Supervision

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when employers can escape liability for employee negligence under Article 2180 of the Civil Code.

COMELEC's Budgetary Discretion and the Limits of Recall Election Funding

The Supreme Court ruled that COMELEC's 2014 budget covered recall elections, rejecting the agency's refusal to proceed for lack of funds.

Corporate Elections: Regular Courts, Not SEC, Decide Proxy Validity Disputes

Philippine Supreme Court clarifies that disputes over proxy validation in corporate elections belong to regular courts, not the SEC.

Election Controversies Determining Jurisdiction In Proxy Validation Disputes

When a proxy dispute affects director elections, regular courts—not the SEC—have jurisdiction. Learn the rule from this case.