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.
Understanding Mortgage Contract Validity: Lessons from a Philippine Supreme Court Ruling
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when mortgage contracts are valid, how undue influence is proven, and the limits of injunctive relief in foreclosure disputes.
Rape Convictions and Victim Credibility: Lessons from a Robbery with Rape Case
The Supreme Court explains how victim testimony and conspiracy principles shape rape convictions in robbery with rape cases.
Seafarer Disability Claims: Proving Work-Related Illness Under the POEA Contract
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a seafarer's illness is compensable under the POEA Standard Employment Contract and the burden of proof required.
Seafarer Disability Claims: When a Doctor's Assessment Is Not Final
Philippine Supreme Court clarifies when a seafarer's disability becomes total and permanent despite a company doctor's partial disability rating.
Understanding Apparent Authority: How Corporate Actions Bind Agreements in the Philippines
The Supreme Court explains when a corporation is bound by an officer's acts under the doctrine of apparent authority.
Navigating Labor Disputes: The Importance of Procedural Compliance in Philippine Employment Law
A look at Luces v. Coca-Cola Bottlers Phils., Inc., where the Supreme Court clarified labor-only contracting rules and the need for procedural compliance.
Understanding Accomplice Liability in Philippine Homicide Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies when a person becomes an accomplice rather than a principal in homicide, and how civil liability is apportioned.
Understanding Conspiracy and Treachery in Philippine Murder and Robbery Cases
The Supreme Court explains how conspiracy and treachery work in murder and robbery cases, and what must be alleged in the Information.
Corporate Rehabilitation and Conservatorship: Key Insights from the CAP Pension Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies the boundaries between corporate rehabilitation and conservatorship, and the limits of a rehabilitation court's jurisdiction over subsidiary corporations.
Credit Card Debt in the Philippines: Interest Rates, Obligations, and the Uysipuo Ruling
The Supreme Court clarifies how credit card interest rates are computed and when courts can reduce unconscionable charges.
Protecting Seafarers: Employer's Duty to Provide Medical Attention Despite Technicalities
Supreme Court rules employers cannot deny seafarer disability claims by citing missed 3-day medical reporting when they refused to provide medical referral.
Apparent Authority: When Employers Are Liable for Employees' Acts
The Supreme Court explains when a company cannot deny liability for its employees' unauthorized acts under the doctrine of apparent authority.
Apparent Authority and Employer Liability: When Companies Are Bound by Employees' Acts
When are companies liable for unauthorized employee acts? The Supreme Court explains apparent authority, estoppel, and employer responsibility in Eternal Gardens v. Perlas.
Illegal Dismissal of Seafarers: Due Process and Contract Rights in the Philippines
The Supreme Court clarifies the twin notice rule and monetary awards for illegally dismissed seafarers under Philippine law.
The Best Evidence Rule in Disciplinary Proceedings: Lessons from Basagan v. Espina
A disbarment complaint fails when complainants submit only photocopies. The Supreme Court explains why the Best Evidence Rule applies to lawyer discipline cases.
Mandatory SSS Coverage for Filipino Seafarers: What the Supreme Court Said
The Supreme Court upheld the mandatory SSS coverage of Filipino seafarers under RA 11199, ruling it constitutional and valid.
Mortgage Validity and Damage Claims: Lessons from a Landmark Philippine Supreme Court Case
Learn how the Supreme Court ruled on mortgage validity despite notarization flaws and when damages are improperly awarded.
When a Surety Bond Must Be Honored: Cellpage v. Solid Guaranty Explained
The Supreme Court clarifies when a surety is liable despite no written principal contract, and how bank errors affect obligations.
Understanding Conspiracy and Principal by Inducement in Philippine Parricide Cases
The Supreme Court clarifies conspiracy and principal by inducement in parricide, ruling that a wife's words of command made her equally liable with the killer.
Direct Bribery in the Philippines: Key Lessons from Mangulabnan v. People
Direct bribery explained through a landmark Supreme Court case: elements of the crime, evidentiary standards, and practical lessons for public officers.
Business Closure and Employee Rights: The Supreme Court's Stance on Good Faith
Understand the Supreme Court's ruling on business closure, employee rights, and the critical role of good faith in labor disputes.
Foreclosure During Conservatorship: Can a Company's Directors Still Act?
Supreme Court clarifies that a conservator does not replace a company's board; directors may still initiate foreclosure to collect debts.
Investment vs Loan: When a "Pay on Demand" Promise Binds the Investor
The Supreme Court clarifies when an investment becomes a recoverable obligation, and how the parties' own acts define their contract.
Understanding Constructive Dismissal and Management Prerogatives in Philippine Employment Law
A Supreme Court ruling clarifies when a seafarer's cause of action for illegal dismissal accrues, and the limits of management prerogative in terminating overseas employment contracts.